MEDIA AVAILABILITY
MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2021
(On how it felt to get a win) “I think at my age, I am just so excited for the guys and how hard they work. I have been talking about this locker room and this team. I know it’s one game and I know, I know, I know. I just know I love these players and it was great to see their faces after that game, our quarterback, our line. We were down three offensive linemen. Our two captains didn’t play – [Brandon] Linder and Myles [Jack]. In the NFL, that’s the way it is, and a lot of guys are hurt. We are down a corner and some guy we just get two weeks ago [CB Nevin Lawson], he makes an interception. A kicker [K Matthew Wright] we just got a week ago, he makes two 50-yard field goals to win the game. Guys like Cam Robinson and Josh Allen, a lot of people invest a lot into this organization. It was just great to see that. I just stared at them. I just really enjoyed watching them.”
(On it being a celebration of winning versus a relief to not lose) “That was a celebration to win. We’re not at that point yet. I’ve been in those situations where [that’s the case]. No, it was a celebration of overcoming some [adversity], you talk about a back-and-forth game. I know Miami has some injuries too and they’re going through some stuff too, but their quarterback [Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa] played his heart out. Tua played his heart out and our guy, obviously, Trevor [Lawrence did too]. That was two really good quarterbacks playing against each other.”
(On if it was as emotional as a locker room he’s been in, outside of the National Championship games) “I think it was, maybe even including some of those big ones.”
(On if he usually lets the captains hand out the game balls) “No, they just kind of did it. I just kind of let them enjoy the moment. I can’t remember who gave it to Trevor [Lawrence] and then they got the kicker [Matthew Wright]. Yeah, [it was] Marvin [Jones Jr.]. We have really good people in that locker room.”
(On the team knowing K Matthew Wright better after the game) “I’m telling you, that was the first time I think I ever heard him speak after the game, and I had to make him speak louder because no one could hear what he said. I just got done watching it again. He really had a nice draw on the first 54-yarder and then he thumped the game winner.”
(On K Matthew Wright being put in the position to attempt a kick career long field goals under pressure) “A guy that showed up here, I honestly remember seeing him walking down the hallway, I remember [saying], ‘Who’s that again?’ Now, everybody knows who Matt[hew Wright] is.”
(On an injury update) “[Ben] Bartch should be fine. Tyson [Campbell]’s going to be back. Myles Jack will be back. The three that won’t, A.J. Cann, DJ Chark [Jr.], and [Brandon] Linder, are still not ready to go.
But everyone else, I’m thinking, is good. [Jay] Tufele broke his hand in pregame warmup, so we’re not sure if he’s going to have surgery. There will be a cast or a surgery for a few weeks.”
(On how DT Jay Tufele injured his hand in warmups) “I don’t know even [know]. They said [they were] just going against each other in pregame warmups, broke a bone.”
(On practicing the slide play that set up the game winning field goal) “I think we practice that more than I’ve ever done myself personally. We started that all the way back in OTA’s. We have a really good analytics guy here named [Football Database Analyst] Zach Beistline. He’s tremendous. He’s really, really good and obviously [Offensive Coordinator Darrell] Bev[ell], I put him in charge of that. We work [on that play] more than I ever have been a part of. We did it all of training camp. We do it once a week, twice a week during the week, and that’s usually one of the things we work on.”
(On the linebackers’ performance yesterday) “We’re still giving up too many big plays. We are playing more zone than we had planned just with injuries and just some thoughts on our defense. We’re still giving away that second level, we’re not getting enough depth, and we’re going to work hard on that
this week actually. But I saw ‘Deuce’, Chapelle Russell, come in and, boy did he play hard. Shaq[uille Quarterman] played hard and Dakota [Allen did too]. All three of them played really, really hard. They are not Myles Jack yet, but I’m glad we have them.”
(On the schedule for the Bye Week) “Today, their day’s off. Tomorrow is going to be a [day for] some young guys that didn’t play in the game, go out, get a little extra work, then the old guys, the guys that played will just lift and get rejuv[inat]ed, we have a team meeting, watch all the video tape. Then we come back probably, not finalized, I’ll meet with some of the leaders, I’m looking to get out there, run around a little bit on Wednesday and then they are off the rest of the week.”
(On K Josh Lambo being the backup to K Matthew Wright) “We are actually going to meet on, today, roster, whatever movements we have. But obviously, Matt[hew Wright]’s earned the right to be the starting kicker right now.”
(On the luxury of having C Tyler Shatley and his performance) “He was a guy that when we got him back through the whole free agency and all that this year [and] everyone loves the guy. He is not that big of a drop off from Brandon [Linder]. You know obviously Brandon is our starter but Shat [Tyler Shatley] played pretty good. The other guy who is arguably the most improved player on the team or one of them is Will Richardson. He is a swing tackle and a swing guard now and to go into that kind of game where they were playing bear defense and blitzing. They pressured. That was the most pressure we had seen all year and it was a little feast or famine where they got us a few times, but also Trevor [Lawrence] did a nice job. That was his best game.”
(On the current play of the defensive backs) “Not exactly where we need to be. You know I think Shaq [CB Shaquill Griffin] is playing pretty well, I think Ray Jenkins [S Rayshawn Jenkins] is playing good, Wingard [S Andrew Wingard] I believe got co-player of the game. He had a lot of tackles and a lot of production. Lawson is the other guy [CB Nevin Lawson] had a great interception play. We are playing more zone now. We started the season wanting to man this, man this, man this and for the right reasons we were getting picked and rubbed and a lot of things were happening. We are really going to work on being a combination of both which I think is what you see in the NFL.”
(On if he planned to be this aggressive going into this season) “I have always done that and I never [have not been aggressive]. It is something that is on the agenda for tomorrow – short yardage. That is three big misses we have had. Three fourth [downs], two on the goal line and then the one yesterday. I am going to have to self-check myself to and say ‘Is that the right thing to do?’ You know that has always been a, where you are talking about that far, go win the game. We have to first evaluate if that is the right call and second of all what are the actual play calls we are doing.”
(On it being a part of his nature to be aggressive in those situations) “It has been, but it also has to be smart. I am not saying I second guess myself because that is part of the game. Just have to make sure we are doing the right things.”
(On getting enough production out of the rookie class) “[Andre] Cisco is getting very close and he would be the next one. [OL] Walker Little just takes a little bit of time, but we are really happy with him. He is going to be a good player in the NFL and George [OL Coach George Warhop] loves him. Obviously Travis Etienne [is injured]. Tyson Campbell is a starting corner for us. Jay Tufele, the reason we activated him is because he really was coming on and then he gets hurt. Jordan Smith is still a work in progress. Luke Farrell is what we thought and maybe a little bit better.”
(On DL Taven Bryan being inactive and if he was injured) “He was not injured. Jay Tufele just had three or four weeks of really good practice and he got in a game against the Titans and played well.”
(On the dream of what Jacksonville will look like a few years from now) “I am a big dreamer and I believe that this should be one of the destination places in the NFL. This area is unbelievable and this stadium is fantastic. There is a lot of narrative out there that I do not believe. I believe players will want to be here especially when we build this place up the way we want to build it. It is obviously in the state of Florida and you got the ridiculous fans here that want to win so bad and we have a [great] owner and a quarterback. We are going to get this going.”
(On what else him and QB Trevor Lawrence think the organization needs) “A lot of things, it is a work in progress. It is something that when you see his development, I think his involvement in everything is going to be important to me. That is how much I trust him already. Here is a spread quarterback that has never turned his back to the ball growing up. Now you are under center and my former quarterbacks have told me – Joe Burrow told me that when you turn your back to the ball and then all the sudden the defense is different. It is also good career wise. You do not want to have a guy sitting in shotgun and being a spread quarterback for the longevity of his career, but it is also [important] to let him play a little bit. Those are a lot of the conversations we have.”
