JAGUARS HEAD COACH DOUG MARRONE
(On the decision to go for the 2-point conversion in the first half) “It’s always been my philosophy that if there’s a penalty on a play and it goes to the 1-[yard line], then I’m always going to go for two unless it’s something where it’s going to become a two score game. We had a run-pass option for that play and then they stacked the box, and they were bringing pressure on the weak side, so it caused us to throw it and we didn’t execute it. But it’s always been my philosophy from analytics, percentages, however you want to call it, unless obviously if the extra point puts you up by two scores then you’re not going to do that.”
(On QB Mike Glennon’s performance and if it influences the choice of starting quarterback next week) “I mean it’d be ridiculous to say that it didn’t have any bearing on it but I’m not ready or prepared right now to really answer any of those questions on who’s going to be the quarterback [next week]. I thought Mike [Glennon] did a nice job though. I could talk about him today. I thought he made a lot of good throws. I thought he protected the football well. I think that he wishes he probably had a couple [throws] back, a couple sailed a little bit. But I thought [he did well] getting in us in and out of plays and making some big throws to guys that he might not have been working with. I think Collin Johnson came up big. Trey Quinn got hurt early in the game on the punt return. I thought those guys went in there and did a nice job and we just fell short. [In] the first half, defensively, I thought we had some manageable third downs that we could’ve gotten ahead of the sticks on or caused a punt. We didn’t take advantage of that, I thought that hurt us. For us, we kicked two field goals. Obviously, that’s something that we wanted to make sure we’re able to score down there, but I thought it was pretty even going into the half. We missed a field goal at the end trying to get the ball down there to be able to score some points. When we came back out, I think the run game [was something] we were concerned about, [but] I thought we did a really good job of cutting off the runs on the frontside. We had free hitters on the backside that weren’t able to go in there and make the plays and we gave up some big runs on that. I thought [Browns WR] Jarvis Landry had a hell of a game, but at the same time I thought that there were two or three balls we were close on that could’ve easily gone the other way. He’s a good player and he made those plays on it. I thought James [Robinson] played really well for us. I mean that defense is very difficult to run the ball against. He had over 100 yards. I thought we protected well most of the game to give us an opportunity, but obviously we fell short.”
(On an update on DT DaVon Hamilton’s injury) “It didn’t look good. I don’t know the exact thing. I think we’ll have to wait but I think it looks tough. I don’t know if I officially can say it, but it didn’t look good.”
(On RB James Robinson’s performance today) “I think it’s the same thing we’ve seen all year, just a very productive player, very consistent, never becomes frustrated, just steady, just [a] steady football player that’s always going to get you the positive yards, always going to give you unbelievable effort. I think that’s the one thing that people miss a little bit with him is just the effort. I think the ball popped out on him one time today but that’s the other thing. When you’re giving great effort and you’re still being able to hang on to the football, that’s tough. A lot of times when you get into those piles, you’re going to make decisions on whether to keep going for the extra yards or to go down because ball security sometimes becomes an issue, but not with him. I think he’s shown that he’s a really good football player and we’re happy we have him. I think we had 20 something touches today for him, so I think that’s a pretty good load.”
(On the defensive effort despite missing players and members of the coaching staff) “I’ve said this from the beginning, I really am proud of the team. I’m not happy with the record and I’m frustrated with the record. Obviously, we all are so I don’t want to go down that road, but as far as guys that are really trying and working hard and doing everything they possibly can. There’s somethings that you kind of look at in the game, you’re like, ‘What were we thinking? What were you thinking there?’ Sometimes that happens and [you] just have to play the play, just do your job at times and I think we’ve given up some plays that way. At the same time, I don’t think we’ve been able to make some plays at key points in the game. But as far as their preparation for the week, like I said before, people can say what they want, obviously I understand that about the record, but as far as the character and all that stuff, these guys work hard. Right now, we’re just not doing enough things to win football games.”
(On not using RB James Robinson in the 2-point conversion attempt) “I think we would’ve gone into a goal-line situation there to be able to do that. We decided that we were going to go with the 12 personnel package and try to get in there. Then they put an extra guy at the edge, then we went with the pass. You know how I’ve always been. Obviously at the end of the day, I wish I would’ve went goal line and ran the ball because I can’t defend a decision that didn’t work out for us. I can only tell you what my thought process was going into it.”
JAGUARS QUARTERBACK MIKE GLENNON
(On what Cleveland’s defense did that frustrated him today) “I feel like I threw the ball well. Just came up a little short on the two-point conversions, and I think that’s the difference in the ball game. I wouldn’t say – they played the way we thought they were going to play. I felt good out there seeing what they were playing, so I don’t think there’s anything they did. We just came up short on two two-point conversions.”
(On what it’s like throwing to a target like Collin Johnson with his height and skills) “Me and Collin got a lot of work together through training camp. He’s a big target, he’s easy to find, and there’s not many receivers in the NFL that are his height – I don’t even know if there’s any. He had a great game. That touchdown I threw – I didn’t know he had that kind of burst. I figured it was going to be a big completion. The next thing you know he turns a corner and takes it to the house. He had a really good game.”
(On how he would describe his first game in over a year) “Yeah, I think it felt good to be out there again, good to be competing on the biggest stage in the NFL. Overall, I felt good, I didn’t feel rusty. Like I said, I felt like I was seeing it well, throwing it well, getting the ball out on time, felt in control and in command. I’m sure I’ll watch some tape and there’ll be some balls I wish I had back. Overall, I felt good.”
(On if he feels he’s done enough to play next week or later in the season) “It’s not my call. It’s up to Coach Marrone or whoever makes those decisions.”
(On what did he see from James Robinson today that he might not have noticed from the sideline) “I don’t think there’s really anything that felt different. I just think James is the real deal. He’s a legit starting running back in the NFL. The thing I love about James is he doesn’t take – he never has lost yards. He’s always falling forward, he turns what could be 2nd-and-10s into 2nd-and-6s, and those add up over time. He keeps the game in manageable situations, and he’s a special talent. How he fell to out of the draft, I have no clue. We are lucky to have him because he’s one of the better backs in the League.”
(On his perspective regarding both two-point conversions) “Yeah, the first one trying to give Keelan [Cole Sr.] a chance and just kind of – we’ll have to see on film, I don’t know – just not on the same page type of deal. I don’t know who’s at fault, it’s kind of irrelevant. The second one, I saw a bunch of bodies – I think I had someone open that I wish I would’ve seen, but I didn’t see it and tried to escape and make a play, and unfortunately they made a good play on the scramble.”
(On if he was happy with the decision to go for two earlier in the game) “It’s an aggressive mentality. Now we’re a 1-10 team, why not? I don’t see anything wrong with it.”
JAGUARS WIDE RECEIVER COLLIN JOHNSON
(On what unfolded on his TD play and if he thought he could make it) “No I knew I could make it. I saw the coverage was zone coverage and cover three so when I was making my way across, I knew there would be an opening in the zone and Mike [Glennon] threw a perfect ball. I just kept running and did the rest to help my team out.”
(On if it was emphasized that the team was going to need him in order to win this week) “Oh for sure. With [DJ] Chark being down, [Chris] Conley being down, the next man up. We can’t have a drop off so it’s all about picking up where the older guys left off and continuing to not have a drop off. Like I said, so me and Laviska [Shenault], we made some plays today, but we have to continue to get better and learn from the film and just go from there.”
(On being able to build chemistry with QB Mike Glennon on such short notice) “Yeah, so in practice often times Mike will go with the scout team and I‘ll help out with the scout team as well. It’s easy to just think that’s not a live rep, but you approach it with it’s an opportunity to get work in and that you’re building chemistry in practice. When our number is called in the game, I feel like it shows. You just have to take every rep in practice serious whether you’re going with the ones, twos, scout team or whatever and I feel like that’s what we were doing.”
(On if we can expect this type of production from him moving forward) “I’m the type of guy that’s just going to always work whenever my number is called. I’m going to do my best and I’m very confident that when I get more opportunities like today, I take advantage of them. I’m just going to be ready when my number is called.”
(On whether he kept the ball after the game) “I don’t know where that ball is, to be honest with you. I got my first one thanks to Keelan Cole, so I appreciate him for that because I let a lineman spike it and I couldn’t find it until Keelan brought it to me. In terms of this ball, I don’t know where it’s at.”
(On if he was impressed with what they were able to do despite the frustration faced with injuries) “Well, you know, I just know what type of group of guys we have in the locker room and they are all fighters. Regardless of what’s going on, obviously we are dealing with a lot of adversity, injuries, losing, all that, it’s not easy, COVID on top of that, it’s not easy but we’re just going to continue to fight because that’s all we know and hopefully we’ll catch a break one of these days.”
(On if they’ll use these last few weeks of the season to work out kinks for next season) “This is when you really find out what kind of person you are, when everything is going terrible. I just feel like you have to continue to fight. That was the message in the locker room after the game: we are doing this for each other. So, just continue to fight and continue to get better and that’s pretty much the message: just keep working.”
(On whether the 2-point conversion at the end of the game was called to go to him) “You know, my route was an arrow route on the opposite side of the field. But, when I saw him scrambling, everything is up for grabs and you just try to get open. That’s what I tried to do. Mike [Glennon] gave me a chance, but I didn’t come down with it. Just live and learn and continue to work and practice and next time I will get it.”
(On James Robinson and how he epitomizes the team having a fighter’s mentality) “Oh for sure. He’s almost not human the way he, week in and week out, is able to perform and keep his body healthy. It’s just impressive and motivating too, seeing an undrafted guy come in here and put up the numbers he’s doing and being such a good teammate. It’s motivating. He’s a great guy for our locker room and just a beast.”
JAGUARS SAFETY JARROD WILSON
(On how the Jaguars’ young cornerbacks Josiah Scott and Luq Barcoo played today and if they improved as the game went on) “Yeah, they probably just had to get their feet wet. Those guys, that was their first opportunity this year to really get some starter reps, and I think they did an amazing job. Obviously, it’s just hard to step into that role, but it’s kind of expected of you to have that ‘Next Man Up’ mentality, and I think they did a really good job this Sunday.”
(On the Jaguars’ defensive emphasis) “I think the emphasis, really, was to stop the run, first and foremost. Two-seven [Kareem Hunt] and two-four [Nick Chubb] for them are really good backs, power backs. Cleveland’s been doing an amazing job running the football all year so that was just the mentality all week. We definitely had to bring our big boy pads and make some tackles. I think we did a pretty good job of that today, but definitely got an L so we’ve got to improve.”
(On the difference in play calling with defensive coordinator Todd Wash out) “I wouldn’t say it was necessarily different, it was pretty much the same calls, kind of, Wash just wasn’t on the sideline. I know my safeties coach [Joe Danna] was calling the plays from the box. There was no difference, really. We really just got to go out there and execute as a defense.”
(On if this was the most bizarre week of practice with so many defensive coaches not available due to COVID-19 protocols) “Yeah, it was a week like none other. You hadn’t had the real opportunity to be, kind of like, with our coaches, and them themselves not having the opportunity to be hands-on in coaching us. Everything was really strictly virtual. Coaches didn’t get in until Saturday, and Wash is still out. It was definitely a different week than others, but no excuses, man. No excuses.”
(On if there was an emphasis for the Jaguars’ defense in stopping the pass over the top and also stopping the run) “Cleveland, honestly, I think their M.O. is to run the football. They have vertical threats outside, but, this is my personal opinion, since OBJ [Odell Beckham Jr.] has been down, they haven’t really took those big shots downfield. They’re kind of sticking to what they do best and that’s running the football. They took a couple shots but not that many, and we kind of expected that. It was a run mentality for everyone.”
(On how difficult it is to play against a power running team like Cleveland) “I mean, it’s tough, but I think everyone on the defense and everyone in the locker room will accept any challenge like that. You give us a blade of grass, we’ll defend it. So [defending against] running the football is honestly probably a strong suit for us because we pin our ears back and just go, pad onto pad.”
(On where the single-season franchise-record 10-game losing streak ranks for him among the lows during his time in Jacksonville) “Obviously, it’s tough. It’s frustrating. We’ve got to find a way to win. Not going to really make any excuses about it, injury situation, coaching, whatever the case may be. We just have to find a way to win on Sundays and I think good teams do that. It doesn’t really have to more so do about talent or anything. It’s really just a team coming together and finding a way to win. And it’s tough right now. When you drop 10 in a row, I don’t think anybody in there is happy about that situation, but one thing about the locker room is it’s still tight, it’s still close. It’s still encouraging to come into work knowing that guys, even though we’re battling our asses off, we are just trying to find a way to still get a W.”
(On what Myles Jack is doing to keep players motivated) “I mean, Myles is that guy. He’s a vocal person naturally, and then now, he’s in year five with me, got that ‘C’ on his chest for a reason. It’s really him just being himself, and obviously guys are going to look to him to get motivation and get encouragement because he’s an older guy on the team now. I mean, Myles is really just naturally stepping into a role that I feel like he’s kind of always been in. He just may have been overshadowed with different teams that we’ve had here in the past.”
