QUARTERBACK TREVOR LAWRENCE
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2024
(On drawing on past experiences to get back on track) “Definitely use all the past
experience. I think that’s one thing that’s good from having the experience in this league is
you’ve seen a lot. Seasons are always different. How they unfold, how these games go early
and down the stretch. So, I feel like, not just myself, this group, for the majority of us, we’ve
played together for a few years now. We’ve been through a lot, and I think it will help us. But
we’ve got to use it, and we’ve got to move forward and it’s a long season. I don’t say that to
say that we have time to waste because we surely don’t anymore. But saying that is it is a
long season and we’ve been in a worse spot than this before. We found a way out of it, and
I’ve got full faith we’re going to do the same. But we’ve got to go prove it. So, excited for that
opportunity.”
(On the confidence level in the locker room) “Yeah, I mean, obviously we’re frustrated and
the game the other night was just a disaster on pretty much every level. But we still have
the confidence in our group, our coaches, our team. That’s not going to change and that
can’t change. I think that’s when you have problems, when you lose that confidence and
start pointing fingers and there’s been none of that. So, we’re staying together and that’s
just the message: just stick together. Just remember to have fun too. Situations like this a
lot of times make you get tight and tense and be on your details and be locked in and we’ve
got to prepare the right way and put everything into it during the week. But also have fun,
we’re playing a game, and we have an opportunity to do things that not many people get to
do. So, keeping that perspective and let that relax you, let you play better. Not to say that it
doesn’t matter because it does, and we take a lot of pride in it. But you also do have to have
the perspective. I think that helps you play better and looser because you want to go out
there and fly around and not be thinking about everything and be able to go play free.”
(On why passing throughout the NFL has been down) “That’s a good question. I don’t know,
I think defenses are smart too and they have game plans, and I think it’s a lot easier
defensively to make the offense earn it and to play shell-coverages and to have two safeties
to defend the pass and if the team’s running on you, you can adjust and make some
changes. But I think you don’t want to get beat over the top, these vertical passing attacks
across the league. I think it’s just a way to slow that down. So that’d probably be my guess,
more shell defense is showing up across the league. The teams that have typically been
single high teams are playing more shell, which just changes your passing attack a little bit.
Not to say you can’t attack that still, but definitely changes than if it’s post safety.”
(On if he is trying to make big plays too often instead of making easier ones) “No, I actually
don’t think so. I think there’s been times where I’ve been a little undisciplined with my eyes.
I’ve maybe been a little sped up in some of my progressions. So maybe a little bit of that for
sure. I think a few times my feet have gotten sloppy, have caused some of my passes to not
go exactly where I wanted them to. Then there’s times where the defense is going to win,
and they have a better call than we do at times. So that happens every game, every year. I
mean, that’s just going to happen. Do the next best thing with the ball, whether that’s
throwing it away, finding the underneath guy and giving him a chance to run, maybe get it to
him earlier so he can catch it with space. So, I don’t think it’s been an issue of me trying to
force the issue. I think that there’s been a couple throws I’ve missed throughout the year.
There’s been a couple times where progression wise, I’ve got a little too far ahead of myself
or thought I saw something I didn’t see, and I think those are majority of the mistakes. But
just got to keep trusting it. I think that’s the main thing is keep trusting it. Trust what I see,
trust my progression and just get the ball to our playmakers. They’re going to make plays.
So, we’ve got to continue doing that and staying on schedule.”
(On how quickly the momentum of a game can shift) “Yeah, I mean, it can turn quick. That’s
the thing, we just have to keep our head down and keep working. Like I said, but stay loose,
have fun, keep flying around. Don’t tighten up, don’t try to force the issue on making that
one play that turns it, just let it come to you. So, it’s kind of a mixture of the sense of
urgency has to be there, this position we’re in. But you also have to do your job, and you
can’t get outside of what your job is and your responsibilities and try to do too much. I think
it’s a little bit of both and we have to stay level-headed through all this and keep trusting the
work that we’re putting in. It’s going to pay off for us. Unfortunately, it hasn’t yet, and we
haven’t had much success the first three weeks, but I really, really do believe that it will.
This is a great opportunity this week to get on track.”
(On the benefit of working with Head Coach Doug Pederson, who is a former quarterback)
“Yeah, I think it’s really nice to have a coach that played quarterback because he
understands. Like I said after the game, I’m not happy with how I’ve played. I know that I
have more to give, and I need to make more plays for this team. Your quarterback just has
to play well to give you a shot to win every week. I understand that and that’s my job. So, I
own that. But in the situations where maybe I don’t play my best or there’s certain plays
that didn’t have a good result, Coach can understand what I’m seeing out there. He’s been
in that position. He’s seen, he knows football, he knows offense, he knows what’s going on.
I think that helps at times when, if you have a coach that doesn’t really understand, and
they just see the result of the play and it’s like what’s going on here? He really understands
what I’m saying, ‘Well, hey, this is what happened, this is what I saw.’ And maybe it’s not
right and I’ve still got to make the play. But he understands kind of what I’m seeing and
what’s happening. So, I think that helps when there are times of when we’re struggling a
little bit. Him having that perspective has helped me, and really our whole staff has been
pretty good about just continuing to trust me even if we get in a little bit of a rut and I’m
maybe not playing my best, just continuing to trust me, keep putting the ball in my hands. I
know that we’re going to come out of this for the better, but we’ve got a lot of work to do,
and we’ve got to put the work in this week.”
(On how Houston’s defense looks compared to last year) “Yeah, I mean, a lot of stuff’s the
same, but there’s definitely some new wrinkles, some things that have changed. I’d say a
little bit scheme-wise, nothing major, but some things have changed. Personnel changed a
lot. They have a lot of new players, some really good players, some good additions to their
team. So, they’re flying around. It’s the same thing that jumped out on tape last year, is this
is a defense that plays really hard, flies around, makes a lot of plays where even if they’re
out-of-position, their effort and their motor to get to the ball really makes up for it. It’s a
tough defense to play against because they play hard every snap. They’re very
fundamentally sound, they’re well-coached, but the effort there that each player brings to
each position, that can overcome even when there are some mistakes or you get them, you
scheme them up. That effort that they bring can cover up some of that stuff too.”
(On why there have still been execution mistakes and communication issues on the field)
“Yeah, it just comes down to us making the plays and we haven’t made them, and we
haven’t been able to get the momentum early. I think each game we’ve had a three-and-out
to start the game. So, just unacceptable for us. We’ve got to be able to start the game
faster. There’s a lot of things that we’re looking at to fix that and get on track this week and
start faster and get some momentum. That’s our job as an offense to do that early in games
and we’ve got to stay on the field to let our defense settle in too. When you go three-and-
out, especially when you don’t get the ball first and you go three-and-out, the defense was
just on the field. Think about on Monday night, defense on the field, Buffalo scored. We get
the ball, three-and-out, defense is right back on the field after a six-minute drive to start.
So, it makes it hard on the defense to settle in and you want to play complementary, and we
didn’t do that on Monday. So just an example of why we need to play better, how we need to
play better. I think it just comes down to, like I said, the details, knowing the plan, being
confident in that, then playing fast. Then just making the plays that come to you, don’t get
tight, just go out there and make the plays that come to you.”
(On if he would want the ball to start the game) “That’s a good question, I hadn’t really
thought about that. No, I think you like getting it out of the second half, honestly. Because
even we had some opportunities – we had an opportunity last week – you score before the
half, you get it back, you double dip, that’s what you want. I think I like the strategy there.
Obviously, it’s smart and I think that’s good football. But who knows?”
HEAD COACH DOUG PEDERSON
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2024
(On the difficulty of going through tough stretches after periods of success) “Yeah, I mean,
that’s kind of surprising obviously. It’s something, for me, personally, you try to pinpoint
exactly what it is. Is it him? Is it the team? Is it injuries, what is it? I think it’s everything. I
think it’s a culmination of everything – something we’ve got to continue to work through.
Look, there’s going to be adversity in this league, you’re going to be faced with it year-in and
year-out, but it’s how you bounce back from it, fight through it. Obviously, head coach,
quarterback, you’re going to get all the criticism, and we’ve got to work through that
together.”
(On how QB Trevor Lawrence is responding to this tough stretch) “I think he’s handling it
really well. He’s taken ownership in his play, which he should. He’s not pointing a finger or if
anything he’s pointing it at himself, and that’s where it has to start. Then you work from
there, and he’s really embraced that. I keep just encouraging him to take the lead with the
team. Sometimes you’ve got to be vulnerable as a leader, and especially when you’re going
through stretches like we’re going through right now, and be honest with yourself and take
the criticism and at the same time, I see him working in practice, working with the players,
working with us coaches, the communication is always at an upmost high. You just slowly
dig yourself out.
(On if he thinks Lawrence is trying to make big plays too often instead of making easier
ones) “There’s times when you kind of get locked in there, you want to make something
happen so bad that you kind of force an issue. Even as sideways as the game got Monday
night, I think sometimes you’ve just got to continue to – if it’s not there put it in play, if it’s
not there put it in play, and try to work yourself back into the football game that way. You’re
not going to get it all back in one play. Sometimes you can get caught up doing that.”
(On if there is more urgency this week to win than last three) “I mean, obviously, our sense
of urgency is heightened obviously at 0-3. That’s not where we wanted to be. Now, we’re
facing a really good Houston football team on the road, and it doesn’t get easier. I don’t
think I have to say much, obviously, about these types of weeks. It’s just a matter of
continuing to trust our process and the standard we’ve set here and continuing to work
through it.”
(On if it’s challenging to implement Defensive Coordinator Ryan Nielsen’s scheme with the
available personnel) “It probably doesn’t get as challenging as much as now it becomes a
little more black and white. The guys are going to be in, the guys are going to be in. I think
the rotation upfront has been really good for us, as far as giving guys opportunities and
much needed rest throughout the game so they can be healthy in the fourth quarter and
fresh in the fourth quarter. But, yeah, we know that injuries are a part of the game. Next
man steps up and performs. Whoever’s in has to play.”
(On if the defensive scheme is one of the elements that would have to change) “It’s part of
it. We look at everything, I look at everything. I don’t think you just go and make change to
change. I don’t think that’s necessarily the thing you need to do because it’s still early in the
season. But I think take a strong look at all the possibilities, whatever they might be, and go
from there.”
(On if Defensive Coordinator Ryan Nielsen had made any changes to help spark the team)
“Maybe.”
(On if he would share what the specific changes are) “Probably not.”
(On whether the wide receivers sharing snaps during the game vs. Buffalo was the original
game plan) “No, it’s part of the game plan. We know who Parker [WR Parker Washington] is
and coming out of camp, felt comfortable with him going into this year. We’ve got to get him
in the game more. Just like the defensive rotations, I think it helps us offensively. Then, late
in the game, when things got a little crazy there, just giving him an opportunity to perform
and play.
(On if it’s easy to flush a game with a larger point differential than a closer game) “Yeah,
because I just feel like it’s not who we are as a team. I think the guys feel the same way, and
it’s easier to flush games like that than sometimes those hard-fought losses that could’ve
gone either way.”
(On his message to the team being ‘less talking, more playing’) “I mean, look, it’s good to
have them. It’s good to have at times player-only meetings, which teams do, and players
do. But it’s that time too where you’ve just got to go play. You’ve got to go coach; you’ve got
to go play. You can talk after.”
(On if he is worried about the confidence within the team) “No. I think the confidence is still
there. I think the confidence is high. I do feel that. We have to just focus in on us internally
as keep things nice and tight. Eliminate the mistakes that are happening and try to play your
best football.”
(On what it was like to face a [former Head Coach] Tom Coughlin-coached team) “I’ve had
the pleasure of obviously playing – I’ve been on teams that played when Coach Coughlin
was here, and of course when he was in New York. They’re going to be physical football
teams. They’re going to be tough-minded football teams. It was one of those games where,
as you say, you had to wear your ‘big boy’ pants to work that day, because it was going to be
a four-quarter battle out there on the field.”
(On if Coughlin had ever given him advice about being a head coach) “Not so much about
the job. I think from him, and just putting things into perspective for me, you go through a
tough stretch like this, and he’ll send me a picture of a sunrise. Sun came up today. Just
little reminders like that. He’s gone through adversity as a coach. It’s great for me to lean on
guys like that from time to time. Just get a sense of how they worked through it. I did the
same thing from with Coach Vermeil [former Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach Dick
Vermeil] and just two great coaches that have a lot of experience.”
(On if the sunrise photo was from earlier this week) “No, that’s been in the past, but those
are just things that he’ll do. Just little reminders like that.”
(On if he thinks the team needs to get out to a fast start) “Anytime you can get out to a faster
start or a score early, it helps. It helps with confidence. It helps with just as the game
unfolds and anytime you can play with a lead early, it helps you in the second half.
Statistics will show you if you can score early and often in the first half, it lends itself to, you
could win the game in the second half. It’s just not what we’re able to do right now. We’ve
got to fix that and try to score – at least stay on the field in that first drive.”
(On if there are any previous experiences that could help inspire the team) “Two examples
I’ve used in the past: obviously, in my first year in Philly, we jumped out, I think he started 3-
- I think we were 4-1 at one point, and then lost five in a row in Philly. Then, back in Kansas
City in 2015, I think it was, we won our first game of the year and then lost our next five in a
row. Then we went on a run, I think 10 or 11 in a row after that. It’s not the end of anybody’s
season, obviously. It’s Week 4. We’ve just got to figure out a way to just play good football.
Obviously, right now, the tape shows that we’re not, and we’ve got to fix that.”
(On if LB Foye Oluokun is likely to be placed on the injured reserve list) “I don’t think so. Not
at this point.”
(On if LB Ventrell Miller will play in Oluokun’s absence and how he’s looked through Week 3)
“Yes. He’s done really well. He’s got valuable snaps. Played good the other night, played
physical. Obviously, there’s some things we can clean up, but he’s really done a nice job.”
(On if the team’s third-down and red zone struggles vs. Buffalo was because of the Bills
defense or is it reflective of the team) “A little of both. They’re a good defense in the red
zone, but a lot of times too when you get in the red zone, it’s just execution. It’s just your
execution and doing your job, and right now we haven’t been doing that well enough. We’ve
settled for way too many field goals in the first couple of games and we’ve got to find a way
to flip that and score touchdowns. Then of course, we’ve had some turnovers. But it’s more
internally when you’re looking at yourself and what we can do better as coaches to help our
players in those red zone situations.”
(On if it’s frustrating when internal issues persist) “That’s just it. We’ve been together – the
bulk of us have been together for a while now. Just things we’ve got to eliminate. In order to
play good football, you can’t keep making these same mistakes. As coaches too, I put it on
coaches as much as players too. We’ve got to do a better job of preparing our guys and
showing them every look possible in practice. Listen, mistakes are going to happen. It’s
going to happen, but we’ve got to minimize them in order to have success.”
(On how fragile the teams’ psyche is) “That can definitely creep in. I don’t think we’re there.
I still see glimpses of good football out there from time to time. We’ve got to lean on those
moments and learn from those. But it just takes one play. We’re real close to creating some
takeaways defensively. We’ve done better protecting the football in the last couple of
weeks, but it just takes finding that one play, maybe that will spark your team. So, I don’t
think the psyche is bad or in that frame of mind yet.”
