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    Will the Jaguars Fire Doug Pederson? Jacksonville Head Coach Saves Job With Needed win Over Patriots

    Doug Pederson is on the hot seat, but he might've saved his job by leading the Jacksonville Jaguars to a win over the New England Patriots.

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    Doug Pederson was brought in from Philadelphia to replace Urban Meyer and oversee the development of Trevor Lawrence. The hiring seemed like a genius move as the Jacksonville Jaguars went to the playoffs in Year 1, doubling the franchise’s number of postseason trips since 2008.

    Since? Not so much.

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    Doug Pederson’s Time in Jacksonville

    The Jaguars lost five of six games to close the 2023 NFL season and miss the playoffs, a collapse that could have been written off if the team started 2024 with promise.

    That, however, did not happen.

    Jacksonville was the only winless team in September this season, scoring a total of 60 points across four games and has now lost five of six after a no-show effort in London against the Chicago Bears.

    Pederson’s tenure in Jacksonville is looking similar to his time in Philadelphia in that it saw an early peak followed by a rapid plateau/regression. With the Eagles, Pederson took over a seven-win team and, in his second season, led Philadelphia to 13 regular-season wins and the team’s first championship in 57 seasons.

    The Eagles, however, couldn’t carry over any of that momentum. Philadelphia won just one playoff game during his final three seasons in town. An ugly 4-11-1 record in 2020 proved to be the final straw.

    Pederson entered Week 7 on the hot seat, but he likely saved his job with a needed win over the rebuilding New England Patriots on Sunday.

    The Jaguars fell into an early 10-0 deficit and appeared primed for an embarrassing loss in London. But Jacksonville dominated the Patriots the rest of the way while earning a 32-16 victory. Perhaps most importantly, the Jaguars played hard and showed a lot of fight when they could’ve given up in the first quarter. That bodes well for Pederson’s immediate future.

    Still, they were playing the Patriots, who arguably are the worst team in the NFL. The Jaguars didn’t prove anything against New England, and Pederson still could lose his job if Jacksonville falls apart over its next few games.

    Making a move now isn’t going to get this team into the playoff picture. But the schedule doesn’t do Pederson any favors and could result in a pink slip ahead of Thanksgiving.

    In theory, this is an appealing job for a creative head coach. Lawrence has yet to live up to the hype of a generational prospect, but he just turned 25 years old and is coming off of consecutive 4,000-yard seasons.

    With Lawrence, the lack of development is painfully obvious, positioning an offensive-minded coach as the favorite profile to fill Jacksonville’s opening should it come to fruition.

    When not pressured, the former Clemson star has seen his completion percentage drop in two straight seasons, while his interception rate in such spots has spiked.

    The cupboard around Lawrence is far from bare with Brian Thomas Jr. proving plenty ready for the professional game in his rookie season, not to mention the stability that comes with Evan Engram and Christian Kirk.

    The Jaguars’ defense isn’t loaded, but they were an above-average EPA (expected points added) unit in both 2022 and 2023.

    Thanks to trading down with the Minnesota Vikings in the deal in which they acquired the pick that turned into Thomas, Jacksonville has six picks in the first four rounds next season. And given the trajectory of this season, that first-round pick is going to be a valuable one.

    The AFC North is loaded with upside at the quarterback position, further highlighting the importance of getting the most out of Lawrence. C.J. Stroud looks like a future MVP candidate (and the future might be now), while Anthony Richardson’s physical tools are special. Will Levis has struggled to open his career with the Titans, but his leash figures to be reasonably long, and Tennessee has shown a desire to develop him.

    The Jaguars have just two playoff appearances since the 2008 season, and with each passing loss, it looks more likely that Pederson won’t get the chance to add to that total.

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