January 07, 2023
In his first year back in the NFL after parting ways with the Eagles in January 2021, Doug Pederson has led the Jacksonville Jaguars to the 2022 AFC South division title.
Beating the Titans 20-16 Saturday night in a primetime matchup that became a de facto divisional championship game, Pederson sends Jacksonville to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
The play that turned the tide was a 37-yard fumble return touchdown from Josh Allen (not that one) in the fourth quarter:
The @Jaguars take the lead! #DUUUVAL
— NFL (@NFL) January 8, 2023
📺: #TENvsJAX on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/7G4GCGiaVR pic.twitter.com/9veHZEkNth
Pederson's Jaguars went 9-8 this season after finishing with the NFL's worst record each of the last two years. 2021 was a particularly noteworthy train wreck, as then-head coach Urban Meyer looked completely out of place in the pro game. Pederson built up a culture, helped develop former first-overall pick quarterback Trevor Lawrence and revamped this franchise.
With the win, the Jaguars, as the No. 4 seed, will host the No. 5 team in the AFC playoffs next weekend. As of right now, that game would against the Los Angeles Chargers.Â
Pederson, of course, led the Eagles to a win in Super Bowl LII over the Patriots, the first ever for the organization. The Jaguars won't reach those heights this postseason, but, again, Pederson has turned around a team that had long been synonymous with losing.Â
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