HEAD COACH DOUG PEDERSON
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2024
(On if TE Evan Engram will be available for the game vs. Houston) “He might be right here in Jacksonville. He’s doing well. I doubt he’ll be able to make this game. Again, with the hamstring like that, it’s just, they’re finicky, let’s call it that. So, it’d be a long shot.”
(On S Darnell Savage’s injury status) “Yeah, we’ll see. Yesterday was a good day. It wasn’t a great day. We’ll see where he’s at today, how he feels. Try to give him, move him around again. Give him one more day.”
(On if he’s considering moving TE Evan Engram to the injured reserve list) “I don’t think so. next week looks promising next week. But again, it’s only been a couple of weeks here.”
(On how TE Brenton Strange has been in replacement of Engram)
“Been good, yeah. Been good.”
(On seeing strides in TE Bretnon Strange’s second year) “Yeah, and I think his ability to run really good routes, he’s physical. He’s not quite elusive like Engram is, but really he’s shown he’s definitely capable of handling more, let’s say, in the offense. He’s done a really good job. Then the blocking aspect of it. We’ve known that, but that’s also part of it, and he’s been solid there.”
(On LB Devin Lloyd’s injury status) “Yeah, just popped up, just soreness. Should be fine.”
(On how crucial the next two games vs. Houston and Indianapolis are as division games)
“Yeah, I think they’re important for many reasons. But one, obviously it’s the next game, but two, it’s division. We start our division here this weekend and really these next two games, and then trying to just get on track and get ourselves these first three games kind of behind us. But they’re all big, they’re all important and guys understand that, and they’re prepared. They’re ready to go and we’ve just got to go play.”
(On if he’s emphasized to the team the importance of division games in particular) “It’s
never too early. I think you have to make sure that the players understand the magnitude, right? The importance of every football game and especially those in the AFC and then, now, in the AFC South. So, it’s never too important, never too soon to start talking that. Our situation’s different because we’re 0-3. We’ve got to come out and then try to play good football.”
(On the challenge of Houston having two elite edge players) “It’s a challenge, particularly on third down, when you know it’s a passing situation and they can just let these two guys rush the passer. They’re long, they’ve got great speed and length. You end up spending more resources than you’d like in protection. But it’s just what you have to do, and offenses know that. They know that obviously as a defense. We see it with our two edge guys, with Josh [DE Josh Hines-Allen] and Travon [DE Travon Walker] as well as Arik [DE Arik Armstead]. Part of the game, but it just takes less out of your downfield guys.”
(On how the team responded to his message) “Just their approach to the week, their
mentality, their attitude, what they’re saying amongst themselves, I think, is always – we’ve shared that before. But that to me is the things that I look for. They’re doing and saying the right things, now it just has to translate on the field.”
