Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence – Media Availability – December 5, 2021
Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence – Media Availability – December 5, 2021
(On what do you say after a game where it seemed like nothing worked)
“There’s not much to say. The similar message – like San Francisco couple weeks ago – we got a lot more than that and just didn’t play well. Kind of saying the same thing, but we got a lot more to offer than that and we got to do better. We’ve got to figure it out. Obviously if we knew the answer, we’d be doing it, but we got to keep plugging away and go back to work this week. I got to get better. Especially offensively. I thought the defense did a really good job early and then we had a good drive, moved the ball down. I think it was 14 plays, 12 plays, something like that, but then after that, just couldn’t get anything going and we got to play better. We got to move the ball, got to make plays. (We’re) trying to figure that out.”
(On what happened on the zone-read keeper when the ball dropped on the fake to Jaguars RB Carlos Hyde)
“Yeah, it was. Exactly right. I tried to pull it, get on the edge there. I thought there was a good look out there. I had blockers, so just trying to make a play there on third down. I felt good about the decision, but just got to secure the ball. (I) kind of got caught on (Jaguars RB) Carlos’ (Hyde) hips. I just got to make sure if I’m pulling it, (I) got to get it all the way out of there before I start running. (I) just got to be cleaner there.”
(On how much those plays come down to chemistry)
“That’s something that we’ve done. You’ve seen this year, we’ve done it hundreds of times. It just happens every now and then. It’s on me as a quarterback. At the end of the day, I got to make sure if I’m giving it, it’s clear. If I’m pulling it, it’s clear. Maybe I was a little late. I have to watch. I don’t know if I was late pulling it or what, but that’s on me. It’s not a chemistry thing. That’s just one of those plays that happen, along with some other ones today.”
(On if he finds it hard to see some of his growth through this past stretch of six weeks of really not a lot of productivity offensively)
“You got to, like I said, got to get more going. There’s not one thing you can point out and say, ‘This is what we need to do better,’ or we’d already have it fixed by now. We got to really take a look at this – and along with the other games – and we’ve got to figure something out because we got to play better than that. We’re not going to win any games if we can’t move the ball better than that. It’s on all of us. It’s on players, it’s on coaches, it’s on everybody. We got to be better. So, we got to look at it and watch the tape and keep going. We’ve got five more games left. You can’t stop here. (We need to) just try to find a way to get better (and) get ready for Tennessee next week.”
(On if there are some things that he’s pulling out that maybe everybody else doesn’t see such as progress or taking command of the offense)
“I think, obviously, I’ve done a better job taking care of the ball. That’s one thing. But I don’t really want to talk about the things that are positive right now. We got play better. Even if there’s a couple of things that we’re doing well, we got to do a lot more things well to win games.”
(On if this is one of the more difficult days he’s experienced in his football life)
“That was a really good team. We didn’t play well. We didn’t help ourselves out. At the end of the day, you do have to look at that team. It’s a good team you’re playing against, but the way we came out – the beginning of the game, it was 10-7 – (we) felt good. Even going into halftime – I think it was 16 -7 – (we) felt good about where we were at. And then second half, we just were very unproductive, stagnant, didn’t move the ball. (We) just didn’t play complementary. It’s a tough day. Obviously when you get beat 37-7, it’s not a good day. (We) want to move past this one and go to the next one.”
(On if he slammed his head on the turf after a tackle on CB Jalen Ramsey)
“I don’t know. I heard about it, but in the moment, I didn’t know. I didn’t realize that happened. It’s football, things happened fast. I don’t really know. We’ll look at it and see. I don’t make that decision.”
(On winning the toss the past few weeks, is there something they can do to emphasize on that timeframe)
“You’re right. 13-7, good field position, I think that was when we had the mesh issue and then made it fourth-and-six or seven. (We) had to punt them the ball (and) they kicked a field goal. But yeah, you’re right. That’s something maybe we need to emphasize more. I think we do. It’s really important when you win the toss and defer the end of the second and the beginning of the third, (it’s) super important, those quarters right there to, if you can get the ball back, at least get a field goal or a touchdown and then you can double dip, get some more points when you open up the second half. That would be huge. And that was what we were trying to do there. We were on a good drive there. I think we were on the 50 when the mesh issue happened. So again, that’s on me. (It) can’t happen right there. But yeah, we need to definitely get better at that because you saw, even against Atlanta last week, we had an opportunity after the interception and didn’t get any points there and then (we came) out and got the ball. I don’t think we got any points coming out of halftime too. So that’s something that we definitely need to get better at.”
(On how he deals with frustration on the field and at facility)
“Just got to remember who I am and just be the same person. Regardless of highs, lows, or whatever it is. Obviously it’s been a challenging year, but just got to be same person every day; that’s something I pride myself on and not get frustrated and we’re all in this thing together. You got a building full of people trying to ride the ship and we’re working, working our tails off to try to turn this thing around and it hasn’t happened as fast as we wanted it to, but you got to keep working and making progress. I think this year we’ve made some progress, but obviously right now we’re not playing well. And that’s something we got to just be honest about and move on and start playing better. But to your point, I think just like I said, I get some time to myself to really evaluate and keep reminding myself who I am. Obviously my faith is something that’s very important to me. It kind of keeps me steady through all this and even in college; the highs and now the lows and a few highs, whatever it is…that’s something that keeps me grounded and I think it’s important, especially in times like this, but I’m always going to be the same person and we’ll get this thing figured out sooner or later.”
(On DL Aaron Donald and what kind of disruption he brought)
“A lot. I mean, run game, pass game, everything. You just see that guy flying around. It’s tough to block, you know, I wouldn’t want to be an offensive lineman going against that guy. He’s tough to block and I thought early in the game, we did a good job with the pass rush, and we protected and we’re moving the ball well. I think obviously it’s when you start getting down that pass rush increases, because they’re not really worried about the run as much. So, it makes it hard for the guys up front. So that’s been the case in a few games this year where we get down and then we have to throw the ball more and we got to whatever in the past rushes gets on us faster. That’s just something we got to stay in games. We got to be more productive early in the game, hold onto the ball, put long drives together. Like we did in the first quarter, beginning of the second, and that helps us out. But yeah, he’s a great player and just, he’s tough, tough to deal with.”
(On biggest adjustment in second half when Rams were able to unleash the pass rush)
“Yeah. That’s always the case. You know, we’ve had a few games. I remember in Houston first game of the year and a couple of games down the stretch, Arizona, today where they know you got to throw the ball because you got to move the ball, you got to get chunks. And then they can kind of just pin their ears back and that’s always a challenge. But you know, I think that wasn’t necessarily the reason we weren’t moving the ball. It was just other things. And like I said, I don’t want to speak too soon. I want to watch it and make sure I know what I’m seeing and get with the guys. But yeah, there’s just, we got to play better.”
(On what this season has taught him about being patient)
“You never know how things are going to go and if they don’t go as planned, you can’t go off script. You got to keep, like I said, keep being the person, keep going to work. And I have a lot of belief and faith in this organization, myself, this team, locker room full of guys. I think we got a great locker room and that we’re going to get this thing figured out and you just kind of keep believing that and keep going to work, you can’t grow weary. The season gets long, especially when you’re not playing well down the stretch, and you just got to keep plugging in. And that’s the thing I think we’ve done a good job of. Obviously, it didn’t show today, but I think guys have done a good job of that. And you know, got to finish the season.”
(On practicing and putting in work during the week and the 3rd quarter disbelief having over 100 yards and not many touchdowns)
“Yeah, no there is. I mean sometimes you’re at a loss for words in the game like that, just can’t get anything going. Especially when you start off moving the ball well and then something flips there. It’s hard to put your finger on what it is, especially right after the game. We’ll have to go watch it like I said. Obviously, the turnovers hurt us. That’s something that in the beginning of the game that hurts us then one later. So, when you go minus two, turnover margin, it’s already hard enough to win, but then when you’re not moving the ball consistently, it’s pretty much impossible. So obviously that, and then I mean, it’s frustrating, but we’re all in it together and you know, players got to play better. We got to look at our game plan, it’s just everything, so you can’t put it on one individual or one group. We all got to be better.”