ClutchPoints
This moment has been coming for Trevor Lawrence. Ever since he entered the league with generational expectations, every season has been measured against an impossible standard rather than contextual growth. The 2025 season, though, has changed that conversation. Lawrence is no longer simply ‘promising’ or ‘on the verge.’ He is playing at an MVP level, commanding games late, protecting the football, and lifting the Jacksonville Jaguars to heights the franchise hasn’t reached in years. Now, they have a Wild Card matchup against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills looming. As such, Lawrence stands one playoff win away from universal validation as an elite NFL quarterback.
The Jaguars’ 2025 campaign was a full-blown statement year. They finished 13-4, won the AFC South, and secured the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoffs. Jacksonville emerged as one of the league’s most complete teams. The defining stretch came late, when the Jaguars ripped off eight straight wins to close the regular season.
That surge was fueled by the seamless integration of first-year offensive coordinator Liam Coen’s system and a quarterback who finally looks fully empowered within it. Lawrence set career highs in passing yards and touchdowns. He also dramatically improved his efficiency and decision-making. Over the final stretch of the season, Jacksonville played with the confidence of a team that knows exactly who it is. Hosting the Bills, the Jaguars enter the postseason with momentum, belief, and a quarterback playing his best football at precisely the right time.
Individually, Lawrence’s 2025 season checks every box you’d want from a franchise quarterback. He started all 17 games, threw for 4,007 yards and 29 touchdowns, and added nine more scores on the ground. However, the raw numbers only tell part of the story. The true leap came in how he managed games, especially late.
During Jacksonville’s eight-game winning streak, Lawrence threw 15 touchdowns against just one interception. That level of ball security reflects a quarterback who has mastered risk management without sacrificing aggression. He wasn’t just executing but was controlling outcomes. Lawrence consistently delivered in high-leverage moments. That’s whether it was third down, late-game drives, or red-zone possessions. Heading into the playoffs, he doesn’t look like a young quarterback hoping to make a run. He looks like one who expects to.
On paper, the Wild Card showdown between Lawrence and Allen is one of the marquee quarterback matchups of the postseason. Allen’s 39 total touchdowns and improvisational brilliance are well documented. That said, this is not a game Jacksonville needs to turn into a shootout to win.
Since Week 10, the Jaguars’ defense has quietly become one of the league’s most effective units. They even ranked fifth in points allowed. Josh Hines-Allen’s eight sacks anchor a pass rush capable of disrupting Buffalo’s timing. That defensive competence allows Lawrence to stay patient, which is something he has done exceptionally well this season.
Lawrence’s growth as a processor and rhythm passer makes him...
