WATCH: Jaguars' Nielsen Explains the Challenge of Jets' Aaron Rodgers

What kind of challenge does New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers pose for the Jacksonville Jaguars? Defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen examined on Wednesday.

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen speaks to members of the media during a combined NFL football training camp session between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024 at EverBank Stadium’s Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen gave a preview of the challenge New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers will pose this weekend, and we were there for it all.

To watch his interview, watch above.

Jaguars tight end Evan Engram spoke this week as well. Below is his transcript.

Q: On QB Mac Jones’ improvement during the game, particularly in the second half?

Engram: “I definitely think it’s kind of everybody settling in. Obviously, we’d love to start faster and get the ball rolling faster, but that’s kind of been the story for us on offense during the season. We kind of get going later in the game. I think it’s just a credit to him, just continuing to battle, continuing to stay in the game, continuing to overcome adversity. Obviously, overcoming bad plays and then staying composed in the good plays. Mac has done a great job at that these past two weeks for sure.”

Q: On what the win meant to the team?

Engram: “Yeah. I mean, winning in this league is hard. This season has been tough. A win is a win, and we needed one badly. Just proud of the guys, proud of how we finished yesterday and left there with a win.”

Q: On if the win was vindicating towards the work the team has put in?

Engram: “Yeah. That’s what has made the previous weeks so tough—not coming out with a win. I said it all last week: obviously, this season is tough, but guys are still committing. Guys are still buying in; guys are still coming in here every day trying to make it right. You reap a good harvest if you don’t give up. Yesterday was a great win for us and we’re going to look to continue to finish and see what we can do in these next four.”

Q: On how high the ceiling is for WR Brian Thomas Jr.?

Engram: “Definitely one of the most polished rookies I’ve ever been around. Very locked in and focused. Very mature to be a rookie in this league, especially at receiver. Sky’s the limit for him. He’s a playmaker for us. He has great releases; he runs great routes. He has a lot of really small, really good details about his game. I like to say, ‘polished,’ for a rookie is the perfect word. We’ve seen how explosive he can be. I think he’s the fastest ball carrier this year. The list can go on. The future’s bright for him. He’s rolling right now. We’ve got to continue to get him the ball. He was a big part of our success in the second half as well yesterday.”

Q: On why it’s important to get the offensive playmakers the ball earlier in the game?

Engram: “I think that’s the tale of football. It’s players and not plays. It’s getting the ball to your playmakers and getting in the rhythm. We’ve got a lot. We have Parker [WR Parker Washington], we’ve got B.T., Brenton [TE Brenton Strange] is a weapon, Luke [TE Luke Farrell] is a reliable option, myself is in there. We have a great roster of playmakers. Obviously, it’s one football, so it can get tough at times, but we’ve got to continue to build on that. I think as long as we continue, moving forward, to work to build off of each other’s success, I think that will be great for us. How can I help B.T. get open on this concept, and how can we use B.T. to open up Parker? How can we use me to open up Brenton? Continuing to build off that talent we do have, and I think once we continue to get better at that, we’ll find ourselves in a more consistent, better rhythm.”

Q: On if he has any personal goals for the remainder of the season?

Engram: “Obviously, I would love to get the football and make plays to put my team in a great position. But I’ve definitely found myself in a lot of situations to help out some of these young guys, pour into them, share some of my wisdom with them, give them some of the expedited experience to help them come along. At the end of the day, I just want to make our team better. So, obviously, I’m going to continue to show up when my number’s called—I hope that my number continues to be called a lot, for sure. But any chance I can get to pour into these young guys and help them develop their game and develop their craft and become more confident players, that’s a big mission for me to finish the year. Obviously, continue to do that to try to do that to try to win out, to try to win these next four.”

Q: On which point in his career he felt himself stepping into a veteran leadership role?

Engram: “It was honestly this season. This year, I just felt how eager these guys are to learn. This year, I could just tell they’re honestly, genuinely listening. Really, when I was hurt, those four weeks, there were many instances where I was helping Brenton with a lot of things, and gave him some tips and then he’d go out and do it in a game, and it worked. Just that feeling is very addicting as a veteran player, helping young guys be successful. Just kind of kept it rolling from there. Honestly, I’m learning from them as well. My running game, I felt like I’ve been really a lot better this year in the running game and it’s because of Brenton, it’s because of Luke. The example they set, the detail they set in the run game has helped a lot. It's a universal thing. I’m definitely blessed to be in that position.”

Q: On if he’s excited for Ole Miss to play in the Gator Bowl at EverBank Stadium?

Engram: “Yeah, I’ve been back to Oxford [Oxford, Miss.] a couple of times since I left. It’s been kind of tough because normally they’re either on the road when I’m on the bye week and if I ever go watch them play it’s normally just back in Oxford. But yeah, it’ll be cool. I’ll definitely stop by and support them. Definitely wish we were in the big dance that everybody is excited about this year, but it’s the SEC. It’s a gauntlet and stuff happens. Definitely excited for them to get in Jacksonville and be able to stop by and support them, and maybe watch a good football game.”

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