PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Trevor Lawrence led Jacksonville to an implausible rally -- aided in part by Philadelphia's distaste for taking automatic points -- and had a needed road win in his grasp. Lawrence instead wasted his last-chance pass at igniting the Jaguars' biggest win of the season. His pass attempt intended for running back D’Ernest Johnson was picked off in the end zone by linebacker Nakobe Dean, a late turnover that erased Doug Pederson's chance for a win in the coach's Philly homecoming, and helped the Eagles hold on for a 28-23 win Sunday night.
“They made the plays in the back of the end zone,” Pederson said. Lawrence dropped back from the Eagles 13 and threw a deep pass toward Johnson, the Jaguars going for it all on first down with 1:42 left on the clock. "It’s just something you have to try to do, right? If you can stay in bounds, you stay in bounds,” Pederson said.
"Or if it’s incomplete, you play another down, whatever it is. But the bottom line is we still needed to score and I felt good with the way our defense had played, they would give us a shot.” Pederson has been coaching for his job as the Jaguars — proclaimed the “ best team assembled by the Jacksonville Jaguars, ever,” by owner Shad Khan in the preseason — spiral toward a season that needs a minor marvel to make the playoffs.
“It’s just been the same thing so many times this season,” Lawrence said. Pederson led the Eagles to the franchise’s lone Super Bowl championship.
