Jaguars' Liam Coen addresses Brian Thomas Jr. struggles, shying away from contact

Brian Thomas Jr. had a standout rookie campaign but his second season has begun with a slump. The LSU product has just five receptions for 60 yards through two games. He's been targeted 19 times. 

On Sunday against the Bengals, Thomas Jr. looked out of sorts with uncharacteristic drops. He looked skittish bracing for contact rather than focusing on the ball. A key fourth down for the Jaguars bounced off his hands and cost them a chance to score in the final minutes.

Head coach Liam Coen was asked postgame about what he's seen from his wide receiver and his answer was less than inspiring.

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"I've got to go watch it and figure out what that was all about and what it looked like," Coen said. "Yeah I got to go take a look at it."

Coen sounded tentative and avoidant, not wanting to say too much about the situation. In a game that Jacksonville lost in the final moments, Thomas Jr. could have made a difference by converting on opportunities. 

He had 87 receptions for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns his rookie year. There's enough evidence to give Thomas Jr. the benefit of the doubt but he'll need to break out of this slump soon for his team's sake. 

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