Doug Pederson: Victory falls off everyone’s shoulders

Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson shook off questions about his job security after the team fell to 0-4 last week, but there was no question that the poor start to this season and the difficult end to the 2023 season brought some heat to his spot.

It’s a little cooler on Monday. The Jaguars cruised to a 37-34 win over the Colts on Sunday afternoon, featuring a great performance from quarterback Trevor Lawrence en route to the victory. Lawrence caught two passes of more than 60 yards and went 28 of 34 for 371 yards in a day that reminded us why he was the first overall pick in 2021.

After the game, Pederson said the trip lightened the load for everyone.

“I think a weight is gone everyone’s shouldersRight?” Pederson said of Gene Frenette of the Florida Times-Union. “Not just (Lawrence). It’s also a weight off my shoulders. Now you can avoid me for at least a week.”

The pressure may have gone down a bit, but it won’t take much for it to come back on. The Jags will face the Bears next Sunday in London, and a loss in that game would put the team back where it was heading into the Colts game. They will remain in London to play the Patriots in Week 7, and an 0-2 record will not have a positive impact on job security when the team is back in Jacksonville.