Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (9.11.24)

Opening Statement:

“Okay, regarding Deshaun’s (Watson) legal situation, we put out a statement yesterday. I won’t have much to add past that statement. We’ll let due process play out and follow the NFL’s guidelines. We are 100% focused on Jacksonville (Jaguars), 100% focused on going on the road against a good football team, trying to find a way to get a W. Good team, good players, good coaches. I know Doug (Pederson) well, really good coach. What they do offensively is really challenging. They’ve got a very talented quarterback we’ve all seen. We’ve played against these guys recently; I think December last year. But playmakers on the perimeter, they added to their wide receiver room. Evan Engram, really good player, was very difficult to cover last year for us, so he’s a challenge. Run game – multiple, up front, they really can do different things. Defensively, Ryan Nielsen, outstanding coach. Good guys up front, good guys in the back end. They can play coverage, they can play man, they can play zone, they can pressure you and with great players up front. And then special teams, Heath Farwell, special teams coordinator for them, we were together in Minnesota (Vikings) many moons ago. Does a really nice job with that group. So good kicker, rookie kicker, I think hit a 50-yarder last week. Punter is very good, as we know and then (Devin) Duvernay,  returner we know well. So, talented across the board with really good coaches, so we got to have a great work week before getting on that plane. And with that, I’ll take any questions.”

 

In regards to Deshaun, in light of the new allegations, is he going to play this week? Is everything still, football-wise, still a go? 

“Yes.”

 

Everything that is going on in his life right now. I know you said you’re 100% focused on Jacksonville. Just, you know, having been around him, where’s his focus? Where’s he at? 

“Yeah, focused on the task at hand.”

 

How do you keep this from becoming a distraction, Kevin? 

“Yeah, it’s how we operate, Jeff (Schudel). We really are concerned about the things that are right in front of us in this building. We concern ourselves with our opponent, so that’s really where our focus is.”

 

Did you consider not playing him given the seriousness of the allegations?

“No.”

 

Did the allegations catch the organization by surprise, Kevin? 

“I was not aware of the allegations.”

 

How concerned are you, if at all, about losing your starting quarterback to the discipline from the league once more? 

“Yeah, not really a consideration for me.”

 

Any update on Jack (Conklin) and Jed (Wills Jr.)?

“No update, both guys will be out there practicing today.”

 

The signing of Kadarius Toney, you have a lot of receivers, you have a lot of returners. So, what’s up with the acquisition? 

“Yeah, just felt like it’s a player that we can add to our practice squad, Tony (Grossi). Potentially down the road somebody that could help us on offense and special teams.”

 

You lost four defenders today to Injured Reserve. Just touch on just what a blow that is and how you plan to fill those four roles.

“Yeah, a lot of roster moves on Monday and Tuesday, but that’s part of it. Andrew (Berry) and the personnel group did a really nice job finding some guys to bring in here that will help us. And again, that’s part of it. You don’t love seeing your guys in boots walking around obviously, but that’s part of it and they’ll bounce back.”

 

Juan (Thornhill) played pretty much the whole game on Sunday. When did the calf injury happen? 

“Yeah, it started to bother him late in the game. I don’t have the exact play. He’s very disappointed. I thought he played really well in that game, but he’ll be just fine.”

 

Are they all out for the year? None of them designated for return?

“I think they’re all potential for return.”

 

So, nobody’s done for the season?

“No. None of the guys we’re talking about, was it four?”

 

Four guys.

“Yeah.”

 

With Juan not being out there, it looked like Ronnie (Hickman) and Rodney (McLeod) played Sunday. Would you use both those guys? 

“Yeah, both guys will play.”

 

When did Mo’s (Hurst) injury occur during the game?

“Also don’t know the exact play. I remember him playing through it. I remember it bothering him. But the exact play, I don’t recall.”

 

Thornhill had a calf injury last year so is this related?

“I think they’re all related to each other when you’re talking about any type of lower body extremity. But he’s worked so hard in the offseason. I think he’s in great shape, just an unfortunate thing. He stays on top of it, we stay on top of it, but unfortunately, he’s out for a few games.”

 

Was it the same injury?

“I believe so.”

 

What was the approach for you guys in practice this week? Looking at that offensive line and how they can kind of operate with your quarterback and correct those wrongs from that first week.

“Yeah, I think so much of the game, and we talked about last week’s game, but talking about just in general, pass protection is really an 11-person job and it’s – add a 12th, add a coach to that, too. So, it’s our job to put the plan together and then it’s the offensive line, the tight ends are heavily involved in protection, whether they’re helping or whether they’re responsible for a player. And then receivers and tight ends getting open, running backs obviously factor hugely into that as well. And then the quarterback, and the quarterback always has to work together with the offensive line, understand where they’re setting, where you set versus a quick game is different than where you may set for a seven-step drop and those type of things. So, everybody has to work in concert.”

 

Is this Jacksonville defensive line comparative to what you saw last week against the Cowboys? I know the Cowboys had Micah (Parsons) but is this maybe, as a group, a better defensive front than what you saw a week ago? 

“I can’t compare the two. I would tell you they’re outstanding. We played them, obviously played 44 (Travon Walker), 41 (Josh Hines-Allen) last time, but to add length in 91 (Arik Armstead) to this group, I mean, it’s a really talented group. We’ll have our work cut out for ourselves.”

 

You have three tight ends now on the practice squad. Are any of them capable of catching up to what you do here to contribute for Sunday? 

“For sure, yeah, and we absolutely have options on your practice squad. As you know, you can get two elevations per game with those players. So, those are all things that we’ll continue to look at. But yeah, all the players on our practice squad we feel [that] we’re always trying to get those guys ready to play on Sunday.”

 

I know you said on Monday David (Njoku) was week-to-week. Didn’t put him on injured reserve today, so it’s pretty easy to assume that’s good news for him. Just where’s he at and is he closer to coming back now or closer to that four-week IR window? 

“He’s out this week. Beyond this week, I can’t – we’ll have to see how it goes.”

 

How similar or different are the Jaguars from when you played them however many months ago? 

“Yeah, I mean, they’re different, we’re different. They have a new defensive coordinator, we have a new offensive coordinator. Obviously, there were guys that were injured in their first game that are now playing. They add Gabe Davis, add Brian Thomas, they add receivers. We obviously, we have players that weren’t available in that last game that are playing, so there are guys back from injury. So, I think the personnel is so different and in a lot of ways the scheme is different, too.”

 

Week one, I think, I believe the team was last in the league in terms of motion, motion at the snap. I know that in bringing Ken Dorsey along, that’s kind of one of the things that you wanted to incorporate more. Was that low use of motion just a factor or byproduct of having trouble just normally getting lined up in some of the procedural penalties?”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t read too much into one-week samples in terms of whether it’s motion, or play type and those types of things. It’s always a week-to-week thing.”

 

Trevor Lawrence, I think when you last played him, he was playing on that hurt ankle. When he’s healthy, what makes him so dangerous?

“Extremely talented, can make every throw, very athletic – has made plays with his feet over the course of time in his career, but can make every throw. Really a playmaker from the pocket. Just really solid player.”

 

Rookie Brian Thomas, what traits really stand out about him? They kind of separate him to make him dangerous.

“Downfield threat. Can run, can make contested catches. A lot of people liked him when he was coming out.”

 

With the two linebackers you had to put on IR, I would assume that would mean more time for Devin and Bookie (Nathaniel Watson). What have you seen from them? I know Bookie missed a bunch of training camp, but what have you seen that you can take to Jacksonville? 

“Yeah, Devin’s played well. Has really gotten to know this system and how to operate in this system and has played well in defense and special teams. Bookie (Nathaniel Watson) obviously battled that injury for a minute, but he’s coming around and again, good feel for what we’re doing.”

 

When it comes to the run game for you guys, how do you kind of get that going? 

“Yeah, I think again, it kind of goes back to the week-to-week type of thing. So, some of it we need to better schematically. Some of it we just need to strain a little bit harder. It’s not going to be easy. This is a very good run defense, particularly with the guys we’re talking about that they have up front, but just got to make sure that we put our guys in position to go make plays and that’s true in the run and the pass.”

 

You ran a lot of quick game on Sunday. How much of that was to protect and guard the protection issues and how much of that was to try and build some confidence for Deshaun? 

“I think there’s always a balance there when it comes to the pass game about getting the ball out quickly and then holding it so your players can get farther down the field and attack different areas of the field. That’s always a balance.”