Jacksonville Jaguars Media Conference

Sunday, October 27, 2024

Jacksonville, Florida, USA

Head Coach Doug Pederson

Postgame Press Conference


Packers 30, Jaguars 27

Q. After a loss like that where you've gutted out with all these injuries and get back in the game and tie the game and then it gets away, how bad is it in the locker room?

DOUG PEDERSON: They're devastated. They're heartbroken. They've battled their tails off. They fought until the end quite frankly. That's all I can ask for.

But I also want them to understand too that these games come down to about two plays, three plays. Can't give the ball away like we did late deep in our own end. We didn't tackle very well defensively.

There are some things that we need to clean up and continue to clean up if we want to get back on track.

Q. Trevor leads the 86-yard drive to tie the game without the top three receivers going into today. What did he kind of show you there on being able to guide the team down -- obviously down his top three receivers?

DOUG PEDERSON: I think, yeah, he did a nice job. I give credit to those receivers and those tight ends and the offensive line. Those guys, they made plays for him, right?

Now, he made some really good throws and all of that, but those guys that were playing at the end of the game when you are down your top three receivers and you're playing in your 12 personnel for the rest of the game, that's tough.

But the guys battled their tails off. Got us back to tying this football game with a chance to potentially win it there late. So hats off to those guys.

Q. Can you walk us through the strategy at the end of the game? Looked like you were trying to let them score, but then they kind of fell down at the end, not allowing you to --

DOUG PEDERSON: Look, I mean, the only way for us to get the ball back was to make decision that could let them score. They're going to be in church mode. It was almost inevitable.

You are playing the game, and you're trying to do what you can to save time, get as much time back on that clock as you can. They did a great job. We would have done the same thing. Get the first down. You go down, make your opponent -- in this case myself -- burn your last time-out. Things of that nature.

Honestly, it's smart on both sides to play it that way.

Q. How serious is Christian's injury? Did it appear to be something that --

DOUG PEDERSON: On the injuries, guys, I haven't talked to Ferg yet. I came straight in here, but I'll probably have something later and know more tomorrow when I get the updates.

Q. With Trevor on the fumble down there, the ability, though, to kind of shake it off and then kind of he was talking about, lead them down the rest of the way, can you talk about that mentality to be able to shake things off?

DOUG PEDERSON: That's our sport, right? It's that mental toughness I talk about with the team. We can't turn the ball over that deep. Obviously we know that, but the resilient part of that is how we battle back and got ourselves in position to tie the football game.

That's the mindset. That's the mindset we have to have in the first quarter. That will be something that we can I think learn from moving forward.

Q. Was there any thought to going for two at the end there?

DOUG PEDERSON: Not with the time remaining. If there was maybe 20 seconds or less potentially go for it there, but with the amount of time that was left in the game and a couple of time-outs, no, kick it and tie it.

Q. How disappointing was the defensive effort there at the end? You got a backup quarterback in, second and long, and giving up that big play like that.

DOUG PEDERSON: Well, I mean, it's disappointing that we gave up that. I look at it too. It shouldn't have necessarily come to that, but again, it just goes back to what I said too, right? You never know which two or three plays are going to be the ones that decide football games. You just have to be ready. Make the ones that come to you and credit them. They hit it, and put them in position to win the game.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
150126-1-1878 2024-10-27 21:11:00 GMT

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