JACKSONVILLE – Trevor Lawrence wasn't the only story Monday, but he was the biggest story.
While the Jaguars face multiple concerns following the season's most one-sided loss to date, the starting quarterback's health was Topic No. 1 a day later.
Lawrence sustained left toe and left foot injuries in a loss to the Detroit Lions Sunday, and Head Coach Doug Pederson on Monday said the team is "not sure yet" regarding Lawrence's status for this Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans in Nashville, Tenn.
"We're still getting more testing done," Pederson said a day after the Jaguars' 40-14 loss to the Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich.
Pederson said he believes Lawrence will play against Tennessee, and that "things are trending in the right direction." Lawrence sustained the injuries when sacked by Lions linebacker James Houston on the final play of the first half Sunday.
"I won't have a definite until I get the report later today on his foot," Pederson said.
Pederson was asked Monday if it was better that Lawrence injured his left foot rather than his right – plant – foot.
"I really wish it wasn't either one," he said, smiling.
Pederson on Monday also discussed multiple issues from the loss to the Lions – in which the Jaguars allowed a season-high points and dropped multiple passes to lose by their widest margin of the season.
A victory would have moved the Jaguars to within two games of first place in the AFC South with the Titans (7-5) losing to the Philadelphia Eagles.
"We just didn't play well Sunday at all," Pederson said. "It just comes down to who wants it a little more on game day, doing your job and owning up to your responsibilities and trying to take care of business. We didn't do that Sunday."
Pederson added, "Quite frankly, the whole thing is frustrating. I think it was a culmination of a lot of things – not just the defense."
The Jaguars allowed 437 total yards and 31 first downs Sunday, with the Lions scoring on every possession until kneeling to run out the clock on the final possession. The Jaguars have allowed 415 or more yards in each of the last three games and have allowed 20 or more points in seven consecutive games.
"I wouldn't say it's getting worse," Pederson said of the defense. "I just think Sunday was a culmination of everything. It's just not all coming together. There are some bright spots. There are some good plays being made. Guys are giving great effort. I never question that aspect. It comes down to a little bit of ownership with the coaches, with the players, understanding responsibility, understanding your job, where you need to be there and when you need to be there.
"This was not all on the defense Sunday. The offense had their share in this as well."
The Jaguars' first seven losses of the season were by a combined 51 points with six decided by less than a score in the final minutes. Pederson was asked Monday if Sunday's loss was the season's most frustrating to date.
"By far, yeah," he said. "By far."
Pederson called Sunday "unacceptable" a day after Lawrence called it "embarrassing." Pederson said he typically doesn't motivate by yelling, saying Monday "you pick your spots" to make an impression when speaking to players.
"These guys understand what we've done as a football team, and where we are," Pederson said. "For me, it's not about yelling and screaming and trying to get their attention that way but still having serious hard conversations.
"The more you yell and scream and try to put a lot of pressure and heat, they get tight and tense and don't play well. I still want them to be loose and play and have fun, but at the same time, they have to understand this is a disciplined game. We have to be more disciplined than they were Sunday."
Pederson called Sunday's game at Tennessee "important for the psyche of the football team."
"There are definitely things we can learn from," he said. "You want to sort of burn the film and move on, but you still have to go through it with them and fix the mistakes, make the corrections and still point out some of the good that was there. You can't be all negative. You still want to be able to correct some of the positives as well.
"You don't want too many of these, obviously, but we can definitely learn from it."
NOTABLE I
- Pederson on Monday said rookie inside linebacker Chad Muma will be day to day this week with an ankle injury sustained Sunday, and also said safety Andre Cisco will be day to day after missing Sunday with a shoulder injury. Cisco had been listed as questionable on last week's final injury report. "I just didn't want to put him in a situation where it set him back further," Pederson said of Cisco. "He's trending in the right direction. Hopefully we get him back this week."
