The Jaguars may not be dominating the standings with their record, leaving Week 12 still three games under .500. But that doesn't mean they aren't ecstatic about their progress under new coach Doug Pederson. Fresh off an upset of the Ravens, in which Pederson successfully dialed up a last-minute two-point try, veteran safety Andrew Wingard heaped praise on Jacksonville's leadership, telling reporters quarterback Trevor Lawrence has thrived thanks to the departure of former coach Urban Meyer, and that he personally would "die for Doug Pederson."
"I'm just so happy for Trevor because ... he had to deal with Urban Meyer last year as a rookie," Wingard said, per CBS 47. "And to see the growth he's made, not just on the field but (with) his preparation, his demeanor, all that -- when the rock breaks, it's not that one chip, it's all the chips that stacked up before that. I'm so happy for him."
Wingard, who forced a fumble in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game to help Jacksonville win, was specifically complimentary of Lawrence's fourth-down touchdown pass to Zay Jones, which set up Pederson's go-ahead two-point call.
"I knew we were winning the game," he said of the sequence. "Honestly. Like I could feel it."
A big reason? Pederson was at the helm, and chose to go for two -- and the win -- rather than play for overtime with Baltimore.
"The stones on that guy, it's like, whew," Wingard said afterward. "I would die for Doug Pederson, I swear. I would run into battle with Doug Pederson, 100 percent. I love the guy. Just his attitude, it's like, you're 3-7 and you wanna make (the) playoffs and stuff, and he hasn't changed his attitude whatsoever. ... I love this team. I love this team."
