JAGUARS HEAD COACH DOUG MARRONE
(On keeping the team motivated despite the losing streak) “I talked to the players about it after the game, before I came out here. I think it’s hard for people that aren’t part of it, that aren’t going through it, to really understand what happens with these players and these coaches. As long as you keep having these opportunities to compete, the competitiveness that’s in you is something that keeps you going or else you’re not going to be in this league. From a standpoint of that, I think everyone understands that, I think we do understand that today we turned the ball over, we gave up points on turnovers, we did some things that we were trying to get done, we still had an opportunity late in the game. Defense had a really good stop and then we get a penalty on a special teams play. We started off deep and then the pick, so there are a lot of things that are going on. We’ll continue to keep fighting and keep working our way through, but the one thing is that in situations like this and the way this team is, we’re going to continue to support each other and continue to keep fighting until they tell us that it’s over.”
(On if QB Mike Glennon’s performance today will result in starting QB Gardner Minshew II next week) “I think we’re going to look at Mike. We’re going to evaluate it, but I think we’re going to try to clean some things up for him and see how we can obviously do a better job. I think that I’m going to go with him. I think he still gives us the best chance to win as of right now so I’m going to stick with him right now for this week.”
(On the frustration of multiple turnovers) “We got one ourselves, Joe [Schobert] getting the pick-six on the turnover. You look at those things and you evaluate it and it’s tough to win football games when you turn the ball over, I believe. I guess we were at three or four turnovers in the game, so it’s tough. Everyone that goes out there is not trying to do it. It’s not like they’re not trying to take care of their business or take care of the football. That’s not it at all. I think sometimes when it’s just real errant, where it’s egregious, where you’re not really carrying the ball well, you’re just throwing it up there or throwing it out there, I think those are the times that you get the frustration. Everyone knows that you’re competing as hard as you can and make sure that you can make the plays somehow, someway to try to tilt the needle into your favor. I thought there were times where we moved the ball well and we were in the red zone. We had the turnover there early, that cost us points in the first half. We had some penalties today that really put us in more challenging situations. I thought the game plan was to try to come out early and stop [Vikings RB Dalvin] Cook. I thought we did a good job with that. We were starting to be able to start getting to the quarterback. They kept more people in there protecting and then their guys made some plays on some third downs that you wish you could get off the field on.”
(On an injury update on WR Laviska Shenault Jr. and OL Brandon Linder) “I think with Laviska it was a thumb, nothing broken from what I’ve been told on the initial X-ray. That’s tough and we were just seeing if he could catch, so that’s always difficult when you hurt your thumb in that position. With Brandon, it’s an ankle. Again, nothing broken, so I don’t know how long he’ll be yet. That’s all I know about it.”
(On the receivers in today’s games) “I think it’s tough. I mean everyone has to play all the different spots. We went into the game trying to get Laviska [Shenault Jr.] some more touches. That was what we were thinking going into the game and we wanted to get DJ [Chark Jr.] started early. Then all of a sudden you get the injury, those things occur, so it’s tough. Again, I think it’s something that we need to continue to keep working on and get ourselves some separation and get ourselves open. Those guys are trying their best and we have to put them in good positions, so that’s on everyone. Everyone has to do a better job to get the production that you need to win games, not just one person or one group really.”
(On if the game plan was to get WR Collin Johnson more snaps and targets today) “I don’t know if it was like going into it saying he’s definitely going to do that. I think when the injury came, both him and Laviska [Shenault Jr.] play the same position, so I think that’s why you saw his snaps go up.”
(On allowing the Vikings to come back after having their largest lead of the season) “That’s what we’re trying to do, we’re trying to build on that momentum and go on both sides. You have to make plays and at that time, like you said, we’ve been in situations where we couldn’t make plays to tip the game, to tip the scales into a more favorable position, but we haven’t been able to do that and that was again one of those times.”
(On stopping Vikings RB Dalvin Cook) “Our goal was we’re going to try to stop him, stop him early and get the extra guy down there in the box, knowing that we have to hold up on the outside with [Vikings WR Adam] Thielen and [Vikings WR Justin] Jefferson and the tight ends, so we did that. We thought when we got to some third downs we had to make some decisions on whether we wanted to pressure and try to pressure him into making mistakes or errant throws or go ahead and double some of those guys, so we tried to mix it up a little bit. I thought we did a good job getting to the quarterback. I thought Joe Giles-Harris did a good job on a couple of those boots being able to pull them up. I thought we defended some plays well and then just the plays like our 50-50 or things like that that are up in the air, they wound up making some of those plays, or the plays that got a little bit more elongated, or extended is a better word. They were able to run away from us a little bit and I think everyone saw that.”
(On the momentum going into the second half with a lead) “Obviously they were ready to go. We had a problem earlier in the year, remember, coming out early and being able to play. We’ve really been trying to emphasize making sure that we come up and we start better, and we did it. I think when you go back and you look at it and when I go back and look at the film, you don’t want to kick a field goal and you want to be able to score two more touchdowns down there instead of a turnover and the field goal on the 1-[yard line]. I think it’s one of those things where it’s good, but you’re always pushing for that excellence, you’re always pushing for what you need and never being satisfied or just effort or anything like that. Those are the times that you really need to make those plays that are really going to change the game. You have to remember, when you go up now, it starts changing, the play calls start changing, things start changing, things get into your advantage and that’s what we weren’t able to do in really all three phases when you look at it. To capture that momentum, to keep that momentum going [is hard], so that’s why we’re sitting here again with a loss. But like I said, we have to figure out a way and keep battling.”
(On the defensive effort to pressure the quarterback) “I thought going into the game I liked our matchups. We were worried about the cutback run with [Vikings RB Dalvin] Cook. We were worried about [the fact that] he’s the type of player that can take it. I thought our linebackers came downhill. I thought our guys up front played with good leverage. I think that they were penetrating, they were obviously doing a very good job on the quarterback, affecting him, moving him off the spot, getting hands up. It’s unfortunate, I thought we could’ve had a couple more tips or tipped balls in that, but the effort that they played with is the way they’ve been playing all year. I just think the matchup was good, they were ready to go, they were excited to get out there and they did some really good things.”
JAGUARS QUARTERBACK MIKE GLENNON
(On errant throw to WR DJ Chark Jr.) “Yeah, that’s the play that I’ll be replaying in my head all night, would love to have it back. Should’ve just checked the ball down there in that situation. [I] was trying to make something happen and [it was] not the right time and place to do that. So yeah, that one’s on me and like I said, [it’s] one I would like to have back.”
(On whether he regrets the throw or the intent to make that throw to WR DJ Chark, Jr.) “Yeah, still, just in that situation, it’s not worth it. It’s a play that we’re trying to take a shot on and the way the safety played, I should’ve just checked it down and went with the punt.”
(On the touchdown play to WR Laviska Shenault, Jr.) “That was lucky. Got some luck, [it] went our way. But yeah, that wasn’t a very good ball and it was just all luck.”
(On chemistry with WR Collin Johnson) “Yeah, I’ve—really dating back to camp, he was kind of my guy in training camp. And he’s stepped up and has made a lot of big plays. So I don’t know if that has to do with our chemistry or just kind of that he’s in the right place at the right time with my reads. Yeah, he’s playing really well. I got hit on that go ball that he caught, but I think it must’ve been a great catch because—I couldn’t see it, but the way that I threw the ball, I don’t think it—it had to have been a good catch and [he] came up big with the play on the 2-minute drive to get us down to the 1-yard line or so. So yeah, I feel comfortable with Collin and hopefully we’ll continue to build on that.”
(On similarities between Buccaneers WR Mike Evans and WR Collin Johnson) “Obviously, if you field their size, Collin’s taller, Mike is a little thicker and I guess you could say I’m a little bit stronger. But yeah, I mean, I think Collin will take that as a compliment if you said him and Mike Evans in the same sentence. So I mean, Mike, I sort of remember him as a kind of—he was a baby when he came in and turned into this great player. So hopefully Collin is already probably more mature and hopefully his career will continue to rise and take off.”
(On whether this team feels like his team, as the starting quarterback) “Yeah, I mean, that’s up to the coaches. I feel in control. I think I’ve developed a good relationship with the guys, taking command and kind of bringing, hopefully, a veteran presence to the team, just through my prior experiences and knowledge. But that’s not my call.”
(On the emotions from the sideline during the game) “I think, to me, wins [and] losses aside, I think you could sum up [the] 2020 Jaguars as a gritty group that gives it their all and have each other’s backs. But there’s no pointing fingers. So although we haven’t won many games, it’s a group that I’d love to go to battle with and I think everyone on the team feels the same way.”
(On whether there is anger or frustration in the locker room, coming so close) “I haven’t seen any signs of that. Like I said, it’s a good group. I haven’t seen any pointing fingers. It’s all of us together and we win as a team, lose as a team. And I think the mentality is—that’s kind of the mentality, we’re all in this together. We obviously would love to win more games, but [there’s] no pointing fingers. We can’t fault effort. Just coming up, like I said, trying to… play hard, but come up short, one way or another.”
(On whether he’s surprised that the team is still at that level this late in the season) “I wouldn’t say so. I mean, I think I touched on it earlier in the weak. I mean, it’s our job. This is our job to come out here and give it our all. So to me it would be disappointing if it was the other way. So this is the expectation and the standard.”
JAGUARS LINEBACKER JOE SCHOBERT
(On the defense coming to play today and how he and the defense have progressed over the course of the season) “Yeah, well speaking first off for myself, fourth defense in five years and I didn’t really have an offseason, so you can know the stuff but until you start playing and experience it in a game you don’t have that comfort level. And I feel like that’s grown as the year’s gone on. Playing next to a guy like Myles [Jack], that really helps and benefits me and I think as a whole team defense. You guys know, with the people coming in and the people coming out, injured or what you have, I think the guys have done a good job of stepping up and playing what they are supposed to do and doing their jobs and understanding it’s a whole team defense, not one guy is going to win a game of football, it takes all 11. I think we’ve been taking steps in that direction; obviously we have to be able to pull out one more stop, one more play to get the win.”
(On if they should have played with more confidence after the pick-six and if it was disappointing they didn’t follow up after that play) “Yeah, it’s a young team and there is not a lot of experience in games like that or moments like that for a lot of guys on the team yet. Football is a momentum game and when you have momentum everything seems to be going your way, but once it shifts it’s hard to get it back. I thought the guys, after they [Vikings] scored the two times, especially on defense, did a really good job of rallying back and being able to start limiting them again and holding them and getting three-and-outs and holding them to field goal attempts. I think you put it well and it’s something we have to work on and improve on and be able to experience it and get better at it.”
(On if the game plan going into the game was to limit Dalvin Cook) “Yeah, for sure. Dalvin is one of the most talented running backs in the league and does a great job; when he gets into space, he might be the most dangerous running back in the league. So coming in, the game plan was to keep him contained in the tackle box and not let him get going. We tried to get Kirk [Cousins] to throw the ball and get pressure in his face and not let him have a lot of time to throw to the receivers they’ve got, and I think we were able to execute that for the most part of the game as well as we could have, but obviously there’s moments over time, those two drives we weren’t able to stop it. For most of the game I thought we did a good job of sticking to what we were supposed to do.”
(On how frustrating it is to lose games by such a narrow margin) “Yeah, I mean it gets to a point where there’s no moral victories in football. You either win or you lost, it’s not like ‘oh we lost by 2, we lost by 3’. I think it just speaks to how hard everybody plays and how hard everybody plays for each other. Just with all the stuff we’ve been going through with all these close games, but to be a good football team you have to win those close games. There are some teams in the league with winning records that have been winning games by 3 points every week and it’s something that we have to be able to do. You can obviously point to a couple plays in any specific quarter or any specific drive like if we get that, we win the game. It’s just stuff you have to be able to be aware of because you never know when the first quarter play opportunity is going to win or lose you the game, but it happens and we have to be able to take advantage of it. I think guys on the team understand it but it’s a learned experience and you have to be able to go and practice and be able to execute it on Sundays. I think we just need to keep taking steps in that direction.”
