Zac Taylor

Head coach

It sounded like a spirited message in the locker room. What did you want to get across in your post-game message?

"Yeah, I believe in these guys. I mean, it sucks. We had opportunities there. I think we're going to look back tomorrow and, you know, be upset with ourselves with some opportunities that (we missed), but we lost to a really good football team. All week, I knew that, on all three phases, this is a really well-coached team. They have talent. They're a good team. But it's disappointing that we came up short, because we had our opportunities and we didn't fully take advantage of them. And so now, we're 2-2. We've got to own that and bounce back next week."

What did you think of Joe Burrow's game?

"Yeah, I mean, the two (interceptions) is probably one pick — you know, (the one) down there in the red zone that I know we're going to want back. But man, I'll go to battle with him every day if that's what we're going to get. The communication during the game — just how he played in the pocket, the throws he saw, the plays he made, the plays guys made for him, and the protection. That's a good front (on defense). That's a good blitz package. They cause a lot of problems. I thought our guys handled it really well. I thought he fought hard in the pocket. I thought our receivers stepped up and made some big time plays for us. Losing Tee (Higgins) and Ja'Marr (Chase) obviously ... we're used to that at this point — losing a guy early in the game and having to adjust — but I thought our guys handled it really well. And I thought our defense got some stops. We put them (the defense) in a tough spot with the pick, where they (the Jaguars) got the ball inside the 20. That led to seven points there. But I thought our defense fought against a really good offense and gave us an opportunity."

Why did you feel so compelled to be so passionate about your message?

"That's just how I felt."

What is Tee Higgins' official injury designation?

"Adductor."

Did you get any update on Ja'Marr Chase at halftime and was there any discussion of how that play went down with the referee?

"Ja'Marr (Chase) has a concussion, and there was no discussion with the referee."

Can you take us through the final drive of the game with no Tee Higgins or Ja'Marr Chase?

"We just have to make it work. No one wants to hear any reason why that wouldn't work, you know? We got an unbelievable coaching staff that can problem solve. The players understand it. I mean, you got a guy like Mitch (Tinsley), who just showed back up, and he's playing a lot of snaps for us. He and Dohnte (Meyers) are the last two receivers we have left, and they're out there making plays. And all four of our tight ends that are out there are doing exactly what we need them to do to put us in position. No one wants to hear it, but I am proud of the team for how they fought. There was a lot that went into that game. We're really disappointed that we lost. We're not that kind of team this year that's going to take consolation in the losses, but I am allowed to see the silver lining, and this team has a lot of fight. If I get this team for 14 more weeks or 13 more weeks, whatever it is — I'm signing up for that all day, because we're going to have a great year. It's just disappointing that we didn't get this one."

Can you take us through the final sequence?

"No chance. I will tomorrow. I remember some of the plays, but I don't remember them all. You got problem solving in the moment, you've got to put people in the right position. I thought Joe's (Burrow) dialogue was great on what he was seeing and what plays he thought he had a chance on. So I thought the communication was really good, and the guys handled it well."

Can you tell us why Tee Higgins went into the game for a play after he went out?

"Because he just wants to try to help us win. He knew the situation we were in. He just couldn't do it. He went out there to run one basic (play) and I could tell (he couldn't go). I mean, all eyes were on him when he was running the route. He couldn't do it, but that's just who he is. We played the Chiefs a couple years ago. He pulled his hamstring, he went back in the game. Tee's just going to fight for you. He saw the bind we were in, and he was trying to help us."

How did the rhythm feel, with 23 penalties, second most in an NFL game this year?

"Yeah, it is what it is. You know, it felt like it was going both ways on some of that stuff, so you just have to make the most of it."

What were some of the biggest ways you guys have to adjust the game plan when Ja'Marr Chase goes down?

"Well, Ja'Marr is a big part of the plan. But again, they could have lost one of their better players and they have to adjust (too). So, I don't want that to be the story. This league's about winning or losing. And so, there's no excuse to try to go out there and win, and we came up a half-yard short, or whatever it was. I'm proud of the way the guys put us in position to go potentially win a game. We just came up a little short, but we have playmakers on this team. (Whatever) two receivers are in a game, like I trust those guys to make plays. Joe (Burrow) obviously trusts them. He gave them some balls in some one-on-one cover situations where he trusted them. Mike (Gesicki) is playing outside receiver at points. These guys just want to go win the game. They're doing whatever it takes to win."

The last two weeks, there have been penalties and turnovers in the losses. Even in the wins, there were some penalties and procedural issues. What does it take to clean that up?

"I think we're going to have to really watch the penalties from this game and determine where we need to do a better job cleaning up."

How frustrating is it to start 2-0 and now be 2-2?

"It is (frustrating). We've played some good teams, and I was hoping we'd be 4-0 when we came out of that stretch, but we're not. And so, we just have to continue to learn who we are and continue to make the adjustments that we need to make. I thought there were a lot of good plays the guys made out there today. We'll see the ones that we have to clean up that have held us back from winning the last two games. Obviously, we'll do everything we can to clean that up."

You talked about problem solving in real time. How difficult is that when you have only two receivers left?

"We just have to make it work, and for the most part, we did. I never felt like, 'Man, we can't do this because of who we have.' I don't feel that. That's why they're on our roster. If you make our roster on offense, you've got something to you. Same with the defense we have right now. So anybody that walks on the field that's on our 53(-player roster) on game day, I got absolute faith that they can make some plays and win games. That's every single man we've got on this team. That's why they're here. This is the best team we've had in a while. And so I've got faith. Anybody we walk out on that field, we trust to be able to make a play."

When Ja'Marr Chase goes out, do you want to go more plays under center?

"Yeah, that was hard to find rhythm there. They played second down like third down. We were second-and-four, and they were showing us third-down pressure. So, that's fine. We adjusted and we made some healthy plays there. But it turned into that game really quick, where you're only going to get first down against them, and second down was going to turn into a whole different set of downs."

You said you said you'd go to war with Joe Burrow, but how much are the turnovers becoming concerning over four football games right now?

"No, because the first one he got hit. I mean, I'm sure everybody saw that. He's throwing to an open guy, and he gets hit and the ball gets picked off. So the second one, he's going through his progression, (and) he didn't see the guy. He threw a shallow cross, then the guy jumped and made the pick. So, we'll watch the tape and talk through what he saw. That's uncharacteristic (of him) — usually that's not the type of thing that happens. He'll have a reason why, and we'll talk through it and make the adjustment. But to say that I'm concerned? In no way, shape or form am I concerned about that."

What makes you believe in the guys, coming out of a game like this?

"Well, I think we lost a tough game to a really good team. And the way these guys fought to get us back in (the game) when we were down two scores ... the offense goes down (and) scores a touchdown, the defense (gets) a stop to get us the ball back, and then the offense goes down there and then almost gives us a chance to win the game. That's easy for me to say."

How would you assess the way the safeties played?

"Yeah, there were some tackles on the field I think we have to (make). I know there was a third-and-18 early in the game, which they converted. We have to get that ball on the ground. But I thought, over the course of the game, those guys really started to step up. We'll watch the tape to assess them all individually, but I felt like when our defense was on the field, we were going to get stops. And I know they got us on the touchdown there on the last run, but I thought those guys fought for us, and I had confidence they were going to get some stops. They got us a stop there at the end and gave us a chance to go win the game."

Do you think 23 rushing yards is indicative of the story of this game?

"I didn't feel like that's how that game went at all. We ended up throwing the ball quite a bit just because what we were seeing, and I thought we had success doing it."

Could you use the rushing game more to take a little more pressure off Joe Burrow?

"Absolutely. I think there are going to be times over the course of the season. We don't want to rush for 23 yards. We don't want to go (just) 15 carries. That's not what we want to be about. I thought we did a good job adjusting to how we had to play the game as the game unfolded. You can call 30 runs, but when you feel like sometimes you're only going to get two yards a carry — now you're second-and-eight, third-and-seven — and that's not a fun way to play the game. You're not admitting defeat — that's the way the game went for us in the second half, and we had to play that style of game. It doesn't mean that next game we can't run the ball 40 times, but I'm not going to look at it and say, 'Man, we should have called 15 more runs.' If it wasn't effective and you feel it, and you feel like you've got a really good rhythm in the pass game — let's just keep attacking in the pass game, and that's where it went."

Joe Burrow

Quarterback

What do you think told the story of that game?

"Yeah, we know we had some chances. We had some chances. We played well for the most part. We've got to find a way to not turn the ball over there, specifically the one in the red zone. That's the one I'm the most upset about — the one where I got hit as I was throwing. That's going to happen sometimes."

How much did things change when Ja'Marr Chase went out, in terms of what you saw from Jacksonville defensively?

"I think it changed how they were playing, obviously, when a guy like Ja'Marr goes out. But guys came in and really stepped up. Dohnte (Myers), Mitch (Tinsley), Tanner (Hudson) and Mike (Gesicki) and, really, Tee (Higgins), for a good part of the game too 'balled' as well. And then Tee went out, and then Tanner and Mike, Mitch and Dohnte ... I mean, I can't say enough about those guys."

What was your mentality going into the final drive of the game with no timeouts left?

"I felt good about it. (We) hit two big ones off the jump and was feeling really good about it. It was pretty chaotic, so I have to go back and watch the tape and figure out what happened on those first three downs before that fourth down. But we moved into a good spot and gave ourselves a chance."

It sounded like Head Coach Zac Taylor delivered an emotional message to the team after the game. What is the feeling among the team right now?

"We're very confident. You know, we're 2-2 but nobody wins a championship after week four."

Do you feel it's important for yourself to drive the mood of the team after a game like this, and last week against Pittsburgh?

"Yeah, that's part of what leaders do. But at the same time, we're still very confident, and we have guys in that locker room that feel real good about who we are, where we are and what we're going to do. You know, obviously the last two weeks haven't gone the way that we want(ed). I was proud of us fighting back in that fourth quarter. Obviously, I'd like to get it done. We're not here for moral victories — this is the NFL. No excuses, but we've got a lot ahead of us."

Can you talk about the grit you saw today from your guys?

"We made plays when we had to. You know, it's a good offense (over there). We've got to find ways to score more points."

What did you see on the late incompletion to Mike Gesicki?

"Yeah, we just had a little miscommunication there. A little miscommunication."

On the last play of the game, were you looking to go ahead of the first down marker and saw something in the short passing game with Chase Brown that made you throw to him instead? Was he your primary read?

"Yeah, we had one-on-one and we had a play call, but I saw the one-on-one and got to it Chase in space, and the guy made a great tackle. We were just short and that's how it goes."

Why do you think it was difficult to execute to produce points in the first half?

"We'll have to go back and watch the tape and come back with our takeaways and talk about it as an offense."

Can you take us through the red-zone interception?

"Yeah, that's just a bad play by me. I got pressured and was trying to get rid of it and didn't see him (the defender)."

Knowing who you have at receiver and with you at quarterback, everyone knows you will be a pass-first offense. But with Jacksonville having 111 rushing yards to your 23, do you feel there needs to be more balance with play calling?

"My response to that would be, 'Let's throw it more.'"

Why is that your response?

"Because I know we're great at it. Because I know that's what I do best, and we're really pass-protecting really well right now. Obviously, we'd like to get more out of the run game, but you know I know we'll make it work."

Is it the idea of you don't want to bang your head against the wall, so to speak, if you know you're not going to run the ball well today?

"Obviously, it depends on how the game is going, right? I'm always going to want the ball in my hands in those spots, and there will be games where we run the heck out of the ball and we're going to get under center and run it. And there will be games where we need to drop back 60 times, and we'll go and make it happen. We'll find that balance as the season goes. But yeah, we can be better in both areas."

What is the most frustrating thing about being back at .500 after the way the season started?

"Obviously, we had our opportunities in the last two weeks, but this isn't Armageddon or anything. We're still in a great spot, feel really good about our team and (we'll) come back to practice next week and keep getting better. That's what the NFL is all about. You can't ride the roller coaster week-to-week. You're going to win some; you're going to lose some. Obviously, you want to win every single one (and) you're going to fight like hell to make it happen, but we're not going to ride that roller coaster."

The last drive, you had Mitchell, Mike and Dohnte, who are probably three guys you've never worked with in that kind of situation. How did that evolve?

"We called it just like we would have if anybody else was in there. Those guys make plays. I said that this is the deepest (receiving) room that we've had (in my time here). Thank God we got Mitch back this week. He really came in and played great and made some big time plays for us. Obviously, Dohnte did too. Mike, he's going to be Mike — he's going to find the spots and be creative in his routes. And Tanner did it — he went in there and did a good job as well. We've got so many pass catchers we feel really good about, and I think they really did step up today. I don't know how many yards we had, but it felt like we were completing the ball and moving the chains."

The touchdown to Mike was one where you were trying to see if you could pass the linebacker?

"Their linebackers were doing a great job all day of being physical underneath and disrupting routes. When you play those kind of defenders, there's a space back there to make plays — you just have to figure out a way to get past those guys and not get disrupted, and Mike did a great job right there (of doing that)."

You said this is not Armageddon. There was championship talk before the season. Where do you feel that is at right now with a 2-2 record?

"I feel great about it. I feel great about it. We played a good team this week and we came up short. The game didn't play out the way we wanted it to. But that's life in the NFL, so we'll come back and get better on Monday, rest on Tuesday and just keep getting better throughout practice."

The NFL is typically a next-man-up game, but is there any frustration on your part of having a receiver go down each of these last three weeks, or is it a thing where you compartmentalize it and just say you'll figure out the rest later?

"No. Certainly no frustration. Like I said, those guys really step up. I had a lot of confidence in those guys going into the year, and they just keep proving me right.

"When guys like Ja'Marr and Tee go down, then you're going to start getting a little more man(-to-man coverage), and that's basically what we got after that. They did a good job beating man coverage. Those are good corners over there (on Jacksonville's defense) that play physical. No. 4 (CB Jarrian Jones) and No. 12 (CB Travis Hunter) — they're good players. Specifically, No. 4 being physical in the early parts of the routes can really disrupt timing and ball placement if your receivers aren't physical right back. I think they did a really good job today. He's going to win some reps, but our guys did a good job."

You mentioned Dohnte showing in the second half they have what it takes to fill in and step into bigger roles depending on what happens with Ja'Marr and Tee ...

"Certainly. Certainly."

The last couple of weeks, you've had the offense on the field with a chance to win and it hasn't worked out. What's it going to take for the offense to get over that hump and win a game late?

"You've just got to execute in those moments. Each play is its own story. You've got to try your best to execute as well as you can in the context of that story. Sometimes we did today, sometimes we didn't, and that's the NFL."

Mike Gesicki

Tight End

How did you have to adjust with Ja'Marr Chase out?

"Obviously, Ja'Marr (Ja'Marr Chase is the) best receiver in world. So, when you lose him, it loses some of our — just the way that we call our offense. Sometimes we use him as eye candy and other times, we're obviously calling it to get him the ball. So, it changes a little bit. But we have a bunch of great receivers in that room, even with the injuries. And then we have good tight ends and backs and things like that."

You guys drove it right to the 10-yard line. You were in Tee Higgins' spot, Mitch Tinsley was playing and he wasn't even here last week ...

"Right. I just went up to Mitch and said, 'Great job.' He did a fantastic job. That go-ball there to keep us alive, and on that last drive, we had a lot of fight in this game. We'll be fine."

How much can you learn from a team albeit in a loss? To play and battle in the second half, shorthanded, against a really good defensive team — how much can you take from this going forward?

"Yeah, I like what we have in this locker room. I know we're 2-2 and everybody else outside of this locker room is going to pretend like the world is falling and the sky is falling. I like exactly what we have in this locker room and I think that we're going to use this in the right way. And it's going to make us better. Better now in September and October 4th than later in the season."

You guys were at the 21-yard line on that final drive. Did you feel at that point it was going to happen?

"Yeah. With the players that we have in this locker room, you always feel like there's never a doubt. You know the stadium was starting to clear out a little bit. And I'm sitting there like, 'You know, we still have a chance'. I'm looking at the clock like, 'We're down 12. There's about six and a-half minutes to go. We go down to score before the two-minute (warning). We have three timeouts. There's plenty of opportunity for us to go out there and win this game. I get it. There's always a chance when you look back there and you see No. 9 (Joe Burrow), your quarterback, and you know the talent we have on this offense."

I think it was the second-down play to you in the end zone — was that a choice route where you could have ducked under the defensive back?

"It was a play that, because of personnel shuffling, normally that's Tee (Higgins) running that. So then, I went we moved to Tee's spot. I felt the corner heavy inside. I'm supposed to cross his face. I didn't. I learned that one on the sideline. It just is what it is. There's no excuse for things like that. I was just trying to make a play."

Dohnte Meyers

Wide Receiver

Ja'Marr Chase exited with about 10 minutes to go in the half. Tee Higgins obviously is out at the end of the game. You and Mitch Tinsley, you're out there every snap. Talk about the effort that all of the receiver corps put in to try to pull this out ...

"I feel like it starts with us at the helm. They all work hard. We all work hard. It's the next man up mentality. But also understand that you're fighting for your brothers. Of course, we all know they want to be out there. We all know that they're playmakers. So, we want to go out there and have their backs and make some plays for them."

The loss of Ja'Marr Chase is obviously huge. How does it affect the mindset of the team when you lose the best wide receiver in the NFL with 10 minutes left in the half?

"Well, most importantly, that's our brother. So, we never want to see any one of our brothers go down. It doesn't heighten our senses because we're already locked in for the game, but it makes us go out there and battle for him. That's the closest friendship we have here. We know he's the best receiver in the NFL. So, you go out there and make some plays for him."

The final catch by Chase Brown wound up about a half-yard short of being a first down. Is it kind of still a state of disbelief that you came that close and the game ended on that play?

"Yeah. Everybody knows football is a game of inches. So, we came up short today, which is unfortunate. We had some opportunities, but we just weren't able to capitalize on enough of them."

What can you say about your game and Mitch Tinsley's game? With some of the veteran guys down, you two both stepped in, stepped up and had big games ...

"We believe football is a game of injuries. It happens. Next man up. We all prepare to be ready because it's the National Football League. We understand the assignment. We are prepared to be ready whenever our name is called upon. You just want to be trusted and today they called upon us. We try to do the best with our abilities."

You had an opportunity to pull it out there at the very end. You drove most of the way down the field. I assume that everybody in the huddle thought that you were going to punch it in the end zone to win this game?

"Yeah, it's just unfortunate today. Hopefully, we'll look at the film and see what happened. But going forward, we are expecting and hoping to make those and finish it off."

Chase Brown

Halfback

On the fourth-down play, obviously you know where the first down sticks are, but when you're in the middle of the field, how aware are you of what yard line you have to get to try to get a first down?

"I'm pretty aware. Pre-snap, pre play, you know the down and distances."

On that play, did you try to land and get the first down?

"I tried. I just tried to pick a shoulder to run through and kind of felt like I had people around me, so I knew the scenario. I can just run to a shoulder and get that extra yard. But unfortunately, we were short."

A lot of times when the run game just isn't there, you guys still have the faith. Did it did it feel like at some point you just kind of came to a realization of what wasn't going to be there today?

"Yeah. The run game definitely wasn't there today. We've been taking a lot of pride in making that better and being better in that area. We'll be able to watch the tape and learn from it and be better next week. But unfortunately, we just weren't efficient in the areas that we could choose."

We could hear Zac Taylor through the walls in there. We don't normally hear it like that very often. Is that something that resonates with you guys as well?

"Zac is a passionate coach, especially with the amount of potential this team has. Coming off a second straight loss, I mean, we have to be better because we were close. It's a one-score game. A couple turnovers, but that's just what it comes down to in this league — possessions, and who can have the most effective possessions at the end of day."

You had 11 catches for 71 yards. Was that where you were finding most of your effectiveness, trying to help that offense without Ja'Marr Chase and without Tee Higgins in the fourth quarter?

"Yeah. I was able to find some space and make some plays in the pass game, so I was good. But I wish the run game was able to be a little bit better today because I think it would have been a little relief on our pass game."

Against a really good run defense, could you put your finger on why it couldn't get going today?

"That's just something you have to watch the tape and there's a million different reasons why. But right now, just watch the tape and learn from it and be better, and see things that I could be better at. Maybe I have to make a different cut, or maybe I'm not seeing it right. At end of the day, we'll learn from the tape and be better next week.