Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence won the AFC Player of the Week after his dominating play against the New York Jets.
Lawrence completed 20 of 32 passes for 330 yards with five passing touchdowns and no interceptions while also running the ball five times for 51 yards and a touchdown.
The six total touchdowns were the most in a single-game in his career, setting the franchise-record for most touchdowns in a game by a Jaguars’ quarterback. He led the AFC in passing yards, passing touchdowns and total touchdowns in Week 15.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Trev like this,” longtime teammate Travis Ettiene said after Lawrence’s game on Sunday. “We won a national championship together and I feel like he’s just out there on fire, man.”
Lawrence has won the honor three times previously. He won it twice during the 2022 season (Week 3 and Week 14) and once during the 2023 season (Week 11).
Lawrence has passed for 3,210 yards with 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in his first season under head coach Liam Coen. His play has surged in the last several weeks, throwing for more than 225 yards and at least two touchdowns in each of Jacksonville’s last five games.
It’s coming at a perfect time as the Jaguars prepare to face the Denver Broncos in a pivotal matchup with playoff implications in Week 16.
Trevor Lawrence knows game vs. Denver Broncos is big, says they all are
Yes, the game against the Broncos will be big. But as Lawrence was quick to remind reporters during his weekly media availability, they all are at this point.
“Two weeks ago when we played the Colts, everybody was talking about how big that game was too,” Lawrence said. “We just came out and did our job, and we were able to play well and execute and win the game. And it’s going to be no different this weekend.”
The only difference is the Broncos currently hold the top-seed in the AFC and boast one of the best defenses in football.
They’ve recorded 58 sacks this season and have the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year, Pat Surtain, roaming the secondary. It’s a step up from the hobbled Colts team that rolled into EverBank Stadium in Week 13.
“The numbers are historic, the way they’re playing and flying around and it’s not the just group up front, it’s the whole defense, every level,” Lawrence said of Denver’s defense. “They’re well coached, they’re flying around, they’re making plays, they’re physical, they’re really good in the back end, obviously they’re great at rushing the passer.”
Including last week, the Jaguars have played four games without giving up a sack this season.
If they can somehow escape Mile High without Lawrence facing a ton of pressure, it’ll be beneficial to the overall result of the team.
“Try to go execute better than the Broncos for 60 minutes and go win the game,” Lawrence said. “So, it’s a really good team. It’s going to be challenging, but it’s the same job, we’ve got to go out there and play well and execute.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence wins AFC Player of the Week honors
Reporting by Juston Lewis, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
