JAGUARS HEAD COACH DOUG PEDERSON
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2022
(On motivating the team for this game not being a division opponent) “We’re playing for our lives. We’re
playing to stay alive. This is going to be a great atmosphere. I can’t stress it enough. If you don’t get up
for these games against good opponents, might need to think about doing something else. As coaches
and players, these are great games to coach in, great games to play in, and I really don’t think it’s going
to take a whole lot to keep the energy up in this one.”
(On how the team is responding to the win) “Great. They’ve been focused. They’ve been very attentive.
They’ve been energetic at practice. The biggest thing this time of year is the health of the team with
everybody kind of being nicked up. That’s been my focus is just making sure everybody is ready to go
that way.”
(On if OLB Travon Walker will be able to play on Sunday) “We’ll see today. Still day to day with him.
We’ll try to move him around a little bit and see how he feels.”
(On if a lot will get altered if OLB Travon Walker cannot play Sunday) “No. We do a lot of combinations
of stuff. Next man up mentality. You look at Dawuane (DL Dawuane Smoot) has been out there, Arden
(DL Arden Key) has been out there, KC (OLB K’Lavon Chaisson) might get a few more reps out there.
Obviously Josh (OLB Josh Allen) and Dawaune on the other side, so we got options. We’ll see today how
he feels.”
(On if he needs to get the offensive line ready for the challenge they are up against Sunday) “We’ve
been talking to them all week. This is a really good front, especially the edge guys. They’ve been
watching the tape and studying these guys, and they’ll be ready to go. There’s really, I don’t think
there’s got to be a lot of extra motivation because these are too good players. Our guys will be ready
and up for the challenge.”
(On what went into the decision to make CB Tyson Campbell the sixth captain this week) “I don’t know. I
just pick the extra one every week. No (if there is any extra thought process to it). He’s been deserving
of being a captain, and this was a perfect time for him.”
(On the Cowboys being an unfamiliar opponent for the Jags but a very familiar opponent for him) “A
little bit (telling the players what he knows). You can talk a little bit about the players. Obviously where I
was at before the rivalry is different and everything, but the game still means something for both teams.
They’re fighting obviously for playoffs and fighting for their division, and we’re doing the same thing, so
it’s a great matchup that way. I’ve gone and coached against Dan Quinn (Cowboys defensive
coordinator) in the past and Mike McCarthy (Cowboys head coach) in the past, they’re well-coached and
all that. There are some things we can shed light on, but really at the end of the day, it just comes down
to execution and how well we handle each situation, each play in the game.”
(On what it is about WR Christian Kirk when he gets into the red zone contributing to seven touchdowns
this season) Christian has been a guy that he’s been a very good receiver for us, been sort of a go-to guy
for Trevor (QB Trevor Lawrence). I think Press (Offensive Coordinator Press Taylor), Jim Bob (Passing
Game Coordinator Jim Bob Cooter), and the guys, myself and the guys that do the red zone plan, we
think about the players, not so much the plays. He does a nice job of getting himself open and
separation. Sometimes you get down there and the attention to detail just has to ramp up, and he’s
been focused that way. He’s been great for us in the red zone this year, and it’s something we can
continue to build upon.”
(On if he challenges the running backs to get back on track this game) “I think you have to challenge the
entire offense and not just the running backs. I think it’s the O-line, the tight ends, the receivers are a
big part of the run game. I think it’s everybody. We’ve got to do that. We’ve got to try to run the football
and get Etienne (RB Travis Etienne Jr.) back to what he was doing earlier in the season.”
(On if the running game depends more on them or the opponent) “That’s football. That’s game
planning. That’s scheming your opponent. That’s why that’s the fun part of the game, the chess match.
We think we can do certain things, they think they can do certain things or take things away. You just
kind of go back and forth. It’s the ebb and flow of the football game. If you find something that works
you try to stick with it, or a scheme that works, you stick with it. Same way as an opponent. If they find
something that works, they’re going to keep dialing it up until you stop it. That’s really what that kind of
boils down to.”
(On starting LB Chad Muma over LB Devin Lloyd) “Chad, the games leading up to him getting hurt, he’s
played well, so if he’s healthy enough to go, I’ll make that decision to keep him in there. Devin
understands that, and Devin also knows that his role is important. He could be in there after a play, after
a snap, you never know. Chad’s done well. It’s just a matter of him being healthy and getting himself
back on the field.”
(On if he expects CB Darious Williams and OL Brandon Scherff to play) “Yeah, I do. Both guys were
limited during the week. Again, just making sure, again, this time of year guys get banged up and you’re
talking about two veteran players who have played quite a few games, and they know how to get
themselves prepared. Not concerned with them not being out there, but we’ll get a good day in today
and be ready to go.”
(On what it means to have S Andre Cisco back) “Experienced guy. Played a lot this year. Gives you depth
at that position. It allows Dewey (S Andrew Wingard), who has played well in the absence of Cisco to get
back to that special teams role, but doesn’t take anything away because like I said, he’s played well as a
safety in Cisco’s absence. It’s good to get him back out there.”
(On how much he thinks the team’s record reflects where the team is) “I think we’re right where it
should be, quite honestly. I look at six of the eight games that we’ve lost, and it’s really what we’ve
done. We’ve turned the ball over in the red zone. We didn’t make a stop late in the game defensively,
something of that nature. Things like that have just crept into those losses. When you look at it, yeah,
five wins is probably about right for what we’ve come through.”
