To pull off the third largest comeback in postseason history, the Jacksonville Jaguars not only relied on execution, but creativity.
This sometimes involves shying away from the intended play and taking matters into your own hands.
Insert Trevor Lawrence. After a touchdown strike to Christian Kirk cut the Jaguars deficit to five points, the Jags decided to attempt a two-point conversion in order to be in a position to only need a field goal to win.
With three wide receivers to the left and one to the right, with the Chargers keeping their defensive backs locked on them, it looked as though the Jaguars were going to simply pound it up the middle with JaMycal Hasty or a designed pass play.
Instead, Lawrence did what franchise quarterbacks do: adjust the play for an even better one. All part of the plan for the young gunslinger, who leapt over the goal line and extended the ball for the two point conversion.
“Yeah, I did,” Lawrence said when asked if he improvised the play “It’s a play where I saw the opportunity and figured that would be a lot easier. I didn’t feel there was any risk with that. I knew I could get it in, so I just took it.
“He (Head Coach Doug Pederson) was pumped. He didn’t say [a negative reaction]. If you make the play, you’re good. That’s one thing, it’s kind of a no-no. You’ve got to make the play and make sure, there’s certain looks you’ve got to be careful there on the goal line. You saw there in the Ravens- Bengals game where that look got returned for a touchdown, so you’ve got to be smart. There’s certain things you don’t want to do it against. Obviously, the ball is the most important thing. I felt confident in it, and when you’re out there playing, and you feel something. The coaching staff has trusted me to make plays, and I’m accountable for all that.”
Lawrence’s intuition and high football IQ in that moment was integral to keeping their season alive. For a young quarterback in his first taste of NFL playoff action, the hunger for victory reigns supreme. Lawrence made clear that his sense of urgency knows no bounds and has powered his play throughout this run.
“The difference is you win and you keep going, you lose and you’re done,” Lawrence said. “There’s that sense of urgency of just, I don’t want to say it this way, but the desperation of doing everything you can to win the game, and you feel that on both sides of the ball. It’s that way in the regular season, too, it’s just another level because everybody knows.
“Especially now that we’re in the divisional round, we’re getting deeper and deeper in this thing, people know what’s on the line, and guys just willing to do whatever it takes to win, so there’s that level of intensity, and you know you’re going to get everybody’s best shot, so you’ve got to be prepared. At the end of the day, it’s the same game. You play it the same way. Just because it’s the playoffs, you don’t change what you do, but at the same time, we all know how big of a game it is for us and for Kansas City and everybody.”
