Welcome back to Hot Garbage’s “Trash Player of the Week,” where we single out the overhyped and underperforming stars of the NFL. This week’s recipient? Trevor Lawrence, the so-called “generational talent” who was supposed to transform the Jacksonville Jaguars into a competitive force. Spoiler alert: it’s not happening. If you tuned into this NFL season expecting Lawrence to take that magical leap, you might want to check your optimism at the door.

3 Games and Jags Already Are Done

We are only three weeks into the 2024 season, and T-Law looks no better than he ever has. He’s completed only 53% of his passes, has only two touchdown passes and has been sacked 11 times. He’s led Jax to a measly 40 points, and the Jags are 0-3.

The “Next Big Thing” or Just Another Big Flop?

Remember the hype surrounding Lawrence during his time at Clemson? He won the national championship as a freshman. He was 34-2 in in his three years as a starter. He completed two-thirds of his passes for 90 touchdowns against 17 interceptions.

Analysts were falling over themselves to declare him the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck. Fans couldn’t wait for him to change the Jaguars’ fortunes overnight. Heck, even Jacksonville’s front office went all-in, imagining Lawrence as the franchise cornerstone they’ve been missing since, well, forever.

Fast forward to now, and reality has come crashing down. Yes, Lawrence has shown glimpses of what he could be—some highlight-reel throws here, a dazzling run there—but let’s not sugarcoat things: he’s been an inconsistent mess overall. Lawrence’s performances have left Jags fans scratching their heads, wondering if they’re watching a future Hall of Famer or just another first-round bust destined to join the likes of Blaine Gabbert in Jacksonville’s Hall of Shame.

The Inconsistency That Won’t Quit

Lawrence is the football equivalent of a rollercoaster: one minute, he’s threading a perfect pass between two defenders for a jaw-dropping touchdown; the next, he’s missing wide-open receivers or tossing a boneheaded interception that makes you wonder if he momentarily forgot what color jersey his team wears.

In his second season in 2022, he didn’t iron out his rookie mistakes. He didn’t make a “sophomore leap.” He kept making bad reads, force ill-advised throws, and struggle with accuracy, especially in high-pressure situations. This guy was supposed to be the savior of a franchise, not the reason they keep losing close games.

Remember the 2022 playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs? It was supposed to be a litmus test to see how far Lawrence had come. Instead, it was a masterclass in futility. He overthrew targets, misread defenses, and looked like he was out of his depth against elite competition.

Third Down? More Like Third and Hopeless

One of the most painful things to watch with Trevor Lawrence is his third-down performance—or lack thereof. Third down is where quarterbacks earn their paycheck, where greats like Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes make their money by converting and keeping drives alive. Lawrence? He seems to treat third down as an opportunity to showcase his latest mistakes.

Whether it’s holding onto the ball too long, missing an open man, or sailing a pass into the stands, Lawrence consistently fails to deliver in the clutch moments when his team needs him most. And don’t even get us started on his red-zone play; it’s as if he enters a state of paralysis whenever the Jaguars get within sniffing distance of the end zone.

The Excuse Parade: Supporting Cast or Bust?

There’s always a chorus of excuses that surround Trevor Lawrence, and the most common one is that his supporting cast just isn’t good enough. “He doesn’t have elite receivers!” they say. “His offensive line is shaky!” they cry. And sure, these complaints have some merit—the Jaguars haven’t exactly surrounded Lawrence with a stacked roster. But here’s the thing: great quarterbacks elevate the players around them.

Look at Bengals QB Joe Burrow. He took a franchise known for its incompetence and led them to the Super Bowl in his second season. Did he have a better supporting cast? Sure, but he also didn’t have the hype and fanfare that Lawrence received. Lawrence was supposed to be the guy who could turn this franchise around regardless of who he was throwing to. That’s what “generational talent” means, right? So far, it looks like the only thing he’s elevating is his own interception count.

Decision-Making? More Like Decision-Faking

What really grinds our gears about Lawrence is his decision-making—or the lack thereof. You’d think a quarterback with his background would be a master at reading defenses and making smart, quick decisions. Instead, he’s prone to moments of utter confusion, throwing into double coverage like he’s auditioning for the opposing team’s highlight reel.

In pressure situations, he still looks like a deer in the headlights, holding the ball too long, taking sacks, or throwing desperation passes that have no business being made. His inability to learn from past mistakes is baffling. It’s as if he believes his talent alone can overcome any situation, which, newsflash, it can’t. The NFL isn’t Clemson; the defenders here are faster, smarter, and ready to pounce on every single mistake you make.

Is He Running Out of Time?

The Jaguars didn’t draft Trevor Lawrence just to be another “good” quarterback; they drafted him to be the guy. They were expecting Peyton Manning 2.0, not Blake Bortles 2.5.

But now in his fourth season, T-Law has a putrid 20-32 regular season record and is only 1-1 in the playoffs. We’ll give him credit for his one playoff win — a 27-point comeback against the Chargers in the 2022 playoffs. That was great, only if you overlook the question of HOW DO YOU BLOW A 27-POINT LEAD??

Look at last season. The Jaguars at one point were 8-3 and were in contention for the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. Lawrence then falls into the dumpster, losing his final five games of the season and throwing seven INTs in the process.

The longer Lawrence continues to underperform, the more people are going to start asking if he’s really the franchise quarterback they thought he would be.

We’re not saying it’s time to hit the panic button—yet. Lawrence has the physical tools and the arm talent to turn things around. But how long do you give a guy who was supposed to be the “next big thing”? The NFL isn’t a patient league, and with each lackluster performance, the clock ticks louder on his time in Jacksonville.

Congrats, Trevor: You’ve Earned It

So here we are, handing the “Trash Player of the Week” title to Trevor Lawrence, the supposed savior who just can’t seem to save his team when it matters. The Jaguars bet big on him, and so far, it looks like they might have rolled snake eyes. Maybe he’ll find his groove and prove all the doubters wrong. Or maybe he’s just another in a long line of college stars who couldn’t make the leap to NFL greatness.

Congratulations, Trevor Lawrence. You’ve shown us flashes of what you could be, but until you put it together consistently, you’re just another overhyped quarterback who keeps falling short. And for that, you’re officially Hot Garbage’s Trash Player of the Week. Enjoy your spot at the bottom—you’ve earned it.