JAGUARS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR DARRELL BEVELL
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2021
(On the offense taking a step forward and then taking a few steps back) “We are still a work in progress. We have a lot of growing to do. As you can see, there is just too much inconsistencies. We will play well at times [and] we will not play well at other times. We clean one thing up [and] we end up having another issue. We did a great job with the penalties, that has been an issue for us and we only ended up having one penalty in that game. Just too much stuff that we are being inconsistent with and we have to clean that up.”
(On QB Trevor Lawrence striving to play more loose) “Yeah, we have actually talked about that as an offensive as a whole. I think what happens sometimes is that guys want to do something so bad that if it makes sense, they almost over try. When you do that, you can really kind of paralyze yourself a little bit. I just talked to the guys about freeing your mind. If you are prepared and you have done a great job in your preparation, then you should allow your preparation to take over. If you have done that and you are prepared, then when you go out on the field you are kind of ahead of the game as you are doing whatever your job is that you are doing and it will feel like second nature to you. You will not have to think, oh am I supposed to do this or am I supposed to do that? That is what we are talking about when we say playing more free.”
(On when he pinpoints that mindset starting) “I think it started with Seattle. We had a nice trend going, even the last time we played Tennessee, we had some really good drives and we played well. You could see we were kind of on a steady climb and then we have that game in Seattle and I think a little bit since then it has have been like ‘ahh.’ They want it so bad, these guys are great guys first of all. They come to work every single day, they are attentive in the meetings, they are really trying to give us what we want and I think sometimes that can hurt you a little bit.”
(On his input on substitutions during the game) “Pretty much free reign.”
(On what happened with the RB situation) “I think we have talked a lot about it. I think you talked to Coach [Urban] Meyer, I think you talked to Trevor [Lawrence], I think you talked to James [Robinson]. I am going to let all of those conversations go and move on. We are focused on Tennessee. We have had great communication; everyone is on the same page and we are just moving on from that.”
(On the offense not having an identity and that being a problem) “Yeah, we have a lot of issues going on right now. I am not going to pinpoint it on one thing. We are trying to get better every week as we go out there. We have some young players on offense that we are trying to continue to get better. If you asked me how I want to play the game, that is how I want to play the game. I want to run the ball and whatever the style of run is that we are running and then I would like to be able to build our pass game off of that.”
(On the identity being predicated based on the strengths of the opposition) “Absolutely, always.”
(On his evaluation of WR Laquon Treadwell thus far) “I’m really proud of [Laquon] Treadwell. From day one that he got in here, he’s kind of had a little bit of an up-and-down battle. I think he’s been on a really good upward trend as of lately and you can kind of see his role beginning to increase a little bit. The thing I always talk about with those guys is—and I think we’ve talked about it in here—is trust. And it’s important that one, he gains our trust as coaches, but that he also gains the trust of the quarterback; that’s the number one guy. Where you’re supposed to be, when you’re supposed to be there, that helps you to gain trust and he’s done a really nice job of that. First it started with assignments of going in there and kind of being our hammer. He’s a bigger guy, he’s been really physical in the run game, has a nice presence there for us, so it kind of started there. And then when you start getting more opportunities that way, then you’re able to build it in the pass game and he really stepped up there. [I’m] really proud of him, actually.”
(On WR Laquon Treadwell providing an offensive boost in the pass game) “Well, as you know, the explosive plays has been an issue for us, so that’s something that we’re really always trying to look for. They’re built into every game and I think I’ve said it in here, a shot called does not necessarily a shot take and the quarterback still has the trump card, he’s got to make great decisions. And we’ve got [Laquon] Treadwell opening space, made a great play and we’re going to continue talking about ball security with all our guys, as the ball got a little bit loose. But really nice play for him.”
(On the Tennessee Titans defense this week in comparison to their first game against them this season) “Well, I think the one thing is that they’ve had a ton of injuries. I mean, you look at the depth chart and it’s all over the place with all the guys that have been in and been out. They still have the big players that they have on their defense and we have to make sure that we take care of them. But it’s kind of been a defense influx, I think is the way I’d best describe it.”
(On his evaluation of the Monday Night Football game between the New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills) “No, I didn’t see one play. Sorry.”
(On whether he’s ever seen a quarterback throws a few times and still wins the game) “I can’t remember how many times I threw at Wisconsin. Our Wisconsin game plan might’ve been something like that, but I probably threw it a little bit more. But no, not a lot where it’s three. But I didn’t see it, so I don’t know.”
(On Head Coach Urban Meyer’s statement about micromanagement) “Well, the offense as a whole, or really your team as a whole is a collaborative effort. So, obviously, the head coach has any input that he wants and then the coordinators as well, all the way down. We kind of do it almost backwards. We talk to—I talk to the running back coach, the tight end coach, the receiver coach, whoever it is. We’re going to come to a consensus on how we want to use our guys, then we’re going to make sure that the head
coach knows, if the head coach has another idea. So, that way, it really is collaborative. [Jaguars General Manager] Trent [Baalke] is involved in it a lot of times as well, because of who’s going to be active, who’s not going to be active. So, we’re always communicating about all that stuff, really each and every week.”
(On the reverse coaching staff and how that compares to his previous coaching staffs) “I don’t think it’s different. I mean, anytime the head coach wants to walk in and say he wants to do something, he can. But it’s really, in particular, the way Coach [Urban Meyer] has built it here, the head coach of the room is
the position coach and he’s in charge of that room. Then, obviously, I’m in constant communication with each one of my offensive guys and then the head coach is in charge of that as well.”
(On his expectations from the offensive line in the last five games) “Well, I want to see really all of us just play to the level that we’re capable of playing. I think we’ve seen glimpses of it. I would just like to see that on a more consistent level. I mean, really, that’s what we’re striving for at this point. We want to win games without a doubt and I think if we can get the best version of our offense, the one that we’ve seen where we’ll go a 15-play drive and then we’ll come back out and put another 10-play drive together. If we can play at that consistent level, I think then then results will start to show up.”
JAGUARS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR JOE CULLEN
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2021
(Opening Statement) “[We] did not obviously have the outcome we wanted. [We] did some good things in the first half, kind of slowed them down a little bit, and then we gave up too many big plays. We have to be better in that area and we slipped in that area. We have to get back to it. This is going to be a physical game, man on man, block on block. They’re going to tell you he’s running it there and you have to stop it. They’re going to tell you he’s running it there, you have to stop it. [Titans QB Ryan] Tannehill’s always been a quarterback that can hurt you with his legs on the roll out passes and the boots, and then when you don’t pull him up, he’s going to run. If you pull him up, [he throws] the deep crossing routes. So, we have our hands full. It doesn’t matter. [Titans WR] Julio [Jones] may be back. I mean he’s as good a receiver as there is, so we have our hands full. But it’s one of those games where if you don’t enjoy playing in this game then you shouldn’t be playing at all because it’s a throwback game. Rivalry? Yes, it’s a rivalry. They’re the kings of the division [AFC South], they’ve been. If we want to get to where I know we want to get to, it goes through Nashville. With that, I’ll leave it up to questions.”
(On the Titans mentality being constant no matter what players are available) “Absolutely, they have a system. They’re going to run their system and it doesn’t matter who’s back there. Like I said, it doesn’t matter. They have really good backs, not just with [Titans RB] Derrick [Henry]. He’s as good as it gets, but the other backs are really good. They’re powerful, they’re explosive, they can get downhill, they can run you over, they can make you miss, and they run their system and they do it well.”
(On the Titans having the same style of running despite not having star RB Derrick Henry) “Absolutely. [Titans RB D’Onta] Foreman and [Titans RB Dontrell] Hilliard, they’ve done a great job. Again, [Titans QB Ryan] Tannehill over the years has hurt you with his legs in terms of running, dropping back. [If] it’s not there, he can take off, or just the roll outs and there’s no one in front of him to contain him because [if] the pin that end, he’s running. One time we played him in Baltimore, you look up at the stats, I thought we did pretty good rushing [but] he had 61 yards. But we have to keep him in the pocket, and we have to knock the run out and eliminate big plays.”
(On the Titans turning the ball over nine times in the past two games) “In the Houston game, Houston’s had a lot, but at one point it was a torrential downpour. They made some good plays on the ball when they ball was in the air, pressure, made [Titans QB Ryan] Tannehill throw it a little quicker, but they came down with the ball. There was a couple that the linebackers had great reads, slid in front of the coverage at the last second, picked it off. [Texans Associate Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator] Coach [Lovie] Smith over there did a good job against them and that ended up winning the game for them.”
(On CB Shaquill Griffin being named the Jaguars nominee for the 2021 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award) “He’s a great person number one. He’s always coaching the younger guys. Even when we didn’t have him, he’s out there with TC [CB Tyson Campbell] coaching him up, talking through things, [saying], ‘Hey, you have to do this.’ He comes off the field, I’m talking about in practice, coaching them up. He’s
just a pro in terms of that and we’re glad he’s back. But [I’m] not shocked at all, that’s a great honor to have.”
(On the value of veterans like CB Shaquill Griffin) “It’s invaluable. When you get the level where we want to get to, there’s usually one of those guys in every room that really can coach the room if you walked out, and he’s that type of guy.”
(On CB Tyson Campbell gaining confidence) “I think it’s going like that [hand motion going upwards], and that’s a great question as well. Obviously, he was limited early, as we talked about. But he’s really playing well, playing well, playing fast. [Secondary Coach-Corners] Coach [Tim] Walton has done a great job with him, but he’s gaining confidence because he’s making the plays that the defense and his technique is allowing him to make. I mean he’s knocking balls down. He made a great play in the Atlanta game. He played well last week in the coverage part of it.”
(On having DT Jay Tufele back on the field and healthy) “Absolutely pleased, excited, so it’s great.” (On how DT Jay Tufele looks coming back from injury) “Good. He looked good.”
(On the energy CB Shaquill Griffin and other defensive players bring to get through a tough season) “Well, yesterday was a spirited practice. Guys were running on the football and that’s our livelihood. I mean you have to be. It’s the only way you can get through a tough time is bringing the energy every day, fighting through adversity, and then at some point that rock’s going to break. It was evidence of that when we went to London, evidence of that against Buffalo. We’ve had opportunities and when it breaks, it breaks. But if you don’t, you have no chance. If you don’t have the energy and the intensity and the drive, you have no shot. But he’s [CB Shaquill Griffin] done a great job with that and our guys have been good with that.”
(On Defensive Line Coach Tosh Lupoi this season) “[Defensive Line Coach] Tosh [Lupoi] has done a really good job, him and [Assistant Defensive Line Coach] Coach [Sterling] Lucas have done a good job with those guys, the d-line. [He has] great energy, knowledge of the game, and those guys have done a really good job with the front. [I’m] pleased with those guys.”
(On DT DaVon Hamilton being able to play this week) “Working toward it, yeah. That’d be great. He’s a big body, a physical guy. He played well last time we played Tennessee.”
(On DE/OLB Jordan Smith getting involved the last few weeks of the season) “I told Jordan, just be ready like that, snap of a finger. He’s working really well in practice and the opportunity’s going to come.”
(On DE/OLB Jordan Smith’s progress in practice) “You can definitely see him, he’s working hard, trying to rip the ball out of the offense’s hands, playing with technique. He’s more physical, he’s in a lot better shape, so he’s really grown in terms of sometimes it’s hard as a rookie comes in and some guys are more developed, whatever it might be. But he’s continuing to go like that [hand motion upward]. He’s going to get his opportunity. When he does, you have to cash in. You get 15 reps, make sure they’re 15 great reps and you get more.”
