If we San Diegans can be snarky about an NFL franchise, the Jacksonville Jaguars would’ve worn that bull’s-eye soon after one our own, Jamal Agnew, packed for Florida.
Agnew couldn’t have known that one of the NFL’s ugliest coaching disasters was simmering in the Florida swamps.
Urban Meyer didn’t make it through his first season on the job. Team ownership, fed up with Meyer’s bad behavior more than the team’s 2-11 record, ate many millions of dollars to rid itself of the NFL rookie who’d won national championships with Florida and Ohio State.
For the Jags, it was their 10th season in 11 years with at least 10 defeats.
As it turns out, Jacksonville was a better-than-average destination — not only for Agnew but also Devin Lloyd, the fellow San Diego County product and Jags starter.
Jacksonville, the franchise that couldn’t spell Super Bowl if Vanna White hand-delivered all of the consonants, has won 12 of its past 15 games dating to last season.
And Sunday, the Jags proved themselves more rugged than the Steelers in wet Pittsburgh, where they overcame three turnovers to win 20-10.
Weirdly enough, we can see now that Meyer’s implosion did the Jags a favor.
It opened up the head-coach job for Doug Pederson.
Savvy at NFL chess, comfortable around NFL players, he was the anti-Meyer.
Pederson had led the Eagles to their only Super Bowl victory five years earlier. He learned under Bill Walsh disciples Andy Reid and Mike Holmgren.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the draft’s first pick in 2021, has matured fast under Pederson and QB coach Mike McCoy, the former Chargers head coach.
Receiver Calvin Ridley and tight end Evan Engram have upgraded the playmaking. Running back Travis Etienne has vindicated Meyer’s high opinion of him after not playing as rookie because of a foot injury. The former first-round draft pick teamed up with Lawrence on a 56-yard scoring play for the first touchdown Sunday, expanding the lead to 17-3 in the third quarter.
Lined up at split end, Etienne quickly got by a zone defender near the sideline. Lawrence exploited a bad angle by safety Damontae Kazee — a San Diego State alum who’d picked off an underthrown pass to the end zone in the first half — with a laser that Etienne took to the end zone.
Defensively, the Jags held the Steelers to 261 yards.
Jags hulk Adam Gotsis sidelined QB Kenny Pickett for the second half by slamming him to the ground, injuring his ribcage.
As for Agnew and Lloyd, they’ve done their share.
Agnew, one of the few standouts on Meyer’s team, ranks among the NFL’s better return men and deepens the receiving corps. The alum of Point Loma High School and the University of San Diego returned a Steelers kick for 27 yards, plus a punt for 13 yards.
Lloyd, the Otay Ranch High School alum drafted 27th in 2022 out of Utah, has built upon a solid rookie year. He broke up a Steelers pass and made nine tackles at inside linebacker.
The next step for the Jags toward Super Bowl contention may have to involve Travon Walker. At 22, the defensive lineman contributes in several facets. But as the No. 1 pick of the 2022 draft, stardom was expected. Teammate Josh Allen is commanding a lot of attention from defenses. The edge rusher, 26, had two sacks Sunday to give him nine this season. Improved pass rushing from Walker, who has 2.5 sacks this year and had two hits on Steelers QBs, could put the squeeze on opponents.
The Jaguars will find out more about their toughness in their next game. They play the 49ers on Nov. 12.
“We haven’t won anything yet,” Lawrence said.
