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Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Pederson praises backup QB Mac Jones, WR Brian Thomas Jr.
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- Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Pederson praises backup QB Mac Jones, WR Brian Thomas Jr.
Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Pederson met with the media on Monday at the Miller Electric Center, a day after the Jags dropped to 2-10 with a 23-20 loss to the Houston Texans at EverBank Stadium.
The main topic, of course, was the hit Houston linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair put on Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, knocking him out of the game and into the NFL's concussion protocol. Pederson also talked about backup quarterback Mac Jones leading a second-half comeback (he was 20 of 32 for 235 yards and his first two TD passes as a Jaguar), wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. getting more involved in the offense (four receptions on 10 targets, for 76 yards, and one run for 11 yards) and how offensive tackle Walker Little played hours after signing a contract extension.
Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson talks to a referee during the second quarter of an NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
On the play of backup quarterback Mac Jones
"Mac played well. Got us back in the game, did some really nice things. Stood in the pocket, played tough, scrambles. Just what you ask the backup quarterback to do; just run the offense. He did a nice job. I'm sure he'd love to have that throw to BT [WR Brian Thomas Jr. ] back. He just overthrew that one. He had another touchdown I think to Parker, he kind of threw that high, so I think he'd love to have those back."
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On Brian Thomas getting more involved in the offense
"You make a conscious effort to try to get him targets and get the ball in his hands, because he can be explosive. We were able to do that really with him and Parker [Washington]. BT's hard on himself. He's going to remember the one he dropped, too. But I think about the ones we missed. You think about the couple of deep throws that we had opportunities to, again, execute and have some explosives there. But I thought BT played really well. [Thomas] and Parker both played really well."
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) celebrates his touchdown with tight end Evan Engram (17) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Texans held off the Jaguars 23-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
On QB Trevor Lawrence playing hurt
"He plays the game in a manner that you can appreciate, right? It's a tough, physical sport. The quarterback position is going to get hit and he's a mobile guy and he's going to run and he was in a position yesterday to protect himself. He was going to slide and get down, which he did. You don't like to see it with your quarterback, the amount of injuries. But at the same time, he bounces right back. He's tough. He's tough mentally, he's tough physically. He does a great job getting himself ready to go again when the time comes, and he definitely wants to be out there with his teammates."
On RB coach Jerry Mack's replacement
(Note: Jerry Mack left the team to take the head coaching job at Kennesaw State)
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"Let me just say with Jerry, appreciate what he did with that running back room. Did a great job coming in and getting those guys prepared each week and wish him nothing but the best. This will be a great opportunity for Jerry to be a head coach again in college football and get that program going, and excited to watch him there. Then, internally [Assistant Wide Receivers Coach] Tyler Tettleton, who's been in that room before, we're going to just sort of give him some running back responsibilities. He's coached them a little bit on the side the last couple of years. Been in that room, understands what we're doing offensively. So, we'll spread it out a little bit, but Tyler will be the main focal point there."
On the mood of the team after the loss to Houston
"I didn't meet with them today. All they had to do today was basically come in, get their treatment and all that kind of stuff. [I'll] see them on Wednesday. I just want them to kind of clear their heads of this one and really let's focus on Tennessee this week and these next five [games]. But I'll say this after the game, I mean, it's a locker room that they're hurting, they're disappointed, frustrated. They're scratching their heads like we all are trying to figure this thing out. But it's a resilient group, too. They'll bounce back on Wednesday. They'll prepare for Tennessee, another division game on the road ... they'll bounce back."
On how Walker Little played
"I thought he responded great. Houston has two really good edge rushers. And again, I don't think they got near the quarterback. One time I think they got a hit on Mac, spun out of a block that Brenton [TE Brenton Strange ] had, but guys are going to make plays like that. But other than that, I thought Walker did an outstanding job yesterday, both in the pass and run game. Excited for him and his family for this opportunity to have this extension and lock him up for the next several years."
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What would be appropriate punishment for Azeez Al-Shaair ?
"I'm not going to really comment on that. I think the league is going to handle these situations as they come up. I mean, just look at what happened even in college football, some of these rivalry games and things of that nature over the weekend. It's just unfortunate because it escalates to a level that doesn't need to be on the field. We hold ourselves to a high regard. We've got to figure out a way as a league, I think, to somehow minimize or at least get these plays out of the game, if possible. But it's up to the NFL, obviously the Players Association, to determine what's going to happen."
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Pederson lauds Trevor Lawrence's toughness
