Doug Pederson on Titans: ‘If You Can’t Get Up for These Games, You Need To Find Something Else To Do’
The Jacksonville Jaguars shouldn't need anything pointed out to them to motivate them this week. They should already know. The pressure should already be felt.
At least, that is what Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson sees as his team prepares to fight for their playoff lives vs. the Tennessee Titans, a bitter AFC South rival with a three-game lead ahead of the Jaguars entering Week 14.
“I just think the nature of this game. AFC South, Tennessee Titans, on the road, we haven’t played there, played well there I should say. If you can’t get up for these games, you need to find something else to do, I think," Pederson said on Friday.
"These are the ones you love to play in.”
The Jaguars, one would think, should have had the same mentality entering Week 13. Fresh off an emotional home win vs. the Baltimore Ravens, the Jaguars went into Detroit with a chance to improve to 5-7 and close the gap on the Titans in the AFC South race.
But the Jaguars did anything but that. They were embarrassed in a 40-14 blowout, with the team lacking energy throughout the majority of the contest and with several players since saying they felt flat coming out.
“The thing about it is you noticed it watching the film," Jaguars defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell said on Thursday.
"We have a saying that ‘When one makes a play, we all make a play,’ and you should be excited when your brother makes a play, and you didn’t see that on Sunday for whatever reason. We’re just going to dig deep and find out. Go back and let this game be a youthful game. Enjoy the game. When you’re out there, have a smile on your face, go out there and make plays and have fun with it.”
The Jaguars didn't have any reasons to smile last week, a week in which they knew they could immensely help their playoff chances with a win. Now at 4-8 and three games behind the Titans with five games left, the Jaguars know they can't afford to come out the same way this week that they did vs. the Lions.
“It’s one of those performances where it felt like it wasn’t us. You go back, you talk to the guys, and they had the same feeling," Caldwell said. "Just got to come back in here, had a good day’s work yesterday, continue that today and get back on the field Sunday and go at it again.”
“I think it’s a little bit of both, but I do think it’s one of those games that’s kind of a one-off that you just put in a trash can and light it on fire and forget about it and move on," Pederson said earlier this week.
"You don’t want too many of those every season, but sometimes there’s that one that kind of gets you. Hopefully that was our one. I’m confident too. Our guys, they’ll respond. They’re embarrassed, honestly. They know, they understand. I don’t have to sit there and point it out. These guys are professional, and they want to get back on track.”
