The Jaguars were embarrassed under the national spotlight of Monday Night Football in Week 3, blown out by the Bills 47-10 in Orchard Park, New York.
Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson put it bluntly addressing not only the loss, but Jacksonville’s 0-3 start to the 2024 campaign late Monday: “This is who we are right now, and we’re not a very good football team.”
Find everything Pederson said in his post-game press conference below.
Introduction:
DOUG PEDERSON: You hate to say it, but this is the reality of it. This is who we are right now, and we’re not a very good football team. We got to get it fixed. Got to come up with some answers and got to do it in a hurry.
On what Pederson saw that went wrong from the start:
DOUG PEDERSON: “I mean, just kind of the same things, right? [inaudible] Yeah, just wasn’t good.”
On if the Bills pass-heavy offense caught the Jaguars by surprise:
DOUG PEDERSON: “No, that’s kind of what their offense has been this year. You know, they’ve executed it well and a lot of things come off that. They did a good job, you know, of executing their offense.”
On where QB Trevor Lawrence’s confidence level is at right now:
DOUG PEDERSON: “You know, if he’s like me right now, we’re all kind of down, right? You know, probably not very high. You know, we just got to keep working and keep pushing and work our way out of it.”
On if there are immediate changes Pederson can make:
DOUG PEDERSON: “We got look at the tape and decide this week on a short week. I don’t know some of those answers.
On whether Pederson plans to stick with the Jaguars’ current gameplan or go in another direction:
DOUG PEDERSON: “Well, I don’t necessarily think you go in an opposite direction. You’ve invested a lot of time. But there has to be changes, whether it’s play design, personnel, everything is on the table let’s call it, right? Those are all things that we have to look at, we have to look at as a staff, and make the adjustments.”
On if players are not responding to what you guys are trying to do:
DOUG PEDERSON: “It’s not for lack of effort or trying and all that. I just think that sometimes you just to have get out of your own way, right? We just keep digging ourselves in a hole early and can’t seem to dig our way out of it, especially as one-sided as this game was today.”
(Inaudible question):
DOUG PEDERSON: “I mean, it’s usually kind of human nature when you get down so fast. Now you’re waiting for something to happen. You know, it’s a hard position to be in. We have to be other the other side of it. We have to make things happen earlier than later.”
On if Pederson leans on his past coaching experience to get through the Jaguars’ 0-3 start:
DOUG PEDERSON: “No, you definitely have to look back and see what got you through certain tough times. You know, it’s a week-to-week deal. We’re three weeks in; we’re not very good right now. We got two division games coming up back-to-back. I’ll tell you this: No one is going to feel sorry for us, right? I mean, this is who we are right now. It’s not very good, right? We have to be honest with ourselves. I’ve got to be honest with myself and just keep plugging away.”
On if there is a chance that there could be a change to the starting lineup:
DOUG PEDERSON: “I mean, you say everything is on the table, we got to take a look at injury. You know, tonight we had some guys injured. Could be moved that way. It could be performance. It’s all things we have to evaluate as we move forward.”
On injuries to linebacker Foyesade Oluokun, cornerback Jarrian Jones and offensive tackle Anton Harrison:
DOUG PEDERSON: “Yeah, we’ll know more. You know, Jarrian’s shoulder, Foye’s foot, [wide receiver] Gabe [Davis] came out late with a shoulder that he injured last week. So all things that I just don’t know the status. I just know they were hurt and didn’t go back in the game. So we’ll figure out that as the week goes.”
On if Pederson starts losing his confidence or starts second-guessing himself in times like this:
DOUG PEDERSON: “No, I don’t lose confidence in myself. One of the things I have to do is evaluate our process, what are we doing, is it beneficial for the team, right? Is it helping us win? Obviously it’s not right now, so those are all things I have to look at moving forward.”
On if there is something positive Pederson can point to that the team can build off of:
DOUG PEDERSON: “I really want to say something funny right now. I just can’t think of anything. Maybe the kickoff. Touchback. I don’t know. Listen, I get the question. Gosh, it’s just these guys — listen, they work too hard. You watch them during the week. I mean, they work too hard and then this is what happens. This is the result. I mean, it just goes to show you each week how important each week is and being ready to play. You know, it’s the NFL. You know, it’s week to week. Like I said no one is going to feel sorry for you, and you just got to keep working.”
On if players aren’t handling expectations:
DOUG PEDERSON: “I mean, it’s possible I guess. I don’t know. Sometimes you want it bad enough, you know. Listen, I know locker room, they’re hurting too, just like I am. They want to win and they want it bad enough, too. We’ve got the right guys. It’s not like we don’t. The right guys are in the room and the right leaders. We just have to — I have to figure out a way to get more out of them, right? It’s not more from practicing harder, longer. It’s not that. It’s just getting more, whether it’s leadership during games, you know, how they address the team, whatever that looks like, right? Those are things I got to figure out.”
On if Pederson needs QB Trevor Lawrence to play better:
DOUG PEDERSON: “I need everybody to coach and play better. Just leave it at that.”
On if Pederson feels like there are a lot of players or processes not ready by the end of a practice week:
DOUG PEDERSON: “I feel like the guys are ready. Feel like they’re — by the end of the week they’re in a good place, there is energy, and then it’s not translating to the game. That is the part that I think bothers you a little bit, because I do see how hard they work and what they put in during the week and that it’s not translating. Those are the things I got to figure out.”