Jaguars 23, Falcons 7
Q. A little better and the game closer to where it was at the end of last season, a step in the right direction?
DOUG PEDERSEN: Yeah, anytime you can obviously win a game, you feel good about yourself, and yeah, I thought the offense did some good things today. Picked up some big 3rd downs in the second half. Obviously those last two drives, ball was at the 10-yard line. You go down and get a field goal, ball at the 6-yard line, go down and get 3 and then finished the game the same way.
Yeah, there's still some things we've got to work on and clean up, but obviously much better today by the offense.
Q. Defensively Josh Allen with three sacks. Can you talk about his performance, what he's done through three games?
DOUG PEDERSEN: Yeah, listen, he was in a great head space before the game, this whole week. Just an outstanding performance, and obviously the big one there at the end. It's what he's capable of doing.
Same way when you talk about guys like Trevor and Christian and Calvin and Zay and all those guys. He's in that conversation. Those are the guys that need to step up and make plays, and he did a great job for us today, and something that he can be proud of and obviously we can work on that.
Q. (On the decision to play Shatley).
DOUG PEDERSEN: You know, we felt, too, like this defensive front was a little bigger, heavier, stronger front. Just felt like Shatley gave us the best opportunity there. Was nothing really against Ben.
We just as a staff just felt like it was Shatley's time to get in there.
Q. Is that what it'll look like moving forward?
DOUG PEDERSEN: It's hard to say. We'll look at the film, evaluate it, but yeah, I'll let you know on Wednesday.
Q. You had a big pick six, a big stop in the end zone. Those two plays might have been the difference in the game for you guys?
DOUG PEDERSEN: Well, the pick six was huge, off the offense scored, and I thought the defense played pretty solid all day. The drive at the start of the third quarter, obviously, you'd like to do better there, and then holding them out of the end zone when they did at the end of the game -- yeah, just overall the turnovers, Josh's performance. There's just a lot of good effort today, and they played together as a team. That's the sign that we're headed in the right direction. We're getting some things fixed, and still got some work to do, but very pleased with today's win.
Q. Can you rate Trevor's performance today?
DOUG PEDERSEN: Yeah, I thought he was solid. Saw the field well, saw Calvin for the first touchdown there, got in behind the defense and made a heck of a play, used his legs today on some big 3rd downs for us, played tough, physical. Just did Trevor-type stuff.
Played a good game.
Q. How does it feel to win at home, now London is your second home, so how does it feel to get this win?
DOUG PEDERSEN: It feels great. The guys are excited. I'm excited. Anytime you come all the way over here and spend a couple days and get a chance to play a football game, it's exciting for our organization, for Mr. Khan, and for us to get a win obviously is big.
Q. Next week against the Bills, how do you manage that?
DOUG PEDERSEN: No different than a normal week back home. I'll keep the schedule the same, routine the same. I will give the guys some time, obviously once we move up to has been berry, and tomorrow we give up some time to recoup and enjoy the area and then it's back to work on Tuesday, and we prepare for Buffalo. So try to keep it as normal as I can throughout the week.
Q. You talk about this team feeling like -- did you get a sense today that they were completely over that?
DOUG PEDERSEN: It's hard to say if you're over it, but I think they were much more relaxed, and really the energy today was much better than last week. I saw it on the sideline. You saw it with the guys, the demeanor, their play, all of that. It's things that we talked about during the week.
It's about how we respond, and the guys responded extremely well today.
Q. Parker Washington (indiscernible)?
DOUG PEDERSEN: Don't know yet. We'll get more evaluation, probably have a better idea in maybe the next day or two.
Q. Was Jamal close, Agnew close?
DOUG PEDERSEN: He was close. I didn't want to risk it with him. I didn't want to put him out there and he pulls something or worse. Just want to make sure that -- and Parker is the next guy up. I thought Parker did a nice job during the week of practice, obviously, but I just want to make sure Jamaal will be ready for the foreseeable future.
Q. You kind of touched on it, but after the last two weeks, how important was it for the team to see all three phases come together, play a complete game?
DOUG PEDERSEN: I think it's great. Again, it's all the things that we talk about during the week. It comes down to the guys just understanding their role, doing their job, their ownership part of it, their football team, all that. They responded well today.
Q. Calvin Ridley, with everything that's gone on with him the past couple years, (indiscernible)?
DOUG PEDERSEN: Yeah, I'm so proud of Calvin, what he's been through in his life. He's put a lot of things behind him. He's focused on the future. Obviously his testimony is one that can be spread to a lot of professional and younger generation athletes, what he's gone through and overcome adversity, and then to come out again today and get the touchdown and the big -- the DPI play at the end of the game, he's just doing things right.
He loves football. We love having him on the football team. He's got a lot of energy. He's excitable. Just can't be -- I'm so proud of not only where he's come from but where he's going to as a ball player for us.
Q. What you said about giving the guys a couple of days to enjoy the sights, that building, the spirit and everything else, but away from America, how important is it for you to decompress almost?
DOUG PEDERSEN: I think this trip hit us at the right time. I think we needed to get away. Kind of brings you together a little bit, where we're in the hotel together, we're eating meals together, we're in meetings together, practice, so it's a bonding type experience to kind of reunite with everybody, and that's what you need sometimes. We've got everybody here organizationally, and excited for these next seven days.
Q. Does it feel like camp all over again?
DOUG PEDERSEN: Camp? A little bit, yeah. A little bit. Just the bonding. The guys are around each other all the time. Yeah, it does feel like that.
Q. The Falcons have that kind of run-first predictable nature to their offense. Did that make it easier to prepare for?
DOUG PEDERSEN: I wouldn't say it's easy. They've got a tremendous young running back. He's going to be very good in this league for a long time, and they have weapons on offense. That was evident.
But obviously can't speak for them, but for us to prepare, it's something that our defense does a nice job of stopping our at least slowing down the run. They got some big runs in the second half, but those are things that we focus on, and anytime that you can either eliminate or sort of minimize, whatever it might be, a certain aspect of your opponent and make them a one-dimensional team, it is your favor, no matter who you're playing.
I thought our defense really rose to the occasion, and when they had opportunities, the interceptions were big and the strip sacks, all that kind of stuff were huge today, too.
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