Jaguars 20, Titans 13
Q. Doug, overall thoughts about the game and what it means to get a season sweep over the Titans?
DOUG PEDERSEN: Found a way to win. Proud of the guys. So happy for them. Coaching staff, the way these guys hang together, they stick together, there is no quit. They keep fighting.
You know, I keep telling them, you never know when the play is coming your way. When it does, just make it. You saw at the end there. Antonio Johnson made the play and you win the game. So a lot of good efforts in this game.
Defense created a takeaway; offense was effective and good in the red zone today. Just a good team win.
Q. With the way the last two weeks have gone, is this one particularly emotional? Did you find it to be an emotional locker room afterwards?
DOUG PEDERSEN: It's definitely emotional the way our season has gone. Obviously we talked a lot about this, just the disappointment and the expectation not where it is, or should be.
But any time you get a chance to win a game, especially against a good football team and division opponent, it's always great. Locker room is excited. Probably a little bit of relief, you know, as well just to get another win. You know, it's part of what we keep talking about every day. We want to finish this thing the right way.
Q. What more can you say about what Brian Thomas has done this year? I think he tied a rookie record Randy Moss owned.
DOUG PEDERSEN: Yeah, you know, said Rand Moss, I was on the sideline in Green Bay when Randy had a big day in Minnesota against us. I remember that his rookie season.
You know, Randy Moss is a heck of a receiver and Brian just keeps impressing each week. Can't say enough good things about Brian and just happy for him. But just goes to show you just with him, and speaking of Brian, the way he works, the way he handles himself for a young kid, very impressive. Very impressed with Brian.
Q. Coach, can you tell us how you feel about Mac Jones and how he's been playing down the stretch to help you finish the season?
DOUG PEDERSON: I thought Mac played probably obviously one of his better games today. I thought he did a great job just putting the ball in play and taking what the defense gave him.
Some really good scrambles early in the game to keep us on the field. Helped us in our third down conversion rate today. The touchdown pass to Brian Thomas and just doing things that we ask him to do. Great performance by Mac, and he's one of many guys that really had a hand in this win but he played really well today.
Q. Coach, you mentioned Brian Thomas coming out of the backfield earlier this week. Just seeing what he can do out of there as a pure runner, how much value does that add to the offense?
DOUG PEDERSEN: Well, it adds a lot. It's an element of surprise to the defense. Couple times today on different things, giving him the football in space, guys just did a great job blocking for him, too. Any time you get Brian Thomas on the ball, in his hands, it's pretty electric.
He does some great things with it. So just want to continue to expand that role for him. But at the same time be smart and if it helps the offense, then we're going to do it.
Q. We know the margin for error is pretty small for you guys. How important was it to play a clean football game pretty much on both sides of the ball?
DOUG PEDERSEN: Yeah, it's been a minute since we've done that really in all three phases. Even down to the two-minute situations today, both at the end of the half and the end of the game, different scenarios there that, stuff we talk about and our players did a great job of execution there.
You know, like I said, defense came up big. Had the takeaway. Offense scored. And then the turnover on downs at the end. Just a complete football game. Just excited for all those guys.
Q. Doug, obviously when you get to this time of year you guys got the record you have, have you had to have conversations with your coaches for them to stay engaged and positive and encouraging at a time of year where, let's be honest, a lot of coaches are job hunting because they fear the worst?
DOUG PEDERSEN: You know, for me it's more about just having some one-off conversations. I don't get them together and say, hey, guys this is what needs -- we're adults and we understand. We see what is being written, being said. Listen, obviously we put ourselves in -- I'm the leader of that ship or captain and obviously put ourselves in this situation.
Just having one-off situation and trying to, for me, still to encourage them as well and get them to understand that, hey, we got a lot to play for and coach for, and you put your best foot forward and you give it everything you have during the week. When your rewarded like we were today, just makes it sweeter.
Q. Is there a sliver of consolation for you that these last four, five, six weeks that you guys have stayed engaged, put in a pretty good effort to get yourself in position to win games? Haven't won a lot of them, but you're...
DOUG PEDERSEN: Thank you.
Q. You're not letting go of the rope.
DOUG PEDERSEN: Thank you for reminding ing me. But it's obvious. You're right. The thing is the guys aren't -- they're not the waving the white flag. I think even when you talk to them in the locker room, they're not -- they're busting their tails during the week and doing everything I'm asking them to do, coaches and players.
Look, whatever happens at the end of the season is going to happen. We still got one game left. Before today we had two games left. For us to finish the way we want to finish, whatever happens, regardless, we want to finish this thing the right way. You know, we won today and that's a huge step. Now we move onto the next one.
Put another game plan together and go practice and try to do it again on the road. Then whatever happens, is going to happen.
But just proud of the way the coaches and players have just stuck together and hung together. The fact that we are rewarded today speaks to that.
Q. Congrats on the win.
DOUG PEDERSEN: Thank you.
Q. I know the record will not show it at the end of the season, but next week you have a chance to finish 4-2 in the division. I know at this point it's little victories. What do you say about that? I know the schedule has been brutal and a lot of close losses.
DOUG PEDERSEN: Yeah, I mean, that would be something to be very proud of in the midst of a disappointing season. To finish 4-2, that would be great. Just goes to show you and goes to show our team that these close games, the plays we made today were the ones we weren't making in those close games. If it goes the other way maybe we win a few more of those games and it's a different story.
You know, I just think that to finish that way, to finish strong, it sends a good message to the team that you can still have a hold I think on your division, right? If you do that next week. You got to win the game obviously.
But just shows you you can kind of control it. You control your own destiny, right, year in and year out. It will be a good message to the guys if we can accomplish that.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports