Michael DiRocco, ESPN Body of workers Editor
NEW ORLEANS — Brandnew Orleans hasn’t precisely been the Large Simple for Trevor Lawrence.
The one two video games he misplaced in his three-year occupation as Clemson’s founding quarterback got here within the Caesars Superdome, and his 2nd preseason recreation as a rookie with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021 additionally ended in a loss. That’s one of the most causes he used to be so i’m ready on taking part in in opposition to the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night time regardless of having a sprained left knee.
And that’s one more reason the Jags’ 31-24 victory — wherein Lawrence hooked up with Christian Kirk at the successful landing go — used to be so rewarding.
“I’ve had a bad taste in my mouth every time I’ve left New Orleans, so it feels good to get a win here,” he mentioned.
For Lawrence, the 2 School Soccer Playoff video games he misplaced nonetheless sting: to LSU within the nationwide championship recreation following the 2019 season and to Ohio Circumstance in a semifinal recreation refer to season, which used to be the closing recreation of his faculty occupation, depart his document as a starter at 34-2.
Lawrence were given his first victory within the Superdome most effective 4 days next struggling a sprained left knee overdue within the Jaguars’ 37-20 victory over Indianapolis. It didn’t seem like he’d be capable to play games early within the day — head schoolteacher Doug Pederson mentioned he idea on Monday that Lawrence wasn’t committing to play games — however Lawrence mentioned his knee felt higher because the day wore on. Upcoming transferring neatly all the way through a pregame warmup, he were given the clearance to play games.
Lawrence mentioned he did have some ache in his knee, however he wasn’t dressed in the brace at his postgame information convention and mentioned he got here in the course of the recreation OK.
“It felt pretty good,” he mentioned. “I was happy with it, and it didn’t bother me too much. Definitely didn’t set it back, so I’m really happy with it. That was the goal: Find a way to win the game and not set it back, and we’ll get 10 days now to recover and get ready for Pittsburgh.
“It went best, truthfully, in order that used to be in point of fact excellent.”
Lawrence threw for 204 yards and also ran for a career-high 63 yards on five carries. He was actually the game’s leading rusher, besting Alvin Kamara by 1 yard — which wasn’t exactly what anyone expected.
“It wasn’t the plan, however instincts more or less to enter, and I’m happy that it used to be ready to store up and I used to be ready to really feel excellent plenty to construct the ones performs,” he said, referring to his knee.
Lawrence didn’t practice Monday, and backup quarterback C.J. Beathard took the majority of first-team reps in practice on Tuesday and Wednesday, which made what he did against the Saints even more impressive, Pederson said.
“This can be a scale down day, and on Monday I might’ve advised you that he used to be no longer taking part in on this soccer recreation,” he said. “However that’s no longer who Trevor is. Pleased with his aim, the facility to resignation the patch [and] run. Thankfully they have been straight-ahead runs. He didn’t need to trim difference.
“But a lot of gutsy performances out there, and his is probably the No. 1.”
Lawrence wasn’t the one former Clemson standout to select up his first victory within the Superdome on Thursday night time. Working again Travis Etienne Jr. — who ran for 53 yards and two touchdowns, making him the primary participant in franchise historical past to run for a couple of TDs in 3 consecutive video games — used to be 0-3. Along with the 2 video games he misplaced time taking part in with Lawrence at Clemson, he additionally misplaced to Alabama in a CFB semifinal recreation following the 2017 season.
