JAGUARS POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH DOUG MARRONE
On areas of improvement:
“We weren’t able to get anything done and didn’t recover from that. We should have probably gone a bit more vertical. They were squatting us early on. We didn’t cause separation and when we try to run play action and create separation, we are able to hold up protection wise.”
“You come into the game and they [Falcons] take the ball. They win the toss and take the ball and go right down the field and get off big plays and they score. Then you say, ‘Okay, alright let’s get this defense settled down’ and you know to settle down and get ready to go and then all of a sudden the ball comes out on the return, you fumble it and you have to go back on the field. Next thing you know, it’s 14 nothing and your offense hasn’t touched the ball yet. It’s tough. When that stuff goes on its tough and I look at that as my responsibility to make sure the players are ready and obviously, we didn’t do a good enough job. Defense settled down thought they gave a chance offensively in the first half. We didn’t make a lot of first downs. I think we were one of six. We had some manageable ones and weren’t able to do that. Second half, we came out and its 17 – 3 and we started driving the football, then all the sudden a holding penalty comes up. Then we back up and wind up punting. At the end of the game we made a couple of plays and we didn’t make enough plays and they continued to make big plays at crucial times.”
On the slow start and special teams turnovers:
“They did. I think that when you go down 14 nothing there is a lot going through your mind, at least for me. I’m like ‘holy cow’. It can go either way. You have to make a decision. You can either stand there and fight your way back in there or are you going to throw in the towel and just go through the motions. It wasn’t really any of that. When we came back here at half time I told them, unfortunately, we are in the same situation we were in last week, 16-3. 17-3 this week. I said, but fortunately, we learned how to fight back and get ourselves in this game. That was kind of my talk to them at halftime. I thought they came out and had a lot of energy and were ready to go and started moving it and then kind of went back and forth and then we got swallowed. I wish we could have gotten a touchdown instead of a field goal, I thought that was something that could really have boosted us, then we get the touchdown late and miss the two points and then we go down there again and have an opportunity to score and we don’t try to pull to one with about five minutes left where we would have looked to probably onside kick it off and use our time outs to do a stop and go. I give them credit. It’s nice to have people support you, but at the end of the day, that doesn’t really mean anything because you are judged on winning or losing. I would like to think that any players in the NFL would support their coaches. That’s how I feel.”
On the players’ efforts in the second half:
“What I told the players was that obviously its been a very disappointing season. I told them the record was my responsibility. I told them that need to think about what I said to the players after the game. I told them that I appreciate what I just said about 14 nothing and really fighting and clawing. They are a group that has shown some resiliency despite distractions. I basically told them I appreciate that. I think that we have to enjoy our time together because you never know what happens in this league and in a week we have one more opportunity with the guys in this locker room to go back to Jacksonville and get focused with the holidays coming up. Enjoy that time with their families, get focused and try to end the season with a win at home. I think that would mean a lot to everyone. After that whatever happens, happens.”
On what to do going into the last game of the season:
“I am not one of those guys, don’t get me wrong, I stand up here saying I don’t really care, that’s bullshit. We all care. It’s humiliating. it’s embarrassing. I just look back and look at all the things I should have done a
On being focused on the next game and not the job situation:
better job of and evaluate it. At the end of the day, like I always say, that type of focus and mentality gives me the ability to know that I tried my best and I can keep my head up and try to be a good example of a father, a husband and a leader of an NFL team, even though it’s been really disappointing.”
“I think what happened… when I first became a head coach at Syracuse University you kind of think you are prepared for all these things that come out. Everyone who is aspiring to be a head coach thinks they are prepared. One day I learned that every day is something new. It was the same thing. The program was in tough shape and we were able to kind of turn it around a little bit. I look at that as an opportunity to show leadership because in times like that, if you can’t communicate well and speak to a team and players… people are looking for some direction and everyone takes it in a different way. I have always, unfortunately, prided myself that I am always able to do that with distractions and things that happen… make the right adjustments and I obviously haven’t done enough of that. I acknowledge that because of the record from our season but it is actually something I look at as a great challenge.
QUARTERBACK GARDNER MINSHEW II
On getting into a winning groove:
“Glory to God even in the tough times and these are tough times. We’re doing everything we can. We’re busting our tails trying to figure it out. I don’t think there is any magic switch or anything that can happen, we just have to do everything in our power to make it right.”
On the things that happened this season:
“I mean it felt like last week, you know? Find out way and it didn’t end well for us this time but we can’t keep putting ourselves in this situation and expect to bail ourselves out every time.”
On the last minutes of the game:
“Yeah, we’re searching every day for how we can fix it. That is frustrating but we’re not going to let it get us down. We’re going to attack every day and attack practice. Even if it’s just one game left, we’re going to do everything we can to finish this season we’re in right now.”
On dealing with frustrations:
“No, it’s not great but our defense stepped up after that and played really well. We didn’t give us a chance today.”
On offensive struggles:
“Yeah, great play. The defender was trying to bail and Chris [Conley] just outran him, sacked him and made a really hard, low catch right there. It was really good for him.”
On touchdown pass to wide receiver Chris Conley:
“It’s very disappointing for everyone in this room. We talk about family and we mean it with everyone in this locker room. Losing is not going to be okay, mediocrity is not going to be okay and we’re going to do everything in our power to try and fix that.”
WIDE RECEIVER D.J. CHARK JR.
On losing this season:
“It’s frustrating but it’s football. You have to work to find the answers. We have one more game, I feel like everybody is going to be exciting knowing it’s our last chance that this team, the way we are set up now, plays together so I hope that we can fix it. It’s frustrating but you can’t control all the variables. Being frustrated over everything isn’t going to benefit anyone., so just focus on what you can control.”
On disappointing Head Coach Doug Marrone:
“Personally, I try to control what I can control. If there are changes made, it’s the NFL, I can’t really expect anything else. Everything is transactions. If something happens, you have to keep moving with the punches.”
On off-field distractions:
CORNERBACK D.J. HAYDEN
On finishing out the season:
“Just prepare and yeah that’s really it. That’s all you can do, just finish the last strong at home, get a win for the fans so they have a good taste in their mouth. Everything else you just have to let the cards fall how they may. That’s all you really can do.”
“Anytime a team gets up on you by 14 in the first quarter man, it’s tough. We have to scratch and claw our way back, we just didn’t get the job done.”
On starting the game at 14-0:
“I mean he’s upset man, we have a losing record, I mean, what head coach wouldn’t be upset? We just have to take it for what it is and learn from this year and get stronger and make this year make you better, that’s all you really can do.”
SAFETY JARROD WILSON
On whether or not they were playing catch-up after the first quarter:
“Nah, it wasn’t just about the first, I mean ideally you don’t want to play catch-up ball, but we did today. [We] have to start faster and definitely down the stretch just find ways to make those key plays to put us in a position to win football games.”
On whether or not he feels bad for Head Coach Doug Marrone:
“Yeah, it’s tough. It’s tough, but we just have to execute early and execute often throughout the game. A lot of things happen, you just have to find ways to just overcome and keep pushing.”
On whether or not it’s tough to come back from a deficit in the first quarter:
“I mean coming into the game he had like 125 targets. I knew that so I mean, they’re pumping the ball to him. Hell of a player. I tip my hat off to him, man, He’s a good ballplayer, you know what I mean? You can limit his touches, but the ball is going to him so you just have to find ways to execute move him around. He’s at the X, he’s at the Z, he’s in the slot… they do a good job of moving him around. He had a couple of plays today. Still a hell of a player.”
On responding to Julio Jones:
“Nah, personally, I didn’t even pay attention to it. Respect for TC [Tom Coughlin], wish him the best of luck but I didn’t pay attention to the NFLPA ruling or anything.”
On whether or not the firing of Tom Coughlin affected the locker room:
“Yeah, we had an opportunity to make a couple of plays on the football, I mean Matty Ice [Matt Ryan] as good as he is, he does force it to 11 [Julio Jones] sometimes. We were able to execute on those couple of plays, me and Tre [Herndon]. It’s good, but at the same time we got an L [loss] so it is what it is.”
DEFENSIVE END CALAIS CAMPBELL
On not responding to the Falcons offense:
“Yeah you know, I mean it didn’t go the way we wanted to, we didn’t take advantage of opportunities when we had them and they did. 11[ Julio Jones] played incredible today, 2 [Matt Ryan] got him the ball very well. He [Matt Ryan] had good pocket presence… even when we were closing in on him he got rid of the ball. When he [Matt Ryan] knew he had time, he took his time and found a way to make plays. I’m disappointed in the way we played in the run game late in the ball game. Just one of those games where we just couldn’t get it done.”
On the turnovers today:
“You have to handle whatever circumstances come. I’m not going to use it as an excuse, we have to develop our culture where nothing gets out but playing good football. You have to find a way to prepare no matter
On whether or not they had energy to play today:
what happens… still find a way to accomplish your goals and play within the scheme and find a way to win ball games. Today just wasn’t that. Even though we had moments and opportunities, it seemed at the end we had a chance – kinda like how it felt like last week, but we couldn’t get it done. One thing I do know is that this team fights and we have a lot of heart. We’re young and guys are learning. The biggest thing is, how do we respond? You know this one sucks. We could of played a lot better, but at the end of the day, you can’t mix effort with results. You have to get the job done and we didn’t get it done today. We have to come back next week and finish the season with a win.”
FALCONS POSTGAME QUOTES
HEAD COACH DAN QUINN
“First [I] want to start off congratulating Matt [Ryan] on the ninth year of throwing for 4,000 yards and to Julio [Jones] on 12,000 yards. These are two really special players, but they’re also remarkable teammates. That stands out for our whole team. What an opportunity for any young player on the team to look after and model. We talked about our identity, how we wanted to play. I thought today really illustrated that right off the bat, having a touchdown drive on the opening drive, and then coming out and Keith Smith forcing a fumble, being able to convert that to go up 14-0. We wanted to close out our home season for our fans and represent certainly in a way that we could. We were able to do that today.”
Opening Statement:
“I thought, number one, we were going to make sure [using the] run game, play pass, screens, we were going to try to attack them in a number of different ways. It just kept flowing. When you kept earning first downs to get moving, it was a good opening drive. Matt [Ryan] started off, I thought, hot as well.”
On the opening scoring drive:
“I think overall the pass rush has been more consistent as an overall group, and I think his [Beasley Jr.] use of the hands has certainly improved. Those are the type of plays we need to make, and I thought he [Beasley Jr.]and Grady [Jarrett]were especially active today.”
On LB Vic Beasley Jr’s play since the bye week:
“I think, number one, it was good to get the run game going today, and that’s always a factor because now all the play pass that goes along with that, you see some of the shots that went down the field to Julio [Jones], to Hoop [Austin Hooper], who had a few of those. But the two of them [Lindstrom and McGary] with their urgency to go, they’re gaining confidence as we’re going. There’s some on the job training for both of them, but it’s valuable time for them for sure. So to see their identity start to come through, the urgency, the toughness, it’s only going to improve from here.”
On Chris Lindstrom and Kaleb McGary’s progression over the course of the season:
“I think just the size and length and speed, he [Cominsky] was really pumped and ready to get going and contribute in all ways that he could, including on special teams. You could see it this week in the preparation and practice. He was definitely ready to get rocking, and it was good to have him back out.”
On DE John Cominsky’s return to play this week:
“We can work from Qadree [Ollison] first, and as it gets closer to the goal line, I see that helmet go on the sideline, he’s [Ollison] starting to feel it like it’s his time. He does have a knack for sure, the size and the physicality. Then Brian [Hill], you see the plays he’s able to make. He [Hill] was an excellent complement to Free [Devonta Freeman] today, and Free as well, having some plays ripped back. We’ll have to go back and see, but it seemed like a couple of good runs came back on fouls today. That’s one part of the game – plenty of stuff to work on, but that will certainly be one for us this weekend.”
On the three running backs contributions today:
“Big. To put two punts inside the two-yard line, that’s a big deal. Brian Hill as the gunner, to go down and
On the importance of P Ryan Allen’s strong performance today:
make those. We did those in practice. One of them got it in the end zone, we did it again, and he got it. To see that work from practice, carry it out in the field, but I think that’s one of Ryan’s [Allen] strengths. He’s able to place the ball down inside. We knew field position against this team was going to be critical. They’ve got an excellent punter, excellent kicker, a good returner, so to have some drives where they start inside their own two-yard line, that was big.”
QUARTERBACK MATT RYAN
“I thought it was a really good first drive for us. Great run by Devonta [Freeman], great blocking for that first touchdown, but then to create the turnover on the kickoff and go capitalize and go up 14-0 early in the game, it’s a great way to start. You can’t really start any better than that.”
On scoring on the opening drive:
“It’s pretty amazing for Julio [Jones], to be the fastest to ever get to 12,000 yards. I think it speaks to what kind of player he’s been for his career. He’s been unbelievable. There’s no better teammate, honestly. There’s nobody that works harder day in and day out. He’s loyal. He’s a good leader for us, and I’m happy for him. He’s one of the best to ever do it in this sport and his production shows that. It was special to be a part of that and to be part of his career. I’m happy for him.”
On whether or not targeting Julio Jones 15 times today was part of the game plan or a result of the coverage:
“Definitely part of the game plan and definitely where the coverage took us. When we get chances with one- on-one opportunities, we’re going to go his way. He made a lot of really contested, tough catches today. I mean, there was a lot of contact that he had to play through, so I thought he played extremely well.”
On Julio Jones being the fastest receiver to reach 12,000 career yards:
“It’s a tale of two halves of the season. Sometimes that’s professional sports and sports in general. Obviously, the first half was not what we wanted. In this league, the margin for error is small, and that’s probably what I would say. I mean, the difference between being in the mix with a handful of games going differently in the first half and playing to get into the playoffs at this time, it’s not much, but you have to be on the right side of it because there are so many good teams and good players in this league. That would kind of be my message to them.”
On what he would tell his children about this season if they were to ask him ten years from now:
WIDE RECEIVER JULIO JONES
“Matt Ryan has been with me since day one. I appreciate him, the offensive line, Dirk Koetter, Free [Devonta Freeman], the running backs in the backfield, just everybody.”
On playing alongside Matt Ryan:
“It’s just small things that are kind of like nagging where I can’t really be who I am like getting guys off me. A lot of little things were going on but in the past, I had just one thing that would happen to me. This year it’s just been a lot of little things. But that comes with the game of football. You can’t come out here every year and just be completely healthy. Everybody’s going through things and fighting through things. Luckily mine have just been minor all year so it’s been good.”
On overcoming physical challenges:
“It’s mainly just focusing on one game at a time. You can’t look forward and you can’t look backward. We got Tampa and it’s an important game because it’s the next game. It’s just one game at a time, one play at a time.”
On having a successful second half:
“Free [Devonta Freeman] did a great job for us today especially in the running game and passing game. Matt [Matt Ryan] did a great job finding him on some plays broke down. Matt scrambled in the pocket and found him. Free just did his thing with the ball.”
On Devonta Freeman’s success:
RUNNING BACK DEVONTA FREEMAN
“I feel good. It always feels good to get a dub [win]. Just winning period; all of us work so hard to win, execute and perform and make plays. It’s exciting, and I’m happy to be a part of this team. We have a bunch of unselfish guys; I love it.”
On having a three-game win streak:
“For me, I approach every game like it’s the last game I will ever play, and I’m pretty sure my brothers do the same thing as well. We’re excited and happy.”
On closing out the season strong:
“I love it. I’m just out there competing and having fun. I can block, run, catch, whatever; I just want to be out there and have fun.”
On his performance today:
“His numbers speak for themselves. Humble guy, always. He comes to work every single day and strives to get better as well. Nothing but respect. He will go down as one of the greatest of all time one day, so I’m just thankful that I get to share the locker room with him.”
On Julio Jones’ performance:
“We still fighting, we are still trying to find ourselves. That’s the thing about football, it’s a game of inches. We’re just trying to continue to get better; we started clicking a little late, but we just have to finish and accept it and learn from it.”
On his message to fans on finishing the season:
“I’ve been seeing a good team. I always knew the guys in this locker room and the guys on the team got what it takes to be successful, it’s just in the game of football like I said, it’s a game of inches. Sometimes it doesn’t go the way we want it to go or sometimes it doesn’t show our skill set. But we can only control what we can control and that’s it.”
On his view of the team:
“As an athlete, you have to let athletes be them, and he does a tremendous job at doing that; let us be us, being able to come in, come to work and just be you. All he wants us to do is be us and get one percent better, and having a coach like that, we gone go out there and fight for him and do whatever it takes to get wins and keep going.”
On Dan Quinn’s influence on the team:
TIGHT END AUSTIN HOOPER
“It feels great to get a win at home. It gives us something to positive to end on for us, for our fan base, for our community, so I’m very happy that all three phases all came together to get this one done. It’s a great feeling.”
On today’s performance:
“Just because you make some mistakes doesn’t mean you stay there. We made adjustments in all three phases. We’ve tightened our technique, mental errors which you guys have seen hurt us in the first half of the year. It’s not physical limitations of anyone on our roster, it’s just us not executing the best of our abilities, so it’s good when we can show everyone what we can do.”
On the journey of the season:
“He’s a Hall of Famer, he’s just tremendous, not just as a teammate, but as a teacher. If I have any questions about how to run a certain route, I have the best resource in the NFL to ask; bounce ideas off versus looking at how to run it if he’s playing man or zone. He’s an open book, he will tell you everything. He’s not the kind of guy who keeps stuff to himself, he’s really happy to share and that’s what makes him truly special.”
On Julio Jones:
“He’s given me a lot of advice. Win, get open”
On the best advice from Julio Jones:
“He’s a great leader of men. When things weren’t going to the way we wanted to, he’s the one who corrected the ship and put us in the position where we been in this back half of the year. We’ve really been able to see what we can do offensively, defensively and special teams. So all the credit has to go to him. He made all the adjustments and put us in the best position.”
On Dan Quinn:
“Overall, execution. We haven’t put in any new plays, and we haven’t added anyone new to the roster doing crazy things for us; it’s just doing the things we’ve always done at a high level, with limited mental and physical errors, so I think that’s kind of it.”
On what has been happening differently that’s created success:
DEFENSIVE TACKLE GRADY JARRETT
“We are excited to see the path that he continues to go on. But we know we have one of the best of all time on our team. That goes without saying. I think he would be the first to tell you that he has so much more he wants to accomplish.”
On Julio Jones:
“I hear stuff from time-to-time but for myself, it’s always important for me to be the best I can be. I know where I stand as a player in the league. I just want to continue to get better and just try to find the things in my game that I can try to improve on.”
On receiving credit for his performances:
LINEBACKER DEION JONES
“It is just a bunch of guys on a mission to finish strong and play together. That is all.”
On the second half of the season:
“We have got another game. We have to just keep doing what we are doing, preparing the way that we are preparing and go to Tampa.”
On the message from Coach Quinn during this part of the season:
“I would say all of them. Guys like Tui [Jacob Tuioti-Mariner] and really all of them. They have been grinding, they have been preparing for their opportunity. Now, their opportunity is here and they have been playing really well.”
On which new guys have impressed him on the defense due to team injuries:
“That just shows the type of players that they are – being a pro, being on their stuff and flying around.”
On the contributions of the new players and what it says about the team:
“We have just been on one accord and have been talking and playing fast.”
On what has worked so well on defense during the second half of the season:
“It is more of just us wanting to finish strong as a team. This is going to be the last year that this team is together, just like every year you have a different group of guys. You just want to make the best of the rest of this season and like I said, finish on a high note.”
On whether there is a level of satisfaction due to the second-half success:
CORNERBACK ISAIAH OLIVER
“It’s cool. It’s different but it’s funny. It is something that Coach Rah [Raheem Morris] came up with.”
On whether he likes being nicknamed ‘the blanket’:
“That is always going to take time [to develop] but I think that the defense as a whole, ever since the bye week, we have been clicking on all cylinders so that has been good. We have had good communication and we have been making more plays and things like that.”
On how he feels after the success he has had this season:
“I am definitely more comfortable. You get more comfortable week to week, especially in our defense but really in the NFL in general. Getting more snaps, getting more plays, playing more games – that is going to make you more comfortable.”
On his comfort level now compared to early on in his career:
“DQ [Dan Quinn] definitely righted the ship. Also, the leaders on the team took it upon ourselves to fix the mistakes that we were having and not leave it on the coaches or the coaching staff in general. It was kind of us taking accountability and ownership of what was happening before the bye week and trying to fix it ourselves.”
On the second half turnaround:
