First, let’s take a moment to acknowledge how amazing Trevor Lawrence looked in his first regular-season game in over nine months. He artfully dispatched his opponents before a packed house at EverBank stadium. The much-anticipated game represented a major return for the former No. 1 overall selection of the 2021 NFL Draft. He had just recently retooled his footwork and was anxious to put it all on display.
Lawrence finished 19-of-31 for 178 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The interception was on a deep shot toward Travis Hunter. Even with this handbrake on his performance, Lawrence proved he’s a tough sumbitch and competed fiercely the entire game. Perhaps most significant were the plays that he made with his legs. He avoided the rush with his legs to scramble four times for 12 yards, two of those runs producing key first downs.
One key turning point was on a third-and-3 from the Carolina 14-yard line. On fourth-and-short, Lawrence himself scrambled for 4 yards, keeping the drive alive. He capped it off with a short touchdown pass to tight end Hunter Long. This strategic play showcased Lawrence’s well-known athleticism and served as an example of his exceptional ability to make crucial decisions on the run.
And despite his success on the field, Lawrence admitted that after such a long layoff, he was a little rusty. He hadn’t played more than two drives in an NFL game for nine months. Such inexperience can cause first-year players to miss their marks with throws, and he was not immune. He missed a totally wide-open Brian Thomas Jr. This extremely bad luck was an immense blow to COHEN’s overall score and could have easily doubled his team’s score!
Whatever the reason, Coach Liam Coen was impressed with Lawrence’s performance and particularly singled out his effective communication on the field.
“I thought he had great communication,” – Coach Liam Coen
The game was not without its hurdles. Lawrence had one intentional delay of game penalty on him, the result of miscommunication between coaching staff. This is indicative of the difficulty in returning to game shape after such a long absence.
Lawrence said he was sure he can find a way to use his legs as a weapon in the league.
“I think just using your legs is a weapon in this league, and you see the way the league is, especially now. It’s what you have to do. Defenses are good. They’re covering people up. It’s got to happen sometimes, and they don’t have that extra defender for the quarterback. Just finding a way to use my legs and be able to keep the drives alive,” – Trevor Lawrence
Following this game, Lawrence hit a career high. He walked out EverBank Field with a victory in hand for the first time since October 6 of last year. This victory has to give his confidence and the newly united team’s morale a big shot in the arm. Now, they’re preparing for their upcoming rematch with the Cincinnati Bengals.
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