JAGUARS HEAD COACH DOUG PEDERSON
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 9, 2022
(On if DL Folorunso Fatukasi will play) “I usually don’t, just as policy, don’t divulge up or down, in or out
this time of the week, but I’ll say this: he did practice yesterday. He did well. No setbacks. We’ve got to
get through today, obviously. Today’s a big day. Fridays are our review days of the game plan, so if we
get through today, then things look positive.”
(On if LB Devin Lloyd is ready to take the step and start Sunday) “Yeah, he’s done everything we’ve
asked him to do and what the trainers have asked him to do, and he’s healthy, and I think he’s back to
Devin. Get through today and tomorrow, but everything should be okay.”
(On the difference and impact LB Devin Lloyd makes) “You love his athleticism; you love his height. He’s
long, and it’s hard to throw balls over him in practice, and he’s been able to bat some things down and
do some really good things in practice. He just has to continue to do that within the scheme, just
understanding his role. I think he’s in a good place mentally just watching him out there and talking to
him a little bit, and physically, he’s doing good and in a good spot.”
(On if there are worries about the conditioning level of players who have missed practice time) “Yeah,
you kind of worry about that with the entire team. The fact that they’re all playing now for 60 minutes. I
don’t really worry too much about their conditioning [for injured players] because they actually work
harder, I think, when they’re doing their rehab than when they’re actually out there at practice. Both of
[Foley and James] seem to be fine. I haven’t seen any setbacks with these two guys. You’ve got to
monitor a little bit with guys that have been injured previously just to make sure that there are no
setbacks.”
(On if there really is no substitute for a rookie for practice and game reps for a rookie) “Yeah, as many as
you can get, as many as you can get him. You love to see them take them all, but there’s also guys
behind him (LB Devin Lloyd)—Chad (LB Chad Muma) needs to take reps, and guys like that. Shaq (LB
Shaquille Quarterman) needs to take reps, so it’s just a matter of finding a balance between all that, and
then come Sunday, you just cut them loose and go play.”
(On CB Darious Williams) “As far as health-wise, he’s doing really well. He was cut loose a couple weeks
ago basically off of the injury report, but he’s in a good place. We kept him out of the last preseason
game for a reason. He got some great work up in Atlanta at the joint practices there, and we didn’t
really need to see him make tackles or anything like that. You just feel comfortable in that. Smooth
operator, smooth DB, does some good things, smart guy, fits into the system well. It’s just time to go
play.”
(On if he had any pregame rituals when he played and now coaching) “Not really. The only thing, I like to
get to the stadium early, whether it’s home or away, and you just kind of watch everything wake up at
the stadium a little bit. Nothing really out of the ordinary, other than just getting there early. It’s quiet
sometimes, and you’re just sitting in your office reviewing the game plan or maybe just watching TV or
something like that just to kind of get your mind freed up just a little bit, but nothing too crazy. I do
change either a visor or a hat, that’s probably the only thing, whether it’s raining or sun is shining. It
looks like there’s a little rain, so I may have to wear a hat.”
(On any philosophy he tells the team about how they’re going to travel) “I basically just keep talking to
them about how to handle themselves on the road. Eliminate distractions around them, especially once
we get there, there can be some different things pulling on everybody, coaches and players, whether it’s
family, dealing with tickets, setting up transportation, whatever it may be, whatever you need to do to
eliminate that. Just keep talking through them that we have to treat each game kind of the same and
have that approach every single week. Part of the success in the NFL, and we saw it last night, is winning
on the road. You’ve got to be able to do that.”
(On challenges of playing in another team’s stadium and doing well) “If we just keep it about us and not
worry about the crowd or the weather or any of that and just focus on us and our jobs and what we
need to do, I think you can come away with more wins than losses, I think. It’s always a challenge.
Everything’s always a bit different. At the same time, it’s part of it, and part of the success every year is
how you handle the road.”
(On any advantages from having coached teams playing at Washington a lot) “Just staying in the same
place, real familiar with that area and the stadium and the layout. All that is pretty easy to get around.
Traveling is spread out, too, from the airport to Landover to the stadium and everything else.
Everything’s a little bit spread out, but we’re kind of used to it.”
(On who the sixth captain for the week will be) “Cam Robinson (OL) this week. He’s a good one to start
the year with the five. They were hand-picked. He’s really shown great leadership with the team since
being resigned back in the spring and all that, and he’s bought in. It hasn’t been easy for him, as well,
here. He’s had some challenges and whatnot, but he’s in a good place, so a good person to kick it off
with.”
