HEAD COACH DOUG PEDERSON
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2023
(On injuries across the team) “Cam [OL Cam Robinson] had a left elbow hyperextension during the game,
he was evaluated on the sideline and went back in. He’ll be fine, regular treatment with him this week.
Walker [OL Walker Little] is actually having an MRI as we speak, so I’ll have more information for you
later. Zay [WR Zay Jones] has a 12:30 MRI, so we’ll know more on those two later this afternoon.”
(On having two games in London every season) “I was just asked as a question, that is not confirmed one
way or the other. It was just asked if I would consider playing two games back-to-back in London. We did
have a great experience over there, I would recommend it for all 31 teams to have the pleasure of
spending two weeks in London. At this point, there are no confirmation on us doing this anytime soon.”
(On concern level of being fatigued going against the Colts this week) “The fatigue aspect is real, it takes
a couple of days to get back on the eastern standard time from a time-zone that’s actually five hours
ahead. It does take a couple of days. I’m going to be very mindful of that this week and making sure the
guys get plenty of rest during the week but at the same time, getting our work done the rest of the week
and preparing for Indy on Sunday. It’s a give and take this week, the players have to understand that, and
we still have to get our work in.”
(On how OLB Dawuane Smoot performed in practice last week) “Yeah, Smoot did really well in practice.
He looked good, he got a couple of reps with the defense but more importantly, he got a lot of reps on
the look team. He was able to prepare Anton [OL Anton Harrison] last week and he did a nice job. We’ll
see where he’s at, still in that 21-day window, but he’s doing extremely well.”
(On going against a questionable quarterback on Sunday against the Colts) “I think all indications are
leaning towards Gardner [Colts QB Gardner Minshew] playing in this week. Obviously, two different
styled quarterbacks. Anthony [Colts QB Anthony Richardson] is big, strong, he’s a runner, very powerful
and can throw the ball very well. Gardner is going to still be athletic, still going to be able to move
around and get the ball out of his hand, all those types of things. Two different styles, we got quite a bit
of film on Gardner Minshew as well so our defense will be well-prepared.”
(On if the team benefited from being able to bond overseas together) “Yeah, and we didn’t build a lot of
campfires and huddled around campfires during the two weeks or 10 days. The fact that we got to spend
time in the hotel together, players went to dinner together, they just hung around and played some golf
together. Different things like that are just a time where you get to know someone a little more. When
you’re in the heat of the battle out there and of course in the game, you lean on each other that way and
we were able to do that for those 10 days. I think the guys really embraced that and now it’s a matter of
coming back here, continuing that same sort of mindset as we prepare for this week and for the first half
of our season, which is the next couple of ballgames.”
(On what he tells QB Trevor Lawrence on the sideline after offensive fumbles) “That’s the biggest
difference this year, is putting those negative type of plays behind him and moving on. We were able to
overcome that as a football team obviously and win that game. The main narrative behind it is that you
have to know where you are on the field, we’re inside of Brandon’s [K Brandon McManus] field goal
range at the time, just understand that sometimes it’s okay to throw the ball away in situations like that.
There’s a time and a place to try to make a play. He understands that, he knows that and he has proven
that with us. It’s just something to learn from, something we can continue to coach and get better and
ultimately, we can’t take points off the board in those situations.”
(On performance by safeties and cornerbacks in yesterday’s game) “The defensive backs played
extremely well. We know Buffalo has a really good passing attack and they got some really good
perimeter receivers with Diggs [Bills WR Stefon Diggs] and Davis [Bills WR Gabe Davis] and really good
tight ends. It was going to be a challenge for our perimeter guys all day and I thought they did a really
nice job. It looked like they were going Darious’ [CB Darious Williams] way a little bit during the game,
but then Darious came up big with the big interception and kind of took it away from Diggs there.
Overall, just really held it together and did a nice job of tackling on the perimeter. Getting the guys down,
creating some third down scenarios where we ultimately were able to get off the field. [S Rayshawn
Jenkins] Rayshawn did a nice job whether he was blitzing or anticipating a run, tackles for losses and
things of that nature around the box. All things that Rayshawn does extremely well. Guys played well on
the backend.”
(On passing performance by QB Trevor Lawrence) “The first one, the touchdown to Zay [WR Zay Jones],
Zay was on the backside of that route combination. He’s the third or fourth guy in the progression.
Trevor did an outstanding job there, just standing strong in the pocket and putting the ball where only
Zay was going to get it or nobody was going to get it. For Zay to come down with two feet in the backhalf
of the endzone there, it was a spectacular catch. Some of the third down throws to Calvin [WR Calvin
Ridley] and to Christian [WR Christian Kirk], from a quarterback’s perspective, hanging in there against a
really good pass rush, even getting hit after he delivered the football and delivering it accurately to keep
us on the field, he made some outstanding throws with guys in his face. Trevor played really well
yesterday, he played tough, he played physical, he played smart to check a route and a big third down
there towards the end of the game with the completion to Calvin. He did everything that we expect
Trevor to do and we need to carry that over.”
(On what winning a big game like yesterday can mean for the team’s confidence) “It really does. That’s a
really good football team. Buffalo has a great football team, they’re playing with a lot of confidence and
a well-coached team. For our guys to go out and go toe-to-toe with them, I think it shows where our
guys are and the type of team that we have. It’s a no-quit mentality. They hung in there for 60 minutes. It
wasn’t a perfect football game, by no means. There was a lot of areas that we can continue to improve,
but I think overall, looking at it, it gives you confidence moving forward. It gives you an outlook as to
what you can be and who you can become, the type of football team that we are right now. We got
some areas to clean up, and we’ll do that and continue to get better.”
(On if anything was changed to improve third downs yesterday) “No, didn’t change anything. We always
take a look at their third down defenses and one of the top third down defenses in the NFL right now.
Obviously, their pass rush can get after you. Coach McDermott [Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott] is not
a big blitz coordinator or play caller, but he can get after you with four. We did a nice job holding up,
receivers were in the right spot and Trevor [QB Trevor Lawrence] made some really good throws with
guys in his face. At the end of the day, making plays. That’s really what it takes on third down, it takes a
little more effort, a little more energy, focus and concentration to be able to overcome some of those
third-and-mediums, and even some third-and-long scenarios that we had yesterday in that football
game. We didn’t change anything up, just our execution was better and guys making plays.”
(On impact of RB Travis Etienne Jr. on the team) “He’s so impactful. In those third down spots, just to be
able to run the football and pick up a first down. That’s sometimes for a defense, that changes the way
maybe you call up the next time on third downs. Those are things that we’ve got to continue to improve,
but Travis is definitely someone that we can lean on in the run game and the pass game to help us
overcome some of those third downs. Overall, I thought Etienne had an outstanding, probably his best,
game of the year.”
