JAGUARS HEAD COACH DOUG MARRONE
Jaguars vs. Titans
Sunday, December 13, 2020
(On his decision with the quarterback position during the game and moving forward) “Mike [Glennon] took a pick, and we were behind, and I really wanted to try to get a spark. Thinking that Gardner [Minshew II] could extend plays and make some plays with his feet and then he did that. As far as moving forward, again, I haven’t spoken with both guys, so just out of respect for them—obviously, I have in my mind what I want to do, but I’m actually going to make sure I speak to them first, before I do something through the media. I don’t want them to find out from what I said, because after the game, everything happens so quickly for me.”
(On QB Mike Glennon’s biggest struggle today) “I mean, he threw some good balls and we left some plays out there and he had some drops. It’s just tough. I think it’s not on one person. I mean, I think everyone can see that there’s a lot of things that we’ve got to keep working on and keep trying to improve upon. So, I don’t think it’s with one position right now, that we can point to. I think we’ve just got to try to see whoever it is, whoever gives us the best chance to try to win a football game.”
(On RB James Robinson’s accomplishment today) “Yeah, I mean, it’s a credit to him. You know, he’s been outstanding, he really has. He’s a little bit banged up this week, but no indication that that was going to slow him down. I think early on, we didn’t really have a lot going for us in the run game. We were trying to—we wanted more from the run game to help us with the play action and weigh against man coverage. That was our thought process going into the game. But it’s something that, in a season like we’re having where everybody is struggling, to have something like that happen is good. Normally, I don’t ever really talk about individual accomplishments after the game, but I did because we don’t really have a lot going for us, obviously, right now, except we have three more opportunities. But it’s something that could be celebrated by all of us, the offensive line, receivers, the tight ends, and I said even the defensive guys and specialists. I mean, it’s something of here’s a guy that represents so much of what’s good about competition, about playing, about humility, about keeping things in perspective. He’s been a great example, even though he’s a rookie free agent, he’s been a great example for everybody. So, I said that to the team after the game and they clapped for him, when there’s not a lot to clap about really.”
(On run defense issues against Titans RB Derrick Henry) “Yeah, I mean, we had everyone up at the line of scrimmage. We had a bunch of guys up there and you get the same thing, if someone gets washed from the gap or we don’t hit the gap fast enough or we don’t squeeze fast enough. I mean, he’s too good of a running back to give him a start on that stuff. We’re going to go back and obviously look at it, but we’ve just got to be able to execute that better. I don’t think we can get any more people up there and have it covered like that. So, again, it’s not from a lack of effort, it’s just sometimes those other guys win, too. They win on those plays and they cost us, and that’s one of the things that happen. [They] were able to rip off a couple of those runs, those big runs and just some of the surges that you saw at times, staying on the inside for the four or five yards. But they kept fighting and you could see the difference. And they put the other back in there and now, all of a sudden, there’s a little bit more penetration, a little bit more hesitation. I mean, he’s the best running back in the league for a reason and obviously, we put everything on the table to try to stop him today and we weren’t able to get that done.”
(On the emotion of the moment in the locker room when everyone clapped for RB James Robinson) “I can tell you my thought process. I think it’s hard for me to describe a moment for what other people may think. And I told the players, I said, ‘Look, normally I would never do this.’ And I told the players and I said— some of you people may not think this is the right time, so I acknowledge that, I understand that some people may view it that way. Obviously, we’re struggling through this season. Obviously, guys are playing banged up, guys don’t want to come out. I mean, there’s a great appreciation for that and I think that in a season like this, where you’re just so banged up, and discouraged after a game, and the emotion after the game, I just thought that I know this isn’t right, but you know what, he stands for what a lot of us stand for. We keep fighting, we do the best we can, we take advantage of every opportunity and go from there. And I think it’s a lesson for all of us. I think no matter what happens, where everybody is, and this season, with the way guys are going about their business—I mean, you can—there’s lessons, make no mistake about it. I’m sure that with the record and what’s going on, obviously, they have a lot of things that you can just check out on, whether you’re a coach or whether you’re a player. But these guys haven’t done that and that’s the one thing—am I proud of the record? None of us our proud of the record. Am I proud of the guys and proud of this team, about the way they go about their business? I am. I’m not going to be one of those guys that is just going to always point the finger, blame somebody else and do what happens quite a bit in a high-performance business. So, I thought it was the right time. I’m sure some people will say no. I’m sure some people may mock me for it, but I just thought it was the right thing to do. And I don’t think you’re ever wrong when you do the right thing.”
JAGUARS QUARTERBACK GARDNER MINSHEW II
(On what it felt like being back in the game and how long did it take until he felt in a rhythm) “Yeah, it felt great to be back in there. It’s something that I really missed. I miss the comradery with the guys. I miss being out there. As much as you’re always a part of the team, it’s just something different when you’re really out there with the guys and that’s always special. I thought we got in a rhythm, it was kind of up and down, but I think we can finish drives better.”
(On the frustration on not being played and whether that goes away the moment he goes on the field) “No, I mean you don’t think about that. Once you’re out there, you really don’t think about anything else except the guys on your team and trying to score the ball.”
(On what these last two weeks have been like for him) “It’s been different for sure. I was just trying to help Mike [Glennon] any way I could. Just help the team in any way I could, through preparation and practice. But there’s always that itch and there’s really nothing to scratch that except getting out there and playing.”
(On what he felt like the Titans defense gave him and how was he able to exploit it) “Yeah, once I came into the game it was kind of different type of game, being down multiple scores, they play you kind of differently. The goal there was to take the completions when they’re there which I could have done a better job of and take the shots when they’re there, which I think we did an okay job of. But yeah, they did a good job of mixing up their looks. They are very well coached, super disciplined in what they do. Man, I’ve played several different corners that they’ve thrown out there and they’ve gotten them all to play very well at a high level. So, I think that’s a testament to a good coaching staff.”
(On the vibe on the sideline when he goes in the game down multiple scores) “Yeah, I just told the guys, ‘let’s just go have fun. We can’t worry about the score; we can’t worry about anything else. Let’s just go enjoy this, play the game. It’s not like we’re doing chores, we get to play a game and I think it got something going a little bit, wish it had been better.”
(On if he felt like what he did today was enough to prove that he should be the guy next week and moving forward) “I don’t know, that’s not my call. I’m going to try to help the team score points and help the team get better in any way I can. Whatever they need me to do, I’ll do. But obviously there’s nothing like being out there and being under center.”
(On if he learned something during the past two weeks not playing) “Yeah exactly, it’s a lot like last year where you’re able to really step back and self-scout. I picked up on few things. Like, I remember last year it was all about coming back with better ball security in the pocket and I feel like I accomplished that. That’s a big issue I’ll continue to work on as well.”
(On the applause that broke out in the locker room about James Robinson and how he felt about the timing of doing that) “No, he definitely deserved that. I mean, coming in as an undrafted rookie and to carry the load and help this team the way he has, he deserves all that. I’m all for individual accomplishments because that eventually that helps the team win. I wish everybody were out here breaking records and reaching milestones so I think that’s something we should all strive for and if everybody does their job to the level that James is doing it, then we’ll be alright.”
(On how vital it was to have Keelan Cole out there and relying on that chemistry already built between the two) “Yeah, it was good. All of those guys, I have a lot of trust in and we put a lot of work in. But, Keelan has been playing really well for us and is a guy that we like our matchup in man with him and we are going to continue to try to get the ball in his hands.”
JAGUARS LINEBACKER JOE SCHOBERT
(On the communication of the Jaguars’ defense against the unique play-calling of the Titans’ offense) “Yeah, I mean, when you get stuff like that, you’ve just got to lock in to your job, your assignment. You’ve got to do your one-eleventh. And I think, for 25 minutes of the first half, we were knocking it out, producing and doing that. And I think there was just a couple plays that got out that separated the score at the end of the first half, and then obviously, the third quarter wasn’t good for us. We were able to kind of reload back in there towards the end, but you can’t really have that. It’s tough and it’s something our young team has to learn, is just, you can’t let one play snowball into the next.”
(On the biggest difficulty in containing Derrick Henry, especially after he’s broken free a couple of times) “The biggest thing is just, you can’t let him get started. You can’t let him get into the open field because, if you’re able to keep him inside the tackle box, get guys on him, get hits on his legs, then you’ll be able to stop him. But if he gets through the line and he gets out into the second level, he gets out into open space with his stiff-arms, with his speed, he’s a dangerous runner. He’s obviously got good vision so he knows when to bounce it if guys are crashing too hard on the outside, which he did a couple times today. You’ve just got to really be on top of it, dot your I’s and cross your T’s.”
JAGUARS RB JAMES ROBINSON
(On how he felt after head coach Doug Marrone acknowledged in the locker room postgame his accomplishment of going over 1,000 yards and if it was awkward) “It wasn’t awkward at all. I am grateful that he did that, and before the game was even over, all the guys were coming up to me and saying ‘Congratulations.’ And, I mean, all those guys are behind me, and we were hoping I was going to get it in the first quarter. But, I mean, it wasn’t awkward at all.”
(On if he knows he is one of four undrafted rookies to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a season) “I did know that.”
(On what he thinks is going to be the best thing for him to do next week against the Baltimore Ravens’ defense) “Come out and play harder. Obviously, this game, we didn’t come out and play as hard as we normally do. We didn’t get our run game going early. And I think that’s a big thing for us, getting that going, and we score more points.”
(On what it means to him to be an example for future undrafted free agents fighting to make NFL rosters) “Like you said, keep fighting, that’s all it is. You don’t get drafted, it sucks, but once you get on a team, it’s still kind of the same feeling, other than not having your name called on TV. But yeah, just keep going out there and grinding and wait for your opportunity.”
(On his 47-yard run) “You guys can go back and look at it. I mean, all I needed was a little bit (of space). It was kind of like an outside zone thing and the O-line opened up a hole, and I just had to make one guy miss. He kind of clipped me a little bit, but I was able to break it and go.”
(On if it was nice to see some open room to run after being bottled up early in the game) “Yeah, it’s always nice to see grass like that. Some of the plays were just, they had a good defensive plan. They shot gaps, and I mean, they just did well on defense.”
(On if there was a point he was thinking he was going to score a touchdown on that 47-yard run) “Once I saw open field, I thought I would. For a second, I thought, once that guy had clipped my foot, it was kind of like, okay, let’s see how far I can go. But, I mean, I thought I would. I tried to hesitate on them a little bit, but it didn’t work.”
