Jacksonville Jaguars Media Conference

Sunday, October 23, 2022

Jacksonville, Florida, USA

Head Coach Doug Pederson

Postgame Press Conference


New York Giants 23, Jacksonville Jaguars 17

Q. (Off microphone).

DOUG PEDERSON: Well, initially we thought on our sideline we got the first down. We're preparing for, obviously, getting the call in for first down.

Then, you know, through all of that I think trying to sort things out, where the ball was, different things. Then it came up third down. So we had to switch gears there.

We've got to sort it out, obviously. We have to figure it out tomorrow. Go back, watch TV copy, and all that.

That right there, you know, I don't think cost us the game, but it was definitely a big part of it.

Q. Were you telling the officials... did you think someone signalled first down on that?

DOUG PEDERSON: Well, initially, that's what you would see. You would see the official signal it. But, again, naked eye, we thought -- I think it was Christian was well past the down marker.

But, look, we've got to check it out tomorrow try to sort through all that before we make a decision on anything.

Q. And there was just so much chaos that you didn't have time to throw the flag? Is that the best way to describe it?

DOUG PEDERSON: Yeah, that and, again, we were under the impression it was first down, but it wasn't. Again, those are situations, too, where do you want to risk a challenge, a time-out in those situations where you know it's going to -- at least it's going to be at worst it's going to be third and one or third and a couple of inches. Try to get the first down that way.

Q. Travis had a big game, but obviously, the fumble into the end zone. Does he have to work on some ball security issues there? He has talked about continuity other than that.

DOUG PEDERSON: He played well. Played tough, physical. Obviously, he can't do that. He knows that. It's something we work on each week in practice Thursday. We do a ball security drill, a little circuit with them.

Listen, that's where we're at as a team right now is we're just learning things the hard way, you know? I think plays like that change the outcome of a lot of different things. We just have to keep hanging together and keep working.

Like I told the guys after the game, we do that, stick together, you know, good things are going to happen for them and we'll get it flipped around.

Q. Are you surprised at the lack of pass rush at this point of the season, and I think it's the third straight game maybe with just an egregious roughing the passer penalty late that is back-breaking?

DOUG PEDERSON: That one too is unacceptable there. We got the turnover. We got the interception, and we had the roughing the passer.

Again, these are plays that are keeping us back. We just can't do that. We can't do that as players. Obviously, as coaches we have to be smart too in decisions we make. It goes hand-in-hand.

Those are big plays. I know we kept them to a field goal there, but it definitely changes things.

Q. Doug, you talked week in and week out about this team beating themselves in game times. How do you eliminate those mistakes with a young team?

DOUG PEDERSON: We just have to keep working. You have to keep showing them. It's not for lack of conversation and talking to them about it and stuff like that.

I still want them to play hard and aggressive and all of that. I don't want to take any of that away from them at all, but you get in the heat of the battle sometimes, man, you just have to be cooler heads and just understand your role.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about the decision to go for it on fourth and one from 20? Was it just because of the success you guys have had on the ground?

DOUG PEDERSON: Yeah, we were having really a lot of success on the ground. And it was a great situation right there to do that. Credit the Giants, they stopped us.

Q. At 2-5, are you afraid that you guys are falling out of the ability to stay in contention?

DOUG PEDERSON: No, no. I mean, we have to look at everything big picture right now, but you know, we can't, obviously, lose too many more, right? That's just the big picture view.

But this team has got -- first of all, we have to learn not to beat ourselves and just worry about us. I think if we do that and focus internally on what we do, the process that we do, then I think everything else kind of takes care of itself.

Q. Saquon Barkley enters the game, second in the league in rushing. Obviously, you guys made a concerted effort to bottle him up. He ends up breaking some late. Daniel Jones really had a big game on the ground. What did you see in film that you were able to kind of prepare for that or not prepare for that?

DOUG PEDERSON: Well, I thought our defense for honestly three and a half quarters just stymied their run game and kept them at bay and all of that. Of course, they get in their four-minute offense, and things change a little bit. For those three and a half quarters, I thought our defense did a nice job stopping the run and handling that.

We know Daniel is an athletic guy and some of the zone read stuff he kept. Obviously, you have to look at the film and see where we dropped that one.

Again, credit them. They did what they needed to do to win the game at the end.

Q. Coach, what was it if you can say... you know, as you mentioned, you haven't watched the film yet, but what was it that you think that allowed Saquon to get off at the end and still get over 100 yards on the day?

DOUG PEDERSON: Well, he is a great back. Give him credit, he is a great back. They were in their big personnel. Just did a nice job there. That's something we have to take a look at and try to be better next time out.

Q. One carry for James Robinson, and there was a penalty on the play. Your feeling of him not getting the ball, and is he 100%? Is he healthy?

DOUG PEDERSON: Yeah, something we have to evaluate him and see where he is at physically health-wise and all of that. He has been good each week and something that we've got to really take a look at and see.

We know T.J. has done a nice job kind of taking over there, but we need everybody. We need James, and we've got a lot of confidence in James still. It's not anything about lack of confidence or anything. We just have to make sure he is 100% before we move forward.

Q. That final drive of the game came up just short on the final play. What did you think about the way your offense was able to operate and kind of the way they were able to move the ball down the field?

DOUG PEDERSON: Well, I thought they did a really nice job getting us down there with an opportunity to score, tie the game, and then potentially kick the game winner.

Things we work on in practice. Obviously, it was aided by a couple of defensive penalties, which, obviously, helped us.

Guys did a nice job. Trevor did a nice job getting us down there. It was just close at the end there with the catch to Christian, or the completion to Christian. Our guys battled right until the end.

Q. You talk about Trevor needing those opportunities in those big moments. Even though this one is another one that didn't come together all the way, is it still good and something that you can take from that to build on?

DOUG PEDERSON: I think so. I think he is gaining more confidence in what we're doing and himself. These are, obviously, situations you would love to pull out a win, but at the same time for him his development, his growth, you know, as a leader of this team, the offense, I think it's a step in the right direction.

Q. Coach, you got almost 900 yards the last two home games, but you only got 23 points in those. What's got to change to help that ratio out a little bit better for your offense to get more points on the board?

DOUG PEDERSON: Score more points.

Q. Just wondering... your aggressive nature, fourth down and one at the 20 in the fourth quarter. Philosophically is that just you saying there's 11 and a half minutes and we'll play defense and stop them? Was there any thought to kick the field goal and get a touchdown at that point, or is that just not the way you called it?

DOUG PEDERSON: I think hindsight is 20/20, and we can sit here right now and say, hey, kick the field goal. When you're in the game and your offensive line is handling them the way we did, I put it on them to do that.

That had nothing to do with an analytical decision right there. It was more about how we were running the football at the time and felt really good about where we were.

Q. Back to James Robinson, is this still a lingering thing with the foot or another injury in terms of making sure he is healthy?

DOUG PEDERSON: I'll get with Ferg here and give you a heads-up tomorrow probably.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
126385-1-1878 2022-10-23 21:24:00 GMT

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