WATCH: Jaguars HC Doug Pederson Previews Buffalo Bills

What did Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson have to say about the Buffalo Bills on Monday?

Oct 5, 2023; Ware, United Kingdom; Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Pederson looks on during practice at Hanbury Manor Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson spoke to the local media on Monday to preview the Buffalo Bills, and we were there for it all.

To watch Pederson's comments, view above.

Pederson also spoke on Monday. Below is a partial transcript.

Q: On injury updates?

Pederson: “Evan [TE Evan Engram], obviously, prior to pregame warm-ups, he's out there running around and getting himself loose for the game, and obviously felt something in his hamstring. So, it was significant enough to keep him out and hold him out of the football game yesterday. We'll see where he is this week. Optimistic, but we’ve just got to see. Hamstrings can be funny. So, it's kind of a week-to-week deal right now with him. All the other guys, Tank [RB Tank Bigsby], actually, he got hit on his shoulder on the kickoff return. Had a little bit of a shoulder injury there, took him in, did some X-rays on him. Everything was good, got him back, kind of loosened up and was sort of available in the second half of the football game yesterday. Gabe [WR Gabe Davis] just landed on his shoulder on the sideline there late in the game. He's fine. Anton [OL Anton Harrison] is fine. Cisco [S Andre Cisco] is okay. He's fine.”

Q: On what he can do to jumpstart the offense?

Pederson: “Yeah, that's something we’ve got to look at these next couple of days. I think it starts in practice. I think we can do some things differently in practice and how we attack that each period in practice, that's one. Obviously, the game plan is the game plan. You can simplify as much as you want, but it doesn't change the fact that you’ve got to start fast, right? I mean, that just goes without saying. There just has to be an awareness. Just a sense of urgency by everybody, the entire football team really, when we head into these games. But I think we can maybe mix some things up and just a little more attention to detail and practice as we go each week.”

Q: On if he’s surprised by WR Christian Kirk’s level of participation in the offense?

Pederson: “Well, as you know, the ball goes where it goes. There were opportunities, but the ball was going somewhere else in the progression. So, we’re going to continue to find ways to get Christian the football and he'll be a big part of the offense.”

Q: On the decision to have DT Maason Smith inactive and what needs to happen for him for that to change that moving forward?

Pederson: “You’ve got 53 players each week and I get a chance to select the 48. Obviously, I visit with the defensive staff and it kind of goes too off of the prior week. So, it's not necessarily what Maason did. I think guys like Big O [DT Esezi Otomewo] and Jeremiah [DT Jeremiah Ledbetter] also had good weeks of preparation and practice. It's just an opportunity for Maason to learn and put himself in a position this week to try to be elevated. So, it was nothing that he didn't do. I just think it was a fact that Jeremiah and Big O had opportunities to be up this week.”

Q: On how much he believes the team’s chemistry will serve them well as they face adversity throughout the season?

Pederson: “I think it's everything. The fact that they are—listen, we've had many guys in here today already and they've come up and talked to the coaches and wanted to sit down and go through the tape. They're on board. I mean, they understand. I mean, they understand they have to play better. We have to coach better. It's a group effort. It's no particular one person or one position group or one side of the ball. I think there are obviously enough mistakes to fix enough things we can get better at. But the fact that the players are united and locked in and focused that way is a good sign.”

Q: On the performance of the secondary vs. Cleveland?

Pederson: “I'll tell you the secondary has been really a bright spot. I mean, I know we had some mishaps Week 1 in Miami, and things of that nature. But I thought Buster [CB Montaric Brown] played an excellent football game yesterday. You saw [CB] De’Antre Prince come in and make a play on [Browns WR] Amari Cooper, I mean, their best receiver. They continue to gain confidence the more they're out there. We still have some communication things we’ve got to clean up, and some leverage things. But that's been a bright spot for us.”

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