WATCH: Jaguars' Doug Pederson Previews the Colts
Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson spoke to the media on Wednesday about the Week 5 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts.
To see Pederson's comments, view above.
Pederson also spoke on Monday. Below is a partial transcript.
Q: On an injury update for LB Devin Lloyd?
Pederson: “Yeah, it was his knee. He had just a contusion the week before. It was kind of sore during the week, hopefully he would make it. Just went to warm up prior to the game and just felt like he couldn't give 100 percent, so we put him down.”
Q: On if S Darnell Savage or TE Evan Engram are expected to return this week?
Pederson: “I'm hoping Savage. He went last week. Pushed it pretty hard. Didn't feel like he could really open up last week – not a setback, nothing like that. We’ve just got to get him to burst. Evan, I think is going to be day-to-day right now. Felt good today, we'll see where he's at here in a couple of days.”
Q: On injury updates for DE Josh Hines-Allen, RB Travis Etienne Jr. and OL Anton Harrison?
Pederson: “Josh is in the protocol. Etienne shoulder, he'll be fine. Anton was ankle, he'll be fine. Yeah, everybody else should be good.”
Q: On how well he thought the offensive tackles played?
Pederson: “I thought—OK, I'll say this, as an offensive line, I thought it was their best game. I thought the tackles played much better than the week before. They were physical. One of the things that with that wide-nine scheme, they moved their ends a little bit more. So, as the game progressed, I thought they and us made the necessary adjustments. They started spiking and pinching D-ends. They were up-field rushers on passing situations, things like that. So, we adjusted both ways. I thought both tackles played good.”
Q: On the team’s reemerging struggle to close out games?
Pederson: "Yeah, that's a great question because the things I talk about to them, we talk about finish a lot. Especially in sports, right? You have to finish, and you’ve got to finish the play, you’ve got to finish the series, the quarter, the half, the game, ultimately. Really yesterday, that was our breakdown, was the end of the game. Offensively, we didn't stay on the field, convert on third down to stay on the field. Then defensively, we couldn't get off the field. As great as the defense played in the second half – I think it was five drives, five punts – it was that one drive where we couldn't get off the field and make enough plays there. So those are things again that have kept us from winning these games.”
Q: On the offense’s inability to convert on third-down and extend drives?
Pederson: “That's not good enough, we know that. That's not good enough and that's something we're going to take a look at. I felt like early in the game though, we were better in third-down, manageable situations. We missed the big one early. We had Christian [WR Christian Kirk] behind the defense and we just overthrew it. Those are huge plays. We came back later, we made the connection with Christian on third down. BT [WR Brian Thomas Jr.] had a huge third down reception, I think it was third-and-10. But things that we've got to be better there. Protection really for 99 percent of the game was really good. I thought Trevor [QB Trevor Lawrence] was clean most of the game up until there at the end when they were doing some exotic pressures. But I thought protection was good and even on those third downs.”
Q: On what the referees have indicated about calling unsportsmanlike conduct penalties?
Pederson: “Yeah, I mean, we've shown our players the different gestures and things that they can't do after big plays, after sacks, things like that. So our guys, they know. Listen, yes, we're aware. Eyes have to be open, right? I mean, we’ve just got to see everything, both sides, things of that nature. But we can't do that, bottom line, we can't do that. Fortunately, I think that was the drive too—did we end up punting the ball on that drive, I think? Yeah, so, big completion, setback, we didn't overcome it. So those are, again, things that we just can't do.”
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