Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts shredded the Jaguars’ defense, yet Jacksonville almost pulled off a comeback in Philadelphia before falling to the Eagles 28-23 on Sunday evening.
Find everything Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said after the loss below.
On whether the plan was to score immediately on the Jaguars’ final drive:
“Yeah, with the time left, we had talked about it on the sideline to kind of slow the pace there at the end, you know, and it’s just something you have to try to do, right? If you can stay in bounds, you stay in bounds. Or if it’s incomplete, you play another down, whatever it is. But the bottom line is we still needed to score and I felt good with the way our defense had played, they would give us a shot.”
On whether Jaguars RB D’Ernest Johnson was the first read on the final play:
“Yeah, he’s the first read. Great play by [Eagles LB Nakobe Dean].”
On whether Pederson could have used more of the clock on the final drive and have every play in the playbook open to run:
“I don’t understand the question, but I guess yes. I mean, you have a minute and 40 something left on the clock. I think it was first down, something like that. It’s still part of our red zone game plan. It wasn’t like we were forcing a throw into the end zone. I’m saying it was part of our red zone game plan. So great play by [Eagles LB Nakobe Dean].”
On how much Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. was impacted by his chest injury:
“I don’t think a whole lot. If you watch the game, they clouded him quite a bit.”
On whether Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence is still getting used to some of the wide receivers and whether that impacts the play call:
“No, it doesn’t impact the way we do anything. That’s why you practice during the week. You put these guys in situations to hopefully go out and make plays, but it didn’t impact anything offensively.”
On the Jaguars battling but not coming out on the right side:
“It’s tough. It’s tough. We have to just keep fighting.”
On the Jaguars’ comeback in the second half and what it says about their performance in the first half:
“It’s a resilient group. Hats off. Some guys played banged up. [Jaguars OL] Brandon Scherff, my hat’s off to him. He played hurt all game. [Jaguars OL] Anton [Harrison] goes back into the game. It’s that time of the year. Guys are going to be sore and guys are going to be hurting. But my hat’s off to those guys for hanging in there.”
On Jaguars OL Cooper Hodges and OL Anton Harrison’s status:
“[Jaguars OL] Cooper [Hodges], I know they took him to the hospital just to check it out. But as far as that, that’s all I really know right now. And Anton came back.”
On slow starts and the Jaguars’ offensive identity at this point of the season:
“I’m not one to kind of settle on that. I’m going to keep working. I’m going to keep challenging players, and we have to get better. So I’m not going to settle on the fact that, you know, it is what it is, obviously, but, we’re going to roll up our sleeves and go to work and try to keep it moving and try to fix
On if there is something Pederson could try to address slow starts offensively that he has not already:
“I mean, I don’t want to — let me think. First down, second down, third down. Yeah, I guess we just need to coach better.”
On whether it comes down to execution and what the Jaguars can do better:
“Coach better.”
On the big plays the Jaguars had in the second half of the game:
“Those are just great plays. I mean, on the run it was a draw, and there were opportunities, but, you know, credit them. I mean they made the plays. A heck of a catch in the back of the end zone. Great run, yeah, good plays by them.”
On what the players’ attitude is after today’s game:
“They’re hurting. They’re disappointed like I am. Frustrated. So yeah.”
On how the Jaguars process the results from a close loss similar to last week:
“Well, it’s hard to process when you lose, right? But I do think there are some great players out there. And that’s one of them, [Jaguars DE] Travon’s [Walker] play, obviously. We capitalize on two 2-point conversions in the game. So, there are some good plays, you know? It’s just not consistent enough.”