If you had said before the start of the 2024 NFL season that Doug Pederson was in danger of losing his job, you would have been met with blank stares. However, when you look at how things have unfolded and how poorly the Jacksonville Jaguars performed against the Buffalo Bills in Week 3, that doesn’t seem so far-fetched.

After losses to the Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns, it seemed like the Jags had a chance to bounce back against the Bills. But that wasn’t the case – quite the opposite. First, they helped Buffalo achieve a historic win by allowing a touchdown on each of their first three drives. This was only the sixth time in the last 30 years that they accomplished such a feat.

That was just the beginning, though. The rest of the first half didn’t get any better. The Bills scored two more touchdowns, while Jacksonville only managed one measly field goal, which brings us to Pederson.

This is the most talented team the Jaguars have assembled in their history. At least that’s what owner Shad Khan believes, and he could be wrong considering playmakers like Trevor Lawrence, running back Travis Etienne and wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. That puts a lot of pressure on Pederson to win in 2024.

Pederson was hired in 2022 after the Urban Meyer experiment. This year, the Jags had low expectations but were able to make a splash by making the playoffs and winning the AFC South. Jacksonville was considered a potential contender last year and got off to a strong start but faltered in the home stretch. They ultimately missed the postseason. It’s safe to assume Khan won’t allow another collapse.

Shad Khan, when announcing the partnership with the city of Jacksonville to spend $1.4 billion to renovate EverBank Stadium, said he expected the Jags to win. He later clarified that he had not been misquoted when he said he wanted the Jags to make the playoffs.

However, this Jaguars team is struggling to get into the end zone. Can anyone seriously say they can make the playoffs? They are definitely underperforming under Pederson. Right now, the Jags look uninspiring and unprepared. That’s a reflection of their head coach.

To make matters worse, while Pederson revamped the defensive side, he chose to keep offensive line coach Phil Rauscher and offensive coordinator Press Taylor, two of the main culprits behind the team’s problems.

The offense, which is supposed to be Pederson’s specialty, lacks consistency and vision. That’s frustrating considering they have a franchise quarterback in Trevor Lawrence and the front office spent the offseason adding weapons to their arsenal. In addition to signing Brian Thomas Jr., they signed Gabe Davis as a free agent. Their record and performance are simply inexcusable.

Now the Jaguars are close to 0-3 and seem to be lost. Firing Pederson now won’t solve their problems in the long run, but it will show that they are taking responsibility.

Make no mistake, Pederson was crucial to the team’s recovery from the Urban Meyer debacle, but his reputation has evaporated. If he doesn’t want to be part of the solution, Shad Khan needs to bring in someone who can. Firing him now would give Jacksonville a head start in the search for his successor.