HEAD COACH LIAM COEN
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2025
(On how to make sure that yesterday’s loss does not linger) “Yeah, we just talked about as a
team that this game can’t beat us again. It can’t beat us on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. because
we’re kicking off against the Chargers and have a very quality opponent coming into town.
We’re at home. And nobody cares, it’s just the next opportunity that we have to go try to get
a W. That’s the reality is that we gave up a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter essentially and
didn’t get it done. Their back was against the wall. And they played like it, they played like it
and we didn’t. So those are tough ones to swallow, as you mentioned, they are. And it’s
hard to move forward but come Wednesday we’re preparing for another opponent. When
the players get back in the building, we are preparing for another opponent. We’ve got to
get this tape fixed and corrected and moved on, but I’m not worried about losing the team
by any means.”
(On if he can manufacture successful ‘trench play’ on the offensive and defensive lines) “I
think there’s maybe a few guys that can get some more opportunities at different positions.
Rotating guys in. Keeping rushers fresh and utilize some of the personnel that we do have to
be able to create. We tried obviously zero blitzing them a number of different times that did
create a turnover, especially early in the game, put a little pressure on them to make throws
under duress. But when we had to get home in some of those instances, the thing that
occurred was we never made them one dimensional. Even towards the end of the game,
they were still running the ball. Like they were running it, staying balanced. They were
getting five, six yards a chunk in the run game, which we never got them really into second-
and-longs. Obviously, at the end of the game when you get them in a third-and-long, third-
and-goal to go. And we have an edge at the edge, and we we’re not able to get home and get
them down. So, hey, we’ve all got to look at ourselves in the mirror and say, ‘How can we or I
go improve my play and my job to help this team win?’ There’s no magic solution.”
(On why backup quarterbacks have seemed to play well against the Jaguars defense)
“That’s a great question. It’s obviously gotten us twice this year in game-winning drive
situations where those guys have been able to go the distance. There’s definitely a
frustration there. Sometimes as a backup you go into some of those situations and what’s
the worst that can happen. The expectations are what they are. But [Texans QB] Davis Mills,
he performed, he produced in critical moments that we didn’t. And that’s got to be a killer
instinct mentality of when you got him down to with a backup quarterback and a couple
backup O-linemen in there to go and take it. Those moments didn’t happen for us on
Sunday. So, it’s frustrating. It’s definitely something that you’re like, ‘Man, if [Bengals QB]
Joe Burrow would’ve done it or—,’ that’s one thing, but a backup going in there and doing
that. I know as a backup quarterback, at one time in my career, you just go and play and
you cut it loose and there there’s not a ton of expectations, I guess you could say. But I don’t
think Davis Mills played like a backup on Sunday.”
(On backup quarterbacks adding a veteran presence) “Yeah, absolutely. Those guys, Davis
Mills was like a third-round draft pick. He’s definitely talented. There was throws that he
made in that game, you think about the seam ball down to [Texans WR] Nico Collins, that
[LB] Devin Lloyd’s in perfect position carrying the seam and Dewey [S Andrew Wingard]
made a break on the ball and the ball was put in a perfect position. Nico makes a strong-
handed catch, multiple other throws that Davis made in the game that were right on the
money. The third-and-10 backed up to the tight end across the field. That ball was put in a
perfect position, so you’ve got to give him credit and their staff credit for making those
plays and having a backup quarterback be able to go in the game and really not miss a beat
that way.”
(On if QB Trevor Lawrence is throwing to his first read quicker compared to earlier in the
season) “Absolutely, yeah. Definitely there was a few that he’d like to have back. We had
Dyami [WR Dyami Brown] on a post route in the third quarter I believe it was that we’d like
to have back that we have an opportunity there as the number one read to take and
possibly get a touchdown or an explosive. There was definitely some pressure yesterday at
times that may have affected some of the number one or two reads in the progression but
look we had best week throwing the football during the week of practice. Had some
moments in the game that were positive, but ultimately, we did not execute. Third-and-four
in the fourth quarter, we run a mesh concept, and we don’t execute the play properly and
we don’t have the receiver underneath the depth setter on the shallow and it gets batted
down in our faces. So, we’ve got to find better ways of getting number one open in some of
those instances and also taking advantage of when we do.”
(On TE Brenton Strange) “Yeah, I think we will open up that window this week to get him
practicing a little bit here this week and see what that looks like Wednesday, Thursday
specifically to see how he’s feeling, see how he’s looking. I know he is very eager to get out
there and compete and play and make an impact on our offense like he was doing before
he got banged up. So, trying not to put a ton of huge expectations on him or different
pressures. It’s more so just, hey, let’s get you out there and get practicing again, get
catching the ball from the quarterback again, to see how to see what it looks like. We’re
obviously hopeful but have to take it day-to-day.”
(On if games like Sunday’s are the ‘maddening’ part of building a team) “I think so. It’s pretty
maddening for sure. You look at Houston game one, tough, tight, close ball game the whole
way. We made a play to B.T. [WR Brian Thomas Jr.] go up and then we obviously had the tip
pick by Antonio [S Antonio Johnson] at the end of the game to make that play. To make that
one or two plays that needed to happen to seal the deal. And we didn’t find that play
yesterday, that play didn’t happen. Whether we were pressing too much to make the play
and didn’t. The finish, the mindset, the mentality to go take it didn’t come. We had multiple
instances where the ball was up in the air tipped and it just didn’t go our way with those
instances, where it has in some of those other games where we were 4-1 going into this
game in one score games. And we were back in one at the end, even though you’re sitting
there up 19 in the fourth, it became a one score game. We needed one play, we needed a
stop, we needed a third-down conversion on offense, and those plays didn’t happen. That
is absolutely maddening, but also, this is the NFL. Those things happen all the time in this
league. Just so happened to be on the wrong side of it yesterday.”
(On if his personality as a coach is to challenge players after this game or to move on)
“Yeah, we kind of went at it both ways in the team meeting today, in terms of guys, nobody
cares. At the end of the day, guys, we’re kicking off on Sunday against the Chargers, not
playing the Texans again. And we can’t relive the moment. We can’t change anything about
the outcome of yesterday. It sucks, it’s brutal. But this is the league, this is the NFL. The real
adversity, the real response to gut wrenching, tough losses like this. Everything is in front of
us. We have every opportunity to go win this week. That’s all that matters. We’ve got to win
this week. You look around the league, I mean, look at all these games. Teams are winning
then they end up losing at the end. Teams are losing, they end up winning in the end. It’s
just who makes the play. We won three quarters of the game, let’s be honest. We won three
quarters, we didn’t win the fourth, and they did, and they ended up winning the game.”
(On if the team has enough ‘edge’) “I didn’t feel like we had enough edge yesterday. I think
we’ve shown to have the edge at times. To be, obviously, 4-1 in one-score games going into
the game, you feel like, okay, well we’ve made some improvements in that area that we’ve
learned how to finish some games or come out on the right side or a tipped ball goes your
way. I mean, you’re on the right side of some of those games going into yesterday and then
you have a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter, and no, I don’t think that we had our edge in
the fourth quarter yesterday, no. We have them backed up. Where’s the edge and mindset
and mentality to keep them there and to force a punt. And on offense, you’ve got a third-
and-four at about the 45 or so yard line, I think it was. And we don’t execute a play that we
execute on a pretty weekly basis. So yeah, we didn’t have our edge in the fourth quarter
yesterday, and that’s what’s very disappointing about that game. But the beauty of this
league is we have an opportunity on Sunday to regain that edge into, hey, if we’re in that
moment again, let’s see how we respond.”
(On what the offense was attempting to do with seven seconds left) “We were running our
out of bounds play where it’s—everybody kind of runs it. It’s a level, layers type play to the
sideline where you get a deep out, like a 20, 25-yard corner, a sail route and a five-yard out.
So, you’re trying to flood the sideline, which they were playing sidelines. So, you’re hoping
to be able to get Parker [WR Parker Washington]. I mean really the killer was obviously the
play before where you get the ball to the 42-yard line with Parker on the outbreaker which
would’ve obviously set us up to maybe take one more shot at outs and see if we can steal
another five yards or so, and then attempt a game-winning field goal and giving Cam [K
Cam Little] that opportunity. You feel confident that we have a chance with all of how the
drive started with a sack and a negative play, Trevor scrambles. Then we hit Parker, and we
have the illegal hands to the face there on the tackle. So, desperation, seven seconds,
you’re trying to get a little bit of a chunk out of bounds to the sideline before you get to
desperado.”
(On if he will evaluate snaps and play time based on penalties committed) “That is a little
bit where we’re—it’s not as much, I mean look, [CB] Jarrian Jones gets a PI on the 25-yard
line that goes down to the two on a mutual hand fighting combat play. I’m trying to think
about what were other killer penalties? Travon [DE Travon Walker] on the sack, where he’s
got to hit the strike zone and I don’t think those are plays that I want to completely pull
them off the grass for. But we’ve got to look at all of the positions in terms of, okay, where
do we need to get more production? And we aren’t going to just live in the status quo. That’s
crazy. That’s the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting
a different result. So, we are going to look at, hey, how can we get more of a rush? How can
we get these guys in positions to be successful? And ultimately, we’ve got to go make those
plays in the fourth quarter for us to take the next step as an organization, take the next step
as a team to close out your rival on the road in the fourth quarter. I don’t care where it
comes from, but it needs to happen.”
(On his evaluation of the offensive line play since Week 1) “I think last week we played
pretty darn good up front against one of the best D-linemen in the National Football League
[Raiders DE Maxx Crosby], and [Raiders DT] Adam Butler was really good, too. So,
Houston’s number one in the NFL for a reason. But the false starts, those are problem plays
that keep backing you up and creating longer down and distances, second and longs, third
and longs, and it wasn’t that loud. When you’ve got rushers that are rushing, like those guys
did, it gets you on skates a little bit at times as a tackle or as an offensive lineman. We tried
to chip them a decent amount at times, and they were hunting. I mean, they were hunting.
That’s a good defense. It’s a good DL [defensive line] that has made some good offenses
look pretty mediocre. I think they were averaging about 14 and a half points a game. We
scored 22 on offense and seven with special teams. So, we were above the average, but
that wasn’t good enough yesterday.”
(On WR Dyami Brown’s snaps) “Yeah, it was more—obviously we got Jakobi [WR Jakobi
Meyers] coming in, came in. Dyami was ready, he was spelling guys throughout the whole
day and being rotational at both the Z and the X position and he just needs to continue to go
to work during the week of practice, keep playing fast, and when his opportunities come his
way, make those plays. Had good dialogue with Dyami last week and he practiced hard and
played faster. So, we’ll have to look at obviously the rotation this week, but I’ve trusted him
to continue to make plays.”
DEFENSIVE TACKLE ARIK ARMSTEAD
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2025
(On the differences of facing a backup quarterback for the defense) “I think with the
backup, the gameplan definitely changes and the game kind of simplifies. You see a lot of
quick game, a lot of running the football, trying not to quote unquote put the game in their
hands and I think it simplifies kind of from what I would say my experience has been of
seeing it. I think that’s the difference.”
(On the veteran experience of most backup quarterbacks) “100 percent. I don’t take any
player or team lightly in this league. It’s any given Sunday for a reason. There’s good players
all over the league, whether backups or starters. And so, once you get in the business of
taking people lightly, that’s when you’re setting yourself up for a recipe for a disaster. So, I
don’t take anybody lightly. I don’t think we take anybody lightly. I mean, how could we?
We’re trying to prove our own selves, we haven’t really done anything yet. We can’t take
anyone lightly. We’ve got to go out here each and every game and give it our best, which I
feel like we have been doing. And so yeah, there’s no taking it lightly on anyone in the NFL.”
(On how to make sure a loss like Sunday’s does not ‘linger’) “Turn the page, flip the script
whether you like or not, we have another game coming up here in six days, so lingering
about what happened this last game isn’t going to do anything for the Chargers. You learn
from your mistakes, you get things cleaned up and then you move on. We’re still in a very
good position with our season ahead of us, and you turn the page and get back to work.”
(On if there are more ways to manufacture pressure with the front four) “I don’t think there’s
really a manufacturing of pressure. I think manufacturing of pressure is blitzing and bringing
more than they can handle or trying to free guys up. So, in terms of getting pressure with the
front, it’s on us to go win our matchups when that is the play call for us to rush four, and put
pressure on them rushing four. And just really focus for us up front, focusing on that. When
we are called on to go get them with four, making sure that we’re putting our best foot
forward and we’re locked in and we’re going to win our matchups and whatever they throw
at us. Chips, double teams or whatever it may be we’ve got to find a way.”
(On if it is more frustrating to lose given the defensive performance earlier in the season) “I
mean, losing in that fashion and then down the stretch, having some struggles defensively
in the previous game. Definitely you don’t necessarily look at like your highs, it makes it
more frustrating. But it’s the ebbs and flows of the season and knowing what you’re
capable of, and feeling like you haven’t reached that and you’re doing everything you can to
try to reach it and still not getting to that level that you want to play at. It’s frustrating but we
we’re midway through our season, we’ve got eight games left and this is the time of the year
where you really need to be playing great football. And so that’s our focus is to get back to
work and do everything we can both individually and together to make sure that we’re
playing good football down the stretch.”
(On if he takes the challenge to respond this week) “I think everything is a challenge in the
NFL. You’ve got to take it, take it personal, you strive to be the best at what you do. I think
that we have the ability, we have the talent in the room to be successful, especially up front
with four. I think throughout times, guys in our room, in our career have shown that to have
a lot of success. And so just about coming together, when you’re challenged, you got a
band together because none of us are going to be successful individually. It’s about coming
together, accepting whatever is in front of you. And, whenever I’m challenged or I feel that
someone might be questioning or things haven’t reached a level of success that I want, I
take it as an opportunity to use that adversity for good. And it makes it that much sweeter
once you do reach that success. And once you do start making those plays and things do
start coming together, it makes it that much sweeter, and you cherish it a little more. So, I
think that’s the mentality that we have to have.”
(On if it is frustrating to make winning plays earlier in the season but not execute Sunday)
“It’s frustrating, but it’s part of the process. You have to go through to reach the gains and
find the success. And everything that you go through is part of the process and part of the
journey. And like I said, these moments, these games are making us the team and the
players that we need to be. And we have to go through these things to find growth. And
when times get hard, that’s when you learn a lot about yourself and either you come
together and make it better or things go array. And I believe that we’re going to come
together and make it better and find the success that we want to have. And it’s all about
sticking together and going through that process as a team.”
WIDE RECEIVER PARKER WASHINGTON
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2025
(On what is giving him the opportunity to succeed on special teams) “Continuing to just
have confidence and it starts with preparation of course. And throughout my career as well,
being able to be around some great teammates that been able to learn from and being able
to build off of. And it’s been cool to go out there and be able to have these opportunities like
you’re talking about. And just making the most of them is the most important thing for me
and having fun doing it. So just getting back to having fun, being a kid that’s been playing
football his whole life and making the most of it.”
(On the response of younger players primarily playing special teams) “They’re working their
tail off and hats off of those guys. And I’ll say it, especially for me as punt returner, our punt
return unit is one of the best in the NFL, just as far as how those guys work, how intentional
they are. I mean, they block their tails off, finish plays, running to the end of the play. I
mean, it’s just special to be a part of. And as a returner, I just want to be able to make those
plays for them just because of how hard they work. And seeing that, seeing all these big
plays that we’ve been able to make so far just been cool and hopefully we get to keep doing
it.”
(On how to make sure the loss on Sunday does not ‘linger’) “Just remembering who we are.
We did all our corrections and then all got together as a unit and we started to show all our
identity plays of who we can be and who we are. And I felt like that was a good way to wipe
this away and move forward to know that we could be special and we’ve just got to keep
trusting each other. Keep coming together as a unit, as a team, and get out there on
Sunday, have some fun most importantly and continue to make plays.”
(On if his identity is a ‘go up and get it’ receiver) “I’d like to say that, yeah.”
(On the difficulty of WR Jakobi Meyers learning the offense and playing in five days) “Oh,
that’s super tough. When he was with the Raiders, it’s already a workload to learn that
offense and be a part of that. So just imagine you show up and then you change all the
words to all the plays you’ve been running and it can be crazy because some things can
mean in his offense, different from what it means in our offense. So, it’s kind of crazy and it
can be the same words. So, hats off to him just being a professional as we know, that’s why
we brought him in, he’s a true pro. He came in and put the time in and clicked it clicked
early, and it’s just been exciting to see that come together and like I said, he’s been special.
He’s going to continue to be special.”
(On when he knew he was taking the punt return for a touchdown) “Yeah, I mean once I
started to see the punter and that’s the only person I’ve got to win against, I’m like, ‘Let’s
go!” And I was just hyped to be able to make that play. It’s always tough that we fell short
and didn’t get this win, but like I said, the special teams unit is so special to be a part of and
I wouldn’t want to be with anybody else.”
(On the offense not sustaining drives late) “Definitely, it is definitely tough. As an offense for
us, we go out there, our intentions are to make big plays and just most importantly move
the chains and at least end with some type of kick. Well, for points, field goal, PAT after the
touchdown, that type of thing. So, it’s tough to go out there and not be able to do our best
work. But as a unit, I feel like we stayed together. Like I said, going into today and then ready
for a Wednesday practice, we have the most confidence in the world that we will continue
to grow and go be our best selves this Sunday and this next opportunity.”
(On if they will be able to put the loss behind them by Wednesday) “I feel like that’s what’s
been making us special this year, is just the unity and coming together and not pointing
fingers. Coach Liam [Head Coach Liam Coen], that’s his thing. We’re not going to point
fingers through this and we’re not going backwards. So, I feel like that’s been really cool to
be a part of and guys are buying into that and it’s been special and we’re going to continue
to have fun. Just be us.”
