JAGUARS QUARTERBACK GARDNER MINSHEW II
Wednesday, September 16, 2020
(On his approach to his improvement in year two) “Yeah I think your approach never really changes. Ever since I got here, I was working to try to be the best quarterback I can be, the best quarterback I can be for this team. And that’s no different. I think you learn things along the way and you kind of add those, kind of, to the tool bag. But you can only win one game a week, that’s what we’re focused on. I think when you start looking at things holistically, like as year-by-year you kind of get lost in the mix. I think, most importantly, it’s one game at a time, one play at a time. It’s what’s going to serve you best.”
(On anticipation for Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans) “Yeah they do a good job of mixing things up. Coach [Mike] Vrabel does a very good job coaching those guys on the back end. They’ve got some veteran guys that are very savvy and they can change looks; [Kevin] Byard and then the two corners, [Malcolm] Butler and [Johnathan] Joseph. They’re all guys that have played a lot of ball and they can move around and do different things. And they’re definitely a challenge and one I think we’re excited for.”
(On why the Jaguars haven’t won a game in Nissan Stadium since 2013) “I don’t know, I think you always try to get these streaks and things. And people try to correlate things year after year. But I think in reality, every year is a new year, every week is a new week. I think a lot of times these trends are more superficial than like anything actually tangible. I think it’s a challenge that we’re looking forward to. We obviously don’t want any streaks like that, but it’s something we’re all looking forward to.”
(On memory from last year’s game against the Titans in Jacksonville that might carry into this year) “Yeah they were very similarly built last year. A lot of veteran guys that can disguise looks, move things around on you, very disciplined. And I think there’s a lot of the same that you saw Week 1. And then, I mean, the second time we played them, they were just very hot. They got on a roll, they were playing really good, playing with a lot of confidence, doing that same stuff we talked about. And they were playing really good and I think they’re expecting to carry that over and they’re going to be a very good team.”
(On the amount of sleep the past few nights in comparison to Coach Jay Gruden) “Yeah I’ve slept a little bit better than him. You know, we’re going to put the work in, but I’m going to need my sleep, too.”
(On Coach Marrone’s philosophy of not looking back) “Yeah I mean, I think you can only focus on what’s in front of you. I think you learn from the past and use the things that have happened to you. But in reality, we have a ton of guys this year on this 53-man [roster] that have never played up there, have never been with us when we’ve gone to play. So, it’s a new experience, it’s a new team bringing up. But it’—a lot of it is the same challenges that they present. They play really well in that building, they play with a lot of confidence, older guys that mix things up well and they’re very talented. So, it’s definitely a unique challenge.”
(On communicating about the idea of what it will be like to play without fans in the stadium) “No, not really. We’re preparing for it. I mean, we had a scrimmage, I guess that’ll be kind of similar. We also practiced today, it’ll kind of be similar. So, we’re excited for it—we obviously wish fans were there, makes it more fun, I’m assuming. But we’re focused on the task at hand and hopefully we’ll be ready for it.”
(On Titans FS Kevin Byard) “Yeah, he’s so good, man. He’s, like you said, one of the best safeties in the league. He can play well in the box, he can play well deep, he mixes up looks, he’s savvy and he has a nose for the ball. So, you definitely have to have an idea of where he is. He’s a good player and he’s a challenge that we’re looking forward to.”
JAGUARS WR LAVISKA SHENAULT JR.
September 16, 2020
(On if his first NFL game was everything he thought it would be) “That’s a good question, but at the end of the day, it’s football. It’s fun. It was special. Everybody knows it’s another level when it comes to NFL versus college or anything else, so I mean it was everything that I expected. It felt good to be out there.”
(On how comfortable he is moving to different positions in this new offense) “I’m comfortable. I’m comfortable, I love it. I love having the pressure on me and [I] have to, I have no choice but to take advantage of my opportunities. So, I like the pressure. I like everything that they’re doing with me and I’m just going to keep taking advantage of it.”
(On scoring a touchdown in his first game) “It felt good. It felt good. [There was] so much excitement.”
(On if he was expecting to score a touchdown in his first game) “Of course I’m expecting it because I’m a receiver at the end of the day. I want to score and I’m here to score touchdowns. So, I expected to score but I didn’t think it was going to come that fast and not in that type of form either. But [it] definitely took a lot off my shoulders and, like I was just saying, I’m comfortable.”
(On if the touchdown celebration was pre-planned) “I was actually going to do something else, but, in the huddle, I think it was during the timeout, they talked about just doing bowling as a team. Then [Gardner] Minshew [II] had his interview the other day, I guess he was still getting the play call, so that’s why he wasn’t in the huddle. But we discussed it as a team in the huddle, so I don’t know what happened there.”
(On if he will have more creative touchdown celebrations this year) “Most definitely. We have a very fun group, so we’re going to get loud in the end zone.”
(On if he sees a lot of what he did in college incorporated into the playbook) “What’s crazy is none of that stuff, the stuff I did this past Sunday, got put in until the week of. So, I just think they’re going day by day and they’re throwing opportunities at me. They’re throwing obstacles at me to see how I respond to it.”
(On if he was surprised when those types of plays showed up in the playbook last week after not seeing them during training camp) “Nope, I was not. I was ready. I’m always ready and I’m telling you, I love to do that type of stuff, so anytime my name gets called to do something like that, I’m on board with it.”
(On if there’s more he can do that we didn’t see in Week 1) “[There’s] so much more, so much more. I’m not the type of guy to talk. Like I said, I’m a very humble guy and I’m just ready for the opportunities to come my way. I’m going to take [make] the most of it.”
(On his expectations playing in his first road game this weekend and playing without any fans) “Expectations is, no matter what, go in and leave with a W. We can’t worry about the fans or anything. We just have to execute our plan and just get the job done and hopefully it’ll be alright. We got our team, so, at the end of day, that’s all we need.”
(On being able to help the offense even when he’s not scoring) “I think it’s big. I think it’s real big. I don’t have to do too much. I’m saying that because coming from college I had to do a lot, I was doing a lot. So, now I’m here [and] I’m able to do things without having to do too much and great things are still happening. It’s good that I’m able to do these other things and get other people open or just to help out any type of way. At the end of the day, I’m not tripping. I want to win and I’m here to do whatever [it takes].”
(On if he noticed the defense giving him extra attention in last week’s game when he watched the tape) “It wasn’t like they were just screaming, ‘Watch 10! Watch 10!’ It was just [that] they know what type of guy I am. So, I mean it was like, ‘Keep your eyes on him’, but it wasn’t a big type of deal at all.”
(On when they planned the touchdown celebration) “It was that drive. I don’t want to say it was right before that play, but it definitely was that drive because we had a timeout and then a couple of plays after [that] was the touchdown. I don’t know exactly [when], I don’t remember.”
(On if he knew that drive was going to end in a touchdown) “[I] had to. I mean if we’re discussing and speaking it into existence, it has to happen like that. The mind is very powerful.”
(On his game preparation last week and how he can improve that in preparing for this weekend’s game against Tennessee) “I think I prepared very well. I know in college I wasn’t a big guy on having my head in the film all day or just doing extra stuff. So, I think I did prepare well, and I think it’s going to be a couple more things I add to that, but it was good.”
(On what he can add to his game preparation) “What I meant was like watching extra film, taking extra notes, being more detailed on the defenders, actually paying attention to everything that’s going on. I’m not just paying attention at this guy, I’m paying attention [to] what he’s doing. Now, they’re about to run this play because of what he’s doing. So, I’m just being more detailed in everything because that’s what you have to do now.”
