Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence feels 'OK' after knee injury, Pederson defends play call

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence winced in pain, holding his left knee and immediately getting it inspected by team doctors.

With 3:10 remaining in the team's win against the Colts, Lawrence dropped back on the Indy 16-yard line, was forced to roll out left and was subsequently tackled by defensive lineman Samson Ebukam, landing awkwardly as Ebukam twisted Lawrence's leg.

Lawrence did not return to the game, officially given a "questionable" designation. Backup QB C.J. Beathard finished out the contest with three kneel-downs to allow the clock to expire on the team's 37-20 victory in Week 6.

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Lawrence walked off the field at the end of the game as usual, meeting with familiar faces and conducting postgame interviews.

After the game, Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson indicated he did not have an update as of yet on Lawrence. He also did not express any more concern for Lawrence and his injury as he would any other player on the team.

"I'm always concerned for my players when they go down in situations like that," Pederson said after the game. "Tyson [CB Tyson Campbell] is the same way. It's just unfortunate there. We'll see where they're at here later tonight and will have an update for you tomorrow."

Jaguars cornerback Tyson Campbell left the game during the first half due to a hamstring injury. He did not return. Guard Brandon Scherff also left the game due to an injury, hurting his ankle during the first half.

Lawrence said after the game he was feeling OK but did not elaborate much further on whether or not he could suit up against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night this coming week.

"I'm feeling okay. I'm going to get it checked out tonight and see kind of what's going on," Lawrence said. "I feel pretty good. I'm walking around all right. Can't really say much now. Want to make sure everything is checked out before."

Lawrence said the knee was a little bruised, "so kind of trying to sort through what it is kind of right now," he added. The third-year QB felt some discomfort in his knee when he went down, but there was nothing else involved with the injury as he walked off the field.

Doug Pederson explains questionable late-game play call

The play call that Lawrence was injured on came as the team led 34-20 with just over three minutes remaining in the game and with a chance to make it a three-score game and likely out of reach for the Colts given their one timeout remaining at the time.

Due to Lawrence being injured during the play, Pederson and the Jaguars' coaching staff were questioned as to whether or not simply taking a knee or running the ball in that scenario would have been the better option.

Pederson was asked about the call after the game and expressed no regrets about making the call, but did admit that there's a risk when making it. He stated earlier in the press conference that the team was trying to get a "short sack," if one at all, not circling the defense.

"That call is in the game plan because it's a movement play," Pederson said. "It allows the quarterback to get on the edge. In situations like that, you've seen it work a million times. A million and one, it didn't work. We were able to get three points out of it. From that standpoint, it was effective.

"Look, is there a little bit of risk there to run your quarterback? Yes. But at the same time, the reward is you get the first down, and you stay on the field and ice the game in those situations. Definitely wouldn't change the scenario or the situation. We can coach that a little bit better and ask him maybe to go down a little bit sooner."

The Jaguars will take on the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football in Week 7. That gives the team and Lawrence just three days to rest and recover before taking the field again.

Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X,  formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82.

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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars' Lawrence OK after knee injury vs. Colts, Pederson on play call