Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7), left, talks with Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) after the game of an NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Texans held off the Jaguars 23-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Have the Jaguars Lost Motivation?

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By Dominic Minchella | Last updated Dec 6, 2024 1:00 PM ET

The Jacksonville Jaguars season has been a rollercoaster ride for fans and the franchise. With speculations of firing head coach Doug Pederson, injuries that have sidelined franchise players, and enduring the most embarrassing losses this season, have the Jaguars lost all motivation?

The Jaguars lost a close game to the Houston Texans but looked dead silent until star quarterback Trevor Lawrence was taken out due to injury. Mac Jones stepped in, but the Jaguars ultimately fell to the Texans and could not avenge their star quarterback.

Now on a five-game skid, going into Week 14 against the Tennessee Titans, another team that has their struggles this season, could the Jaguars just be eyeing the end of the line to erase an underwhelming season?

Jaguar analysts Brian Sexton and John Oehser think otherwise when it comes to the Jaguar's current situation on motivation.

"I think they will be motivated, players motivate themselves, Doug (Pederson) will motivate them," Oehser said. "I talked to Evan Engram, and he said, 'Look, I've been on teams that have quit, this team is not going to quit." They will try, the effort will be there, they will be professional."

Now, with Mac Jones leading the Jaguars the rest of the way after the team announced Lawrence being placed on the injured reserve, Sexton touches on how he believes Jones will bring his own motivation to this team going forward.

"Mac is the perfect example. Mac is highly motivated right now to go out and play his best ball," Sexton said. "He would like to get another contract; his contract ends this year, and the Jaguars did not pick up the fifth-year option. Whether it is here in a supporting role or somewhere else, hoping to get a chance to play, Mac is highly motivated to play his best football these final five weeks."

It could be as simple as that for a majority of contract-ending players for the Jaguars, go out and perform to land another contract opportunity. While the season is still filled with games where the Jaguars could walk out with the victory, the team will need to band together in order to do so.

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This article first appeared on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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