00:00:15
Speaker 1: Welcome to Week 2.
00:00:16
Speaker 2: I'm Brian Sexton, and this is the second installment of a podcast that didn't have a name last week, but I think it might this time around. I'm going with A Few Good Minutes, in part because I did a short video segment with that title a decade ago, and I liked it. And I actually get a few good minutes every week with a number of folks in and around the Jaguars. And also, I enjoyed A Few Good Men with Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson. Can the NFL handle the truth? that this Jacksonville Bunch is a legitimate Super Bowl contender. The Jaguars are off to Denver this weekend to face a Broncos squad that was very highly considered by people who know. Then they went and laid that egg of a performance in Kansas City on Monday Night Football, and we're all reminded of Jim Moore's famous line, you think you know, but you don't.
00:01:02
Speaker 1: Here's what we do know.
00:01:03
Speaker 2: Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is playing the best football of his career. He looks like the best player on the field right now, and last Sunday he He posted the best statistical performance of his career, completing 78% of his passes with four touchdowns, and all of them were spectacular throws that populated every social media channel across the internet.
00:01:23
Speaker 1: Not that he cares.
00:01:24
Speaker 2: He's focused on doing it again on Sunday and playing to a level that only the very best quarterbacks in league history ever have.
00:01:36
Speaker 3: You know, I think that's the challenge. I mean, this sport in general, but especially playing quarterback, is the consistency piece just because of every week's a different game plan.
00:01:45
Speaker 1: It's a different opponent. It's a different way of attack.
00:01:47
Speaker 3: I'm going into a, you know, hostile environment this weekend in Denver, so many different factors. And how can you just consistently play well, keep your team in the game, give yourself another shot. And I think that's the challenge that we've talked about a lot this off season is that consistency piece and just every down, how can I do the right thing with the ball while also playing with the freedom to make some big plays and to use my athletic abilities and to get out of the pocket, but staying on schedule. So I think that's the consistency piece. And that's always a challenge that I think is good to challenge yourself with every week, just because it's really important.
00:02:18
Speaker 2: How much of that is consistency of preparation? And not just practice and meetings, but the things that you do personally outside of here to be ready to play?
00:02:26
Speaker 3: I think that's a huge part of it. I felt really prepared last week going into the Cleveland week. I think our whole offense did, our whole team did.
00:02:32
Speaker 1: And That's a huge part of it.
00:02:34
Speaker 3: I think you get more and more comfortable, especially now being with this staff for a second year, understanding how we game plan and how the coaches work and things that we do in our meetings and maybe some stuff that I need to do on my own so that I'm ready for the game Sunday. Just seeing where everything fits into the schedule, I feel like I got it down now after doing it all last year. Obviously, there's things that I've done my whole career that carry over every system, but then there's some things that change a little bit. Our staff does an awesome job getting extra walkthroughs, getting extra reps, mental reps, especially at quarterback with all the different things that we do offensively, just to try to see as many looks as I can throughout the weeks that I'm prepared. And our coaches do an awesome job with that. And I think that helps me a lot. Um, and then, yeah, like you said, the stuff I do on my own to some of the, the film I watch the stuff, you know, I talked to the receivers about and, um, the old line, the protection meetings we do a lot of that stuff also pays off to.
00:03:26
Speaker 2: Watching from the stands or the press box. It looked like you were in complete control, complete command. Uh, Did it feel like that to you? I mean, the numbers said it was your best game statistically. Did it feel right to you?
00:03:38
Speaker 3: Yeah, I felt very comfortable, confident, just knew what we were doing, knew what the plan was, felt confident in that, and just felt like we were going to go attack them. Whatever they decided to do defensively, we had an idea of their identity, who they were going to be coverage-wise and scheme, but we knew stuff could be a little bit different. So I think when you go into games like that, you are a little bit more open-minded, like, hey, just play it how you see it. just go play, trust my progression, trust my footwork, my timing. If it's not there, be an athlete, be able to use my legs. And you see all those things kind of came to life. And I think that's a big part of just trusting the system, trusting my guys to make plays and stay on time and giving them opportunities and some good things happen.
00:04:16
Speaker 2: You see the running game up close. Obviously, it's been a point of focus for this team. Are they on schedule? Do you like where it's at? It would seem to be very important today against this defense.
00:04:26
Speaker 4: Yeah, it's huge.
00:04:28
Speaker 3: It's hugely important for our offense and just the way we want to play football. And I think last week was a good start for us in the run game. There's definitely some things that we can clean up. But as far as us playing physical up front and at tight end and moving people and playing hard and then our running backs running through some contact, getting some dirty yards, and then obviously we had a couple big ones.
00:04:48
Speaker 1: I mean, all those things flash and pop.
00:04:51
Speaker 3: So I think now it's just continuing to work on the details more honing on a new game plan for a different opponent that plays defense pretty differently. So that's going to be a challenge for us, but it's going to be really, really important this week.
00:05:02
Speaker 1: I could ask you about all of your receivers.
00:05:04
Speaker 2: Each one of them individually has such a strong personality, but Parker's the one everyone wants to talk about. The things that he does, the catch that he made last week, the things he does in the practice field, does it ever surprise you the things he can do physically?
00:05:18
Speaker 4: Not anymore.
00:05:20
Speaker 3: I wouldn't say it surprised me. It is cool to watch, though, just to see A guy like Parker, like I've said a lot in the past, just does everything the right way. And to see him shining right now as he deserves. I mean, he's such a hard worker. Like I said, does everything the right way. Great teammate. Plays hard for the guys around him. And to see that pay off for him and to see how talented he is, I mean, it really is special. So, you know, I think people are grateful for him. I hope they are because he's special. And just continuing to build that relationship and chemistry with him because he's I think we can do a lot of great things together.
00:05:56
Speaker 2: Speaking of relationships and chemistry, how about a behind-the-scenes perspective on the head coach? I mean, everyone is interested in him because he's got such a great personality. Can you tell me about how your relationship has grown and how much you perhaps enjoy playing for him?
00:06:10
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, he's awesome. He's been fun to play for. I've learned a lot. You know, he pushes me hard. He coaches me hard. And our whole staff, you know, Grant, Spence, all those guys that I work with on a day-to-day basis, including obviously Liam in that.
00:06:23
Speaker 1: They push me hard. They coach me hard.
00:06:24
Speaker 3: I've learned a lot from them. I'm very, very grateful for the staff that we have. And then with Liam, it's funny, the intensity I've talked about in the past. I think that's brought a little bit more of that out of me, just the sense of urgency and intensity because he has so much of that. And every day is like that. He's just so competitive. And I think that sense of urgency has been really good. And then also my personality is kind of the opposite in some ways. So it's funny to see us interact and how that balances each other out. And I've just learned how to take them more and more every day from a perspective.
00:06:57
Speaker 1: Of at the end of the day, I have the ball.
00:06:59
Speaker 3: And I think we have a good back and forth of he wants things done a certain way. And I'm bringing that message along because I'm the guy in the huddle. But then also being able to calm guys down and do my job on that. And I think it's been a really good pair in that regard. So it's been fun.
00:07:15
Speaker 2: And then the final thought is, you always have to prove it. I mean, the whole league for 32 years, Trevor, has always said, Jacksonville, the Jaguars, they got to prove it. You get to prove it against one of the best teams in the league in one of the most hostile environments, and you got a really tough stretch of schedule coming here. This would seem to be a great challenge and something that you're excited about.
00:07:34
Speaker 4: Yeah, we're really excited.
00:07:36
Speaker 3: I mean, every week is an opportunity, no matter who you're playing. And last week, we were playing Cleveland, and that was a great opportunity for us, and we took advantage of it. And this week, we got Denver on the road, and We know this is a really good team, really good AFC opponent. And like we say in the past, you never know how the season's going to end up. So to have these games early against these conference opponents on the road, hostile environment, it's a great opportunity for us to show up.
00:08:04
Speaker 1: The Jaguars have always showed up in Denver. Remember the Jaguars?
00:08:08
Speaker 2: Hey, thanks to longtime Denver Post columnist Woody Page for a Sunday morning column the day of that AFC Divisional Playoff game that became a rallying cry in the locker room and that is one of my great memories in 32 years of Jaguars football.
00:08:22
Speaker 1: If you've never read it, do yourself a favor. Go find it.
00:08:26
Speaker 2: If you weren't with us in Denver 30 years ago, here's a little reminder of that mile-high magic. By the way, I'm stealing that hashtag from the Broncos digital media team this week.
00:08:36
Speaker 5: 438, 437, 436. Can the Jaguars make something happen? Brunel under center. Sends Keenan in motion from the near to the far side. He'll take the snap and drop back to throw. Pressure coming. He's jumping out to the near side.
00:08:48
Speaker 1: Pump action. Cuts across the 50. Breaks a tackle at the 45. He's at the 40.
00:08:52
Speaker 5: Mark Brunel running to the far sideline.
00:08:54
Speaker 1: Turns the corner.
00:08:55
Speaker 6: 35-30.
00:08:55
Speaker 1: Down to the 25. An inside move. Leaping for the 21.
00:09:00
Speaker 5: Mark Brunel with a masterful run of 29 yards, and.
00:09:05
Speaker 1: The clock continues to run.
00:09:06
Speaker 2: The Jaguars are 4-3 all-time on the road in Denver, and it feels like they're poised to make it 5-3. They're really dialed in this week, as you heard from Trevor, and you will in our next conversation with running backs coach Chad Morton. He was coaching his backs right up until I pushed play on my microphone. The Jaguars need 4.85 yards per carry again this week to slow down that Broncos pass rush that last year fell just short of the NFL record, if you can call 68 sacks in a single season falling short. Morton knows last week was last week, but he likes the direction this running game is headed into week two. 4.85 yards per carry, which is what you guys got against the Browns last week.
00:09:51
Speaker 1: Is that good enough to win week in and week out in the NFL? Definitely.
00:09:55
Speaker 7: Obviously, we want more, right?
00:09:56
Speaker 6: I'm always greedy.
00:09:58
Speaker 7: We're standard is really high. So yeah, we have to just, the biggest thing is about being consistent. You know what I mean? Keeping the offense on track, on schedule. So we're not getting these losses and get second and, you know, known passing situation. So, but yeah, if we can do that, then hopefully then, you know, we should be able to win.
00:10:16
Speaker 1: When you ask your guys to be consistent, what are you asking them to do?
00:10:19
Speaker 7: The biggest thing is really just being sharp on the details. Your track, just, you know, previewing the defense, know where to put the ball, know where it's supposed to go, right? And just if you're supposed to hit in the B gap, hit it in the B gap, you know, unless obviously something changes. But it's really those kind of details of just speed off the ball, correct track, and then, you know, just going from there. And obviously ball security, just those little things. That's why we don't preach about what happens afterwards. I tell them, hey, just do point A to point B, the first part correct. After you get through and make the right read, then it's up to you to do what you want after that as long as you hold on to the football.
00:10:53
Speaker 2: Broncos are one of the best defenses in football. What's the challenge running the ball against them?
00:10:57
Speaker 7: They did well against us last year, just being physical up front and really just going back to being detailed for the running back. I think the O-line did a great job last year. We missed some reads last year that we could have had. Could have had some really good explosives off of it. That always falls on us, and we're always going to take responsibility for that kind of stuff. So just going back, harping on the details, and I think we'll be good.
00:11:18
Speaker 2: Chad, there are all sorts of statistics, especially that next generation statistics. Are there any numbers that you look at specifically when you get the stat sheet? This tells us how good, how efficient we were.
00:11:30
Speaker 7: You know, probably just the overall yards per carry, because that just shows you basically how consistent you are. Um, I think that, you know, I always look to see if I always like to have a hundred yard rusher, you know what I mean? Cause you're putting a lot of yards out there on the ground and, um, but yeah, that's the biggest thing. Um, but you know, really it's just, it's not just a yard thing after the step, you know what I mean? It's more, I'm just more concerned about how the guys are doing, if they're making the correct read and you know, that point A to point B, because otherwise, If we start just chasing yards, then, you know, all of a sudden we're going to be in big trouble because then they're going to start bouncing stuff that they don't need to bounce. So we never really just harp on that stuff. It's cool afterwards, you know what I mean, just to kind of check the stat sheet. But other than that, no, we're just focused on just doing our job.
00:12:16
Speaker 2: Tell me about Basial Tootin from year one to year two and what you've seen from him so far.
00:12:20
Speaker 7: Yeah, he's doing great. He's just really improving on the reads, just on some of the stuff. There's, you know, certain— Certain runs that I wanted him to improve on more than others, right?
00:12:30
Speaker 1: That's just everybody.
00:12:31
Speaker 7: But he's just really honing in on the details of the stuff and just, you know, really studying the playbook and knowing what's going on and, you know, not having MAs knock on wood, just things like that. Just be more locked in all the time and be more detailed.
00:12:44
Speaker 2: Folks got their first look at Chris Rodriguez, who came here in free agency from Washington. What are your expectations for how he fits in and what he'll provide this year?
00:12:51
Speaker 7: Yeah, really just that big physical downhill runner. You know, when we put him in there and, you know, he had some short yardage opportunities. So he's got to be able to convert that. You know, that's a must, especially if you're put in that situation. You have to get it, you know. And so he just got to continue to just work on that stuff, right?
00:13:10
Speaker 8: Pad level.
00:13:11
Speaker 7: And then just doing what we ask him to do. And same thing for him, too.
00:13:15
Speaker 8: It really is.
00:13:15
Speaker 7: I know I'm going back to the detail thing, but it's really important for our running backs to be able to do that.
00:13:21
Speaker 2: You want your players to be consistent. The coach is consistent with the things that he preaches. You have a fairly young room. Tell me how Amir Abdullah blends in and what he gives you.
00:13:31
Speaker 7: Oh, he is outstanding. We need that veteran presence in there. They rely on him for a lot of stuff just because of his wisdom and knowledge and things that he's seen around the league and just played and obviously also on the special teams aspect of it too. Like he's all in on the special team. So he's able to talk to those guys about the importance of it. And also just the details of when he's like returning. Cause all our guys are back there. Um, uh, the running backs are all returners too. So just what to see out there, what to look for, what to anticipate. Um, so all that experience that he has is really helpful in our room.
00:14:02
Speaker 2: Let's wrap on Denver. It's a Amazing environment for an NFL football game. The altitude, the team, the fans, the noise. What a challenge for week two of the NFL and one that this team seems really excited to embrace.
00:14:17
Speaker 8: Yeah, that's the best. That's what you want.
00:14:19
Speaker 7: You want it to be loud. You want it to be a good team, right? You love that environment. You know, we don't give two points. I don't want to say any curse words, but we don't care about the altitude or whatever. We just got to go on there and just be focused on controlling what we can control and just playing our game. But like, yeah, if you don't get hyped up for that kind of stuff, like I want it loud. Like those are the best environments when you go away and then beat them at their own stadium where they're leaving early and they shut the hell up. And now they got to, you know what I mean? Go hurry up and try to get out of the parking lot. Like that's the kind of stuff that's just beautiful. And then now we're yelling back at the stands, you know what I mean? Yelling at our fans, seeing them coming down and, that's the kind of games that you look for.
00:14:58
Speaker 1: So I guess I should say go make it quiet there today.
00:15:00
Speaker 8: Yeah, absolutely.
00:15:03
Speaker 2: Fred Taylor travels the country these days in search of great conversations for The Pivot, which is the ridiculously successful podcast that covers sports, culture, a little bit of politics, and life from the perspective of a few former pro football players. You may see him in L.A. talking Rams or Nashville talking Titans, but his heart is always in Duval. with his Jaguars, which is why he makes time to spend a few minutes with me each week.
00:15:28
Speaker 4: Fred, how are you?
00:15:34
Speaker 8: Hey, listen, anytime we get a win, I'm great, actually. I'm doing good, man. How about yourself?
00:15:38
Speaker 4: Doing very good. I'm the same way.
00:15:40
Speaker 2: Listen, the week rolls so smoothly when everybody's happy and smiling. And when you win 34 to 10, they certainly are. Let's get started with today's game in Denver. You know what it takes to win up there. 5,280 feet above sea level, a crazy crowd and.
00:15:55
Speaker 4: A really good football team. What do you think is.
00:15:58
Speaker 2: The key to victory this week for the Jaguars to go and get another win at Mile High Stadium?
00:16:04
Speaker 8: They got to start fast.
00:16:05
Speaker 6: You have a team who was surrounded by a lot of offseason hype and the Broncos. After that, you know, onslaught by Kansas City. You know, they're real and they're asking some questions. And not only that, Brian, they're on a short week. So you want to try to hit them quick, hit them fast. And before you know it, if you can display the sort of quick start that you did a week ago versus the Brown, you give yourself an opportunity to evoke doubt in the minds of the Broncos players. So I would suggest a fast start in that hostile environment. You take the players out by taking over their minds and frustrating them, as well as the fans. And now they'll start questioning themselves And before you know it, you'll be back on the plane enjoying the win.
00:16:51
Speaker 4: Tell me about that short week, right?
00:16:53
Speaker 2: Because they played Monday night in Kansas City, and Tuesday's normally the players' day off. Where are they losing in terms of their preparation time?
00:17:00
Speaker 4: Is it physical? Is it mental?
00:17:02
Speaker 2: Where does it cause a problem for a team that plays Monday and then Sunday?
00:17:07
Speaker 8: It's a bit of both.
00:17:08
Speaker 6: It also depends on how the game unfolded, injuries, those types of things. And week one, A lot of injuries have been happening around the NFL. I think for the Broncos, they missed the review to see what they did wrong in that game versus the Chiefs. That's usually Monday. That's the review. You get the kinks out. You do a little therapy, you know, some massage and try to regroup and get your body together. Tuesday is totally a maintenance day or either just whatever you want to do to catch up with your personal stuff day. Wednesday, you get back in. Typically on Wednesdays, you would do a big install. And Thursday, you want to fine tune that. Friday, everything's quick. Saturday's a walkthrough, a lot of visual mental stuff. But in the short week, all of that has to get moved the day ahead. And the coaches have to do their best to try to modify that weekly routine so it can fit.
00:18:05
Speaker 8: But they lose some valuable time.
00:18:08
Speaker 2: Last fall, when the Jags played out there, the running game was nowhere to be found.
00:18:11
Speaker 4: Just three yards per carry, Fred.
00:18:13
Speaker 2: And when you take out Travis Achan's 24-yard run, just 1.85 yards per carry. Now, my question for you is, based on what you saw last week against the Browns, can that 4.85 yards per carry, which is what we got from the primary running backs, is that enough to win in Denver against an excellent defense?
00:18:32
Speaker 6: You know, they didn't really... Look, it's a new season. You look at the Texans, you look at the Broncos. A lot of these other teams that have these so-called great defenses. Now, you don't want to look past them because they do have potential. But this is a new season. Everybody have to, you know, they have to be playing their techniques. They have to be playing their discipline. You know, they have to really play sound football, right? And, you know, the way the Jags ran the ball a week ago was excellent. I think they had 126 yards. We don't know where the Browns are from a defensive standpoint. You look at what Kansas City did. right, to the Broncos. They had about 200, Kenneth Walker had 173 himself with a 60-yard scamper down the left sideline on the fourth and one bus by the Broncos. So I would say the Jaguars have to be excited seeing this on film, and I'm sure they're going to try and do some of that. But as long as they can create the balance that they had a week ago, if Trevor can really Outside zone, a lot of outside.
00:19:36
Speaker 8: Play action run.
00:19:37
Speaker 6: A lot of Trevor big passes came off by way of play action pass.
00:19:43
Speaker 8: It wasn't just simple drop back.
00:19:44
Speaker 6: It was a lot of play-action action along with those nice passes, which typically, Brian, opens up the run game. So if we can execute on those things, then the run game should be able to go this week versus the Broncos.
00:19:57
Speaker 4: Brett, I can give you all the numbers, but you know them. Trevor Lawrence is playing at an insane level right now. How good is he?
00:20:05
Speaker 2: Has he stepped up into the level of Josh Allen and the elite quarterbacks in this league, or is he still knocking at the door?
00:20:11
Speaker 8: I think.
00:20:13
Speaker 6: I would say he's still knocking at the door. This is a very sample size. These guys have been doing it year in, year out, very consistently. Trevor's getting there. We saw 17 games last year where Trevor played outstanding. This year is a continuation of last year. We're impressed by the fast start, the pocket throws he was making, the accuracy, the velocity, the control. This is what you want to have out of your franchise quarterback, which is what we see out of these other guys. I asked Coach Cohen during our podcast on the pivot, when does he give the keys to Trevor? When does it go from Trevor running Coach Cohen, Liam Cohen's offense, to it becoming Trevor Trevor Lawrence's offense. He's like, we're working towards that. And I think last week showed another step closer in that direction.
00:21:05
Speaker 8: And Trevor, don't get me wrong, Brian, he's right there.
00:21:08
Speaker 6: I mean, there are different tiers of quarterbacks in this league, but he is right there. And again, the comparison is to NFL MVP and Josh Allen. So if he can make that step, we'll be talking MVP for Trevor Lawrence.
00:21:21
Speaker 2: Well, I talked to Cohen last week, and the head coach told me that the key, the next step for him was consistency, doing it week in and week out.
00:21:28
Speaker 4: And this would seem to be.
00:21:29
Speaker 2: A great challenge today against that pass rush that the Broncos bring. Last year, they fell just short of the NFL record, if you can call 68 sacks coming up short.
00:21:40
Speaker 6: Yeah, well, you know, this offensive line, the Jacksonville Five, like I said, they like to shuffle the guys, right? They did a great job last year. They did a great job last week. Trevor barely had any pressure on him. I think if they can continue with the offensive line, as well as certain play schemes to minimize that pressure from the Broncos front, same thing Kansas City did a week ago. And two things you can do with that, Brian. You can run the ball, wear them out. That pressure will slow down. You can also get the ball out quick. Trevor did that last week. That pressure will slow down. Oh, it should be three things. You can also chip with the running backs on their releases and that pressure will slow down. So by way of coaching, you can do some things to ensure that the sags are minimized.
00:22:29
Speaker 2: By the way, our buddy Jeff Loggaman loved the Jacksonville Five. He grabbed me on Monday when he was here and was laughing, said you had the best line of the weekend.
00:22:37
Speaker 8: So kudos.
00:22:38
Speaker 6: Listen, they did so much shuffling. They do more shuffling than the Jackson Five. So we might as well call them the Jacksonville Five. I mean, you got to Guy go from right tackle to left, left tackle to right.
00:22:50
Speaker 8: The guards are moving. They're all over the place.
00:22:53
Speaker 2: I sense a music video that maybe makes its way onto the pivot for your Netflix debut. But let's talk real quick about Sean Payton, one of the game's great play callers. He's been calling plays. How do you think that plays out? How do the Jaguars prepare for that on Sunday?
00:23:09
Speaker 6: Look, he's– so we tend to– We invest a lot in having a conversation around who's calling the plays.
00:23:22
Speaker 8: All of the coaches are on the same page.
00:23:24
Speaker 6: The script, the game plan, all of that comes down from the head man. He wants to not have as much stress on the sideline throughout the game, but you can better believe that he's totally involved in everything that's coming out of that other earpiece or the headset going into the quarterback's headset. He's going to either green light and say, yeah, let's go with that one. Or he's going to say, no, check it. Let's try this one. Even though he's not calling the plays in the eyes of everybody that's watching, he's calling the plays throughout the weekend. He has a big influence on it. And Sean Payton, why would he give up the keys? I mean, he's a great one.
00:24:04
Speaker 8: All right.
00:24:04
Speaker 2: Who impressed you most last week against the Browns? Ventrell Miller, who was nine tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, a pass deflection, and was flying all over the field even when he wasn't making tackles. Or Trayvon Walker, who had six quarterback pressures, the sack.
00:24:19
Speaker 4: I thought he was a game wrecker.
00:24:21
Speaker 2: The defense has so many options to choose from, but those two guys really stood above everyone else.
00:24:26
Speaker 6: Yeah, I think, Brian, I think this sounds a bit like a setup or maybe even a trick question. I mean, because we got a bulldog and a gator. I love Trayvon. I mean, he's an amazing kid, amazing person. Don't want to call him a kid. Amazing player as well. But Ventrell, I mean, he's a gator boy who's been waiting for his opportunity.
00:24:46
Speaker 8: I think he had more. He had a ton of expectations.
00:24:50
Speaker 6: You know, I don't know how to weigh the expectations with a former number one pick in Trayvon versus Ventrell. I've been trail, a guy who's had some big shoes to fill in the place of Devin Lloyd, but I think he stepped up. I think he did everything. The team asked them to do in a bit more, just a hell of a performance. I will say hell on the radio.
00:25:11
Speaker 8: Who's listening.
00:25:12
Speaker 6: I think they would agree with me in that sense, but I'm gonna go with my Gator. You know, I think he really influenced the start of the game. that led to that big turnover there, which also led to that fast start, and the Jaguars never looked back. So I just hope that he can get out there and double down again this week, along with Trayvon. We're going to need a lot of pressure on Bo Nix, who's still coming off that ankle surgery from a year ago. He has some mobility, but I don't know if he has as much as he showed last year. So we're going to need pressure from everybody.
00:25:48
Speaker 4: Brett, let me tell you, there's so many things I love and admire about you.
00:25:51
Speaker 2: Your loyalty to the Gators stands so strong. I just, I smile every time you say it.
00:25:56
Speaker 8: And this is the thing too.
00:25:58
Speaker 6: We haven't had a ton of Gators success in draft picks and players in Jacksonville. So anytime I get a Gator that can have an opportunity to play well, we got to talk about him.
00:26:09
Speaker 8: I want to highlight him.
00:26:10
Speaker 6: And Ventrell is just a great person as well. So yeah, I'm going to show my Gators love all the time.
00:26:16
Speaker 1: All right.
00:26:16
Speaker 4: Let me get one last thought from you. Two years ago, right?
00:26:20
Speaker 2: The last year before Liam Cohen became the head coach, you had a team that lost games in the fourth quarter regularly. Nine out of 10 games they had the leader were tied in the fourth quarter and they came away with L's. In one year's time span, in the span of 18 regular season and one postseason games, Liam Cohen has completely transformed this team into a bunch of just stone cold killers, especially on the road. I mean, They won their last four games on the road. They won the West Coast on the road. This team is completely transformed, not just physically by the style of play, but mentally by the way they approach the game.
00:26:54
Speaker 1: I just marvel at what the coach has done.
00:26:57
Speaker 6: Yeah, he's done an amazing job, and I think it starts with trust. You know, it starts with the approach, the respect for the players, and that's reciprocated. It starts with accountability. That's another piece of it. Those guys, he's accountable to them. They're accountable to him. And I think it's mutual right at the surface and underneath that. And I believe the last piece of that, Brian, is that these guys, they believe in each other. The locker room, we're talking about a standard that they uphold. And that's what Liam was preaching when he first arrived at Jacksonville.
00:27:41
Speaker 8: It was a standard.
00:27:42
Speaker 6: Because a lot of times things can get lost in this whole, well, it's the culture, it's the Jaguars culture. No, I prefer standard over culture because standard has no shortcuts. Culture, there are so many variations of culture, right? So, but a standard, you uphold one standard and that doesn't change for anyone. And as long as the leadership in the locker room can identify what that is and it trickles down to everybody else, starting from the head coach down to the players, I believe SAT is what they have. A standard and accountability with each other and a trust because of all of that.
00:28:22
Speaker 1: SAT.
00:28:23
Speaker 2: That sounds like something I need to find a way to use. Great thoughts from one of the great Jaguars.
00:28:27
Speaker 4: Fred, as always, we appreciate your insight. Hope you enjoy the game. We'll catch up with you in the postgame.
00:28:32
Speaker 8: I'm looking forward to it. Talk to you soon.
00:28:36
Speaker 2: My favorite Fred Taylor moment against the Broncos came on Monday Night Football late in the 1999 season when Broncos quarterback Brian Greasy was giving the Jaguars fits. The game was tied at 17 with 2 minutes and 35 seconds to play. Now, Fred hadn't played much because he was recovering from a hamstring injury, but he came off the bench when the Jags needed him most and raced through the Broncos defense for a 38-yard touchdown that sparked the Jags' 10th consecutive win. Ironically, if the Jaguars win in Denver on Sunday, it will be their 10th consecutive regular season victory. One more conversation to share with you, and it's a good one. Linebackers coach Tim Lubaku is already one of my favorites. He's passionate, energetic, and as you're about to hear, a natural leader. It's easy to see why the linebackers love playing for him and why they played so well last week. Foye Aluokun, Branson Combs and Ventrell Miller combined for 17 tackles, two sacks, an interception, and a forced fumble. Miller played especially well after winning the starting job for the first time. time in his four-year career. So I asked Lubaku if he saw that one coming.
00:29:48
Speaker 1: I did because he's prepared.
00:29:51
Speaker 9: You know, we try to make it very obvious to the guys that it shouldn't be a surprise if you put the work in what the results are. We're process-driven.
00:30:01
Speaker 2: And the process worked well because you had interceptions and fumble recoveries and sacks. The linebacker corps as a whole had a heck of a game.
00:30:08
Speaker 9: Yeah, we have a habitat. We have a culture in that room. Preparation equals performance. And that's what the guys did the whole summer and the week leading up to this team.
00:30:20
Speaker 2: Liam has talked about success being when the players take over and hold the standard high. Has your room taken over that culture, or are you still driving it? A thousand percent the players. That's what it's always going to be from now to the end of time. It's the way, you know, the first time I got into the league, that's what I realized. The good players, the guys that are consistent, it comes from them, right? We give them direction. We give them the data. We give them the information. And then once they're on the grass, it's all them taking over. I see that the linebackers are almost always the last guys off the field, and your veteran guys right here working with the younger guys. How much does that help you?
00:30:57
Speaker 9: It's everything because, you know, more is more.
00:31:01
Speaker 8: More is more.
00:31:03
Speaker 9: You can never work hard enough. We try to do it within the bounds of what we're allowed to do, but there's always something that we haven't seen yet or something that we can always work on, and the guys have embraced that, and it shows.
00:31:15
Speaker 2: So this team last year had a good day running the ball in Week 16, but Monday night they didn't run the ball so well. How do you balance what you've seen in two games, one on TV and one in person?
00:31:24
Speaker 9: It's the National Football League. If you don't bring your A game, you're going to get taken advantage of, and that's not what we do.
00:31:32
Speaker 1: So you just assume you're going to get their very best.
00:31:34
Speaker 8: Absolutely.
00:31:36
Speaker 9: That's always the attitude that we have because they're highly paid, too.
00:31:40
Speaker 2: Give me a sense of this quarterback. Bo Nix is a guy who moves around a lot. He stresses the defense, doesn't he? What's important for a defense to be aware of with him?
00:31:49
Speaker 9: Our eye control. They do a lot of eye candy and things that mess with the linebackers. The guys take pride in our room that we're the first level of defense that every offense tries to take advantage of. And when we're on our game, it looks really good.
00:32:06
Speaker 2: Takeaways were a big part of last Sunday's win. They were a big part of your win in Denver. It's obviously something that people just assume. Well, you're not going to get 31 again this year, but you're off to a great start. What's the mindset of your football team?
00:32:17
Speaker 9: The mindset is we never talk about we're going to have 31 takeaways. The mindset is the process, and the process is attack the ball. And you can attack the ball if you're anticipating plays, by looking at formations, by looking at tendencies. That's the things that allow us to attack the ball.
00:32:34
Speaker 2: Tim, is it difficult to get players to go from being outcome-driven to process-driven? Or we've seen enough of it in recent years that guys come into the league ready to be process-driven.
00:32:44
Speaker 9: It's 100% difficult. I'm a guy, I'm in my 40s, and it's human nature. You always want the results now, but results only come because of work.
00:32:54
Speaker 2: Can you put into words, for everyone who's listening, what Foye Aluokun means to this defense?
00:33:00
Speaker 9: He is the glue guy. He's the energizer bunny. Oh, by the way, on top of that, he's also making plays. So who wouldn't want that on their team?
00:33:09
Speaker 1: Doesn't surprise you at all that he has an interception on the opening drive, does it? Not at all.
00:33:13
Speaker 2: Not the way he prepares. Tell me about playing in Denver. It's one of the great road atmospheres. You're heading into a tough stretch of schedule against one of the best teams in the league in one of the most difficult environments. in pro football. How much does this team embrace the challenge? How as coaches do you help them embrace the challenge?
00:33:31
Speaker 9: We love it. We love it. It's part of the equation. It's part of being great. If you want to be great in this league, you got to go and perform in those kind of environments.
00:33:40
Speaker 1: It all comes with it.
00:33:42
Speaker 9: It's not that we're going to behave any differently because of where it is and who it is, but it's a part of the blessing that we have to be a part of this league and compete versus a team that has a great atmosphere and a lot of good players.
00:33:57
Speaker 2: And let's end on this. We've heard about AAA. Anyone, anytime, anywhere. How have your guys embraced that?
00:34:04
Speaker 9: It's what makes it even more fun for us because, you know, as a competitor, you don't want to ever make excuses for why you don't perform or compete at a high level, and we never will. So that's why, you know, we always strive to be better than we were the day before.
00:34:20
Speaker 1: Tim Novakou, go get him today.
00:34:22
Speaker 9: I appreciate you.
00:34:26
Speaker 1: So there you have it.
00:34:27
Speaker 2: A few good minutes with a few good people to help get you ready for the Jaguars Week 2 showdown in Denver. Kickoff comes at you at 4.05 Eastern Time, and if you're so inclined, and would like to hear more, dial us up.
00:34:38
Speaker 1: We're on 1010XL in.
00:34:39
Speaker 2: Jacksonville or the Jaguars YouTube channel with the Publix pregame show starting at one o'clock on Sunday afternoon. And I'd love to hear your Jaguars Broncos memories. You're more than welcome to share them with me on X. You'll find me at Brian Big Mouth. Yeah, I know the shoe fits. Thanks for spending some time with us. We'll be back next week with another edition of A Few Good Minutes.
Speaker 1: Welcome to Week 2.
00:00:16
Speaker 2: I'm Brian Sexton, and this is the second installment of a podcast that didn't have a name last week, but I think it might this time around. I'm going with A Few Good Minutes, in part because I did a short video segment with that title a decade ago, and I liked it. And I actually get a few good minutes every week with a number of folks in and around the Jaguars. And also, I enjoyed A Few Good Men with Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson. Can the NFL handle the truth? that this Jacksonville Bunch is a legitimate Super Bowl contender. The Jaguars are off to Denver this weekend to face a Broncos squad that was very highly considered by people who know. Then they went and laid that egg of a performance in Kansas City on Monday Night Football, and we're all reminded of Jim Moore's famous line, you think you know, but you don't.
00:01:02
Speaker 1: Here's what we do know.
00:01:03
Speaker 2: Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is playing the best football of his career. He looks like the best player on the field right now, and last Sunday he He posted the best statistical performance of his career, completing 78% of his passes with four touchdowns, and all of them were spectacular throws that populated every social media channel across the internet.
00:01:23
Speaker 1: Not that he cares.
00:01:24
Speaker 2: He's focused on doing it again on Sunday and playing to a level that only the very best quarterbacks in league history ever have.
00:01:36
Speaker 3: You know, I think that's the challenge. I mean, this sport in general, but especially playing quarterback, is the consistency piece just because of every week's a different game plan.
00:01:45
Speaker 1: It's a different opponent. It's a different way of attack.
00:01:47
Speaker 3: I'm going into a, you know, hostile environment this weekend in Denver, so many different factors. And how can you just consistently play well, keep your team in the game, give yourself another shot. And I think that's the challenge that we've talked about a lot this off season is that consistency piece and just every down, how can I do the right thing with the ball while also playing with the freedom to make some big plays and to use my athletic abilities and to get out of the pocket, but staying on schedule. So I think that's the consistency piece. And that's always a challenge that I think is good to challenge yourself with every week, just because it's really important.
00:02:18
Speaker 2: How much of that is consistency of preparation? And not just practice and meetings, but the things that you do personally outside of here to be ready to play?
00:02:26
Speaker 3: I think that's a huge part of it. I felt really prepared last week going into the Cleveland week. I think our whole offense did, our whole team did.
00:02:32
Speaker 1: And That's a huge part of it.
00:02:34
Speaker 3: I think you get more and more comfortable, especially now being with this staff for a second year, understanding how we game plan and how the coaches work and things that we do in our meetings and maybe some stuff that I need to do on my own so that I'm ready for the game Sunday. Just seeing where everything fits into the schedule, I feel like I got it down now after doing it all last year. Obviously, there's things that I've done my whole career that carry over every system, but then there's some things that change a little bit. Our staff does an awesome job getting extra walkthroughs, getting extra reps, mental reps, especially at quarterback with all the different things that we do offensively, just to try to see as many looks as I can throughout the weeks that I'm prepared. And our coaches do an awesome job with that. And I think that helps me a lot. Um, and then, yeah, like you said, the stuff I do on my own to some of the, the film I watch the stuff, you know, I talked to the receivers about and, um, the old line, the protection meetings we do a lot of that stuff also pays off to.
00:03:26
Speaker 2: Watching from the stands or the press box. It looked like you were in complete control, complete command. Uh, Did it feel like that to you? I mean, the numbers said it was your best game statistically. Did it feel right to you?
00:03:38
Speaker 3: Yeah, I felt very comfortable, confident, just knew what we were doing, knew what the plan was, felt confident in that, and just felt like we were going to go attack them. Whatever they decided to do defensively, we had an idea of their identity, who they were going to be coverage-wise and scheme, but we knew stuff could be a little bit different. So I think when you go into games like that, you are a little bit more open-minded, like, hey, just play it how you see it. just go play, trust my progression, trust my footwork, my timing. If it's not there, be an athlete, be able to use my legs. And you see all those things kind of came to life. And I think that's a big part of just trusting the system, trusting my guys to make plays and stay on time and giving them opportunities and some good things happen.
00:04:16
Speaker 2: You see the running game up close. Obviously, it's been a point of focus for this team. Are they on schedule? Do you like where it's at? It would seem to be very important today against this defense.
00:04:26
Speaker 4: Yeah, it's huge.
00:04:28
Speaker 3: It's hugely important for our offense and just the way we want to play football. And I think last week was a good start for us in the run game. There's definitely some things that we can clean up. But as far as us playing physical up front and at tight end and moving people and playing hard and then our running backs running through some contact, getting some dirty yards, and then obviously we had a couple big ones.
00:04:48
Speaker 1: I mean, all those things flash and pop.
00:04:51
Speaker 3: So I think now it's just continuing to work on the details more honing on a new game plan for a different opponent that plays defense pretty differently. So that's going to be a challenge for us, but it's going to be really, really important this week.
00:05:02
Speaker 1: I could ask you about all of your receivers.
00:05:04
Speaker 2: Each one of them individually has such a strong personality, but Parker's the one everyone wants to talk about. The things that he does, the catch that he made last week, the things he does in the practice field, does it ever surprise you the things he can do physically?
00:05:18
Speaker 4: Not anymore.
00:05:20
Speaker 3: I wouldn't say it surprised me. It is cool to watch, though, just to see A guy like Parker, like I've said a lot in the past, just does everything the right way. And to see him shining right now as he deserves. I mean, he's such a hard worker. Like I said, does everything the right way. Great teammate. Plays hard for the guys around him. And to see that pay off for him and to see how talented he is, I mean, it really is special. So, you know, I think people are grateful for him. I hope they are because he's special. And just continuing to build that relationship and chemistry with him because he's I think we can do a lot of great things together.
00:05:56
Speaker 2: Speaking of relationships and chemistry, how about a behind-the-scenes perspective on the head coach? I mean, everyone is interested in him because he's got such a great personality. Can you tell me about how your relationship has grown and how much you perhaps enjoy playing for him?
00:06:10
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, he's awesome. He's been fun to play for. I've learned a lot. You know, he pushes me hard. He coaches me hard. And our whole staff, you know, Grant, Spence, all those guys that I work with on a day-to-day basis, including obviously Liam in that.
00:06:23
Speaker 1: They push me hard. They coach me hard.
00:06:24
Speaker 3: I've learned a lot from them. I'm very, very grateful for the staff that we have. And then with Liam, it's funny, the intensity I've talked about in the past. I think that's brought a little bit more of that out of me, just the sense of urgency and intensity because he has so much of that. And every day is like that. He's just so competitive. And I think that sense of urgency has been really good. And then also my personality is kind of the opposite in some ways. So it's funny to see us interact and how that balances each other out. And I've just learned how to take them more and more every day from a perspective.
00:06:57
Speaker 1: Of at the end of the day, I have the ball.
00:06:59
Speaker 3: And I think we have a good back and forth of he wants things done a certain way. And I'm bringing that message along because I'm the guy in the huddle. But then also being able to calm guys down and do my job on that. And I think it's been a really good pair in that regard. So it's been fun.
00:07:15
Speaker 2: And then the final thought is, you always have to prove it. I mean, the whole league for 32 years, Trevor, has always said, Jacksonville, the Jaguars, they got to prove it. You get to prove it against one of the best teams in the league in one of the most hostile environments, and you got a really tough stretch of schedule coming here. This would seem to be a great challenge and something that you're excited about.
00:07:34
Speaker 4: Yeah, we're really excited.
00:07:36
Speaker 3: I mean, every week is an opportunity, no matter who you're playing. And last week, we were playing Cleveland, and that was a great opportunity for us, and we took advantage of it. And this week, we got Denver on the road, and We know this is a really good team, really good AFC opponent. And like we say in the past, you never know how the season's going to end up. So to have these games early against these conference opponents on the road, hostile environment, it's a great opportunity for us to show up.
00:08:04
Speaker 1: The Jaguars have always showed up in Denver. Remember the Jaguars?
00:08:08
Speaker 2: Hey, thanks to longtime Denver Post columnist Woody Page for a Sunday morning column the day of that AFC Divisional Playoff game that became a rallying cry in the locker room and that is one of my great memories in 32 years of Jaguars football.
00:08:22
Speaker 1: If you've never read it, do yourself a favor. Go find it.
00:08:26
Speaker 2: If you weren't with us in Denver 30 years ago, here's a little reminder of that mile-high magic. By the way, I'm stealing that hashtag from the Broncos digital media team this week.
00:08:36
Speaker 5: 438, 437, 436. Can the Jaguars make something happen? Brunel under center. Sends Keenan in motion from the near to the far side. He'll take the snap and drop back to throw. Pressure coming. He's jumping out to the near side.
00:08:48
Speaker 1: Pump action. Cuts across the 50. Breaks a tackle at the 45. He's at the 40.
00:08:52
Speaker 5: Mark Brunel running to the far sideline.
00:08:54
Speaker 1: Turns the corner.
00:08:55
Speaker 6: 35-30.
00:08:55
Speaker 1: Down to the 25. An inside move. Leaping for the 21.
00:09:00
Speaker 5: Mark Brunel with a masterful run of 29 yards, and.
00:09:05
Speaker 1: The clock continues to run.
00:09:06
Speaker 2: The Jaguars are 4-3 all-time on the road in Denver, and it feels like they're poised to make it 5-3. They're really dialed in this week, as you heard from Trevor, and you will in our next conversation with running backs coach Chad Morton. He was coaching his backs right up until I pushed play on my microphone. The Jaguars need 4.85 yards per carry again this week to slow down that Broncos pass rush that last year fell just short of the NFL record, if you can call 68 sacks in a single season falling short. Morton knows last week was last week, but he likes the direction this running game is headed into week two. 4.85 yards per carry, which is what you guys got against the Browns last week.
00:09:51
Speaker 1: Is that good enough to win week in and week out in the NFL? Definitely.
00:09:55
Speaker 7: Obviously, we want more, right?
00:09:56
Speaker 6: I'm always greedy.
00:09:58
Speaker 7: We're standard is really high. So yeah, we have to just, the biggest thing is about being consistent. You know what I mean? Keeping the offense on track, on schedule. So we're not getting these losses and get second and, you know, known passing situation. So, but yeah, if we can do that, then hopefully then, you know, we should be able to win.
00:10:16
Speaker 1: When you ask your guys to be consistent, what are you asking them to do?
00:10:19
Speaker 7: The biggest thing is really just being sharp on the details. Your track, just, you know, previewing the defense, know where to put the ball, know where it's supposed to go, right? And just if you're supposed to hit in the B gap, hit it in the B gap, you know, unless obviously something changes. But it's really those kind of details of just speed off the ball, correct track, and then, you know, just going from there. And obviously ball security, just those little things. That's why we don't preach about what happens afterwards. I tell them, hey, just do point A to point B, the first part correct. After you get through and make the right read, then it's up to you to do what you want after that as long as you hold on to the football.
00:10:53
Speaker 2: Broncos are one of the best defenses in football. What's the challenge running the ball against them?
00:10:57
Speaker 7: They did well against us last year, just being physical up front and really just going back to being detailed for the running back. I think the O-line did a great job last year. We missed some reads last year that we could have had. Could have had some really good explosives off of it. That always falls on us, and we're always going to take responsibility for that kind of stuff. So just going back, harping on the details, and I think we'll be good.
00:11:18
Speaker 2: Chad, there are all sorts of statistics, especially that next generation statistics. Are there any numbers that you look at specifically when you get the stat sheet? This tells us how good, how efficient we were.
00:11:30
Speaker 7: You know, probably just the overall yards per carry, because that just shows you basically how consistent you are. Um, I think that, you know, I always look to see if I always like to have a hundred yard rusher, you know what I mean? Cause you're putting a lot of yards out there on the ground and, um, but yeah, that's the biggest thing. Um, but you know, really it's just, it's not just a yard thing after the step, you know what I mean? It's more, I'm just more concerned about how the guys are doing, if they're making the correct read and you know, that point A to point B, because otherwise, If we start just chasing yards, then, you know, all of a sudden we're going to be in big trouble because then they're going to start bouncing stuff that they don't need to bounce. So we never really just harp on that stuff. It's cool afterwards, you know what I mean, just to kind of check the stat sheet. But other than that, no, we're just focused on just doing our job.
00:12:16
Speaker 2: Tell me about Basial Tootin from year one to year two and what you've seen from him so far.
00:12:20
Speaker 7: Yeah, he's doing great. He's just really improving on the reads, just on some of the stuff. There's, you know, certain— Certain runs that I wanted him to improve on more than others, right?
00:12:30
Speaker 1: That's just everybody.
00:12:31
Speaker 7: But he's just really honing in on the details of the stuff and just, you know, really studying the playbook and knowing what's going on and, you know, not having MAs knock on wood, just things like that. Just be more locked in all the time and be more detailed.
00:12:44
Speaker 2: Folks got their first look at Chris Rodriguez, who came here in free agency from Washington. What are your expectations for how he fits in and what he'll provide this year?
00:12:51
Speaker 7: Yeah, really just that big physical downhill runner. You know, when we put him in there and, you know, he had some short yardage opportunities. So he's got to be able to convert that. You know, that's a must, especially if you're put in that situation. You have to get it, you know. And so he just got to continue to just work on that stuff, right?
00:13:10
Speaker 8: Pad level.
00:13:11
Speaker 7: And then just doing what we ask him to do. And same thing for him, too.
00:13:15
Speaker 8: It really is.
00:13:15
Speaker 7: I know I'm going back to the detail thing, but it's really important for our running backs to be able to do that.
00:13:21
Speaker 2: You want your players to be consistent. The coach is consistent with the things that he preaches. You have a fairly young room. Tell me how Amir Abdullah blends in and what he gives you.
00:13:31
Speaker 7: Oh, he is outstanding. We need that veteran presence in there. They rely on him for a lot of stuff just because of his wisdom and knowledge and things that he's seen around the league and just played and obviously also on the special teams aspect of it too. Like he's all in on the special team. So he's able to talk to those guys about the importance of it. And also just the details of when he's like returning. Cause all our guys are back there. Um, uh, the running backs are all returners too. So just what to see out there, what to look for, what to anticipate. Um, so all that experience that he has is really helpful in our room.
00:14:02
Speaker 2: Let's wrap on Denver. It's a Amazing environment for an NFL football game. The altitude, the team, the fans, the noise. What a challenge for week two of the NFL and one that this team seems really excited to embrace.
00:14:17
Speaker 8: Yeah, that's the best. That's what you want.
00:14:19
Speaker 7: You want it to be loud. You want it to be a good team, right? You love that environment. You know, we don't give two points. I don't want to say any curse words, but we don't care about the altitude or whatever. We just got to go on there and just be focused on controlling what we can control and just playing our game. But like, yeah, if you don't get hyped up for that kind of stuff, like I want it loud. Like those are the best environments when you go away and then beat them at their own stadium where they're leaving early and they shut the hell up. And now they got to, you know what I mean? Go hurry up and try to get out of the parking lot. Like that's the kind of stuff that's just beautiful. And then now we're yelling back at the stands, you know what I mean? Yelling at our fans, seeing them coming down and, that's the kind of games that you look for.
00:14:58
Speaker 1: So I guess I should say go make it quiet there today.
00:15:00
Speaker 8: Yeah, absolutely.
00:15:03
Speaker 2: Fred Taylor travels the country these days in search of great conversations for The Pivot, which is the ridiculously successful podcast that covers sports, culture, a little bit of politics, and life from the perspective of a few former pro football players. You may see him in L.A. talking Rams or Nashville talking Titans, but his heart is always in Duval. with his Jaguars, which is why he makes time to spend a few minutes with me each week.
00:15:28
Speaker 4: Fred, how are you?
00:15:34
Speaker 8: Hey, listen, anytime we get a win, I'm great, actually. I'm doing good, man. How about yourself?
00:15:38
Speaker 4: Doing very good. I'm the same way.
00:15:40
Speaker 2: Listen, the week rolls so smoothly when everybody's happy and smiling. And when you win 34 to 10, they certainly are. Let's get started with today's game in Denver. You know what it takes to win up there. 5,280 feet above sea level, a crazy crowd and.
00:15:55
Speaker 4: A really good football team. What do you think is.
00:15:58
Speaker 2: The key to victory this week for the Jaguars to go and get another win at Mile High Stadium?
00:16:04
Speaker 8: They got to start fast.
00:16:05
Speaker 6: You have a team who was surrounded by a lot of offseason hype and the Broncos. After that, you know, onslaught by Kansas City. You know, they're real and they're asking some questions. And not only that, Brian, they're on a short week. So you want to try to hit them quick, hit them fast. And before you know it, if you can display the sort of quick start that you did a week ago versus the Brown, you give yourself an opportunity to evoke doubt in the minds of the Broncos players. So I would suggest a fast start in that hostile environment. You take the players out by taking over their minds and frustrating them, as well as the fans. And now they'll start questioning themselves And before you know it, you'll be back on the plane enjoying the win.
00:16:51
Speaker 4: Tell me about that short week, right?
00:16:53
Speaker 2: Because they played Monday night in Kansas City, and Tuesday's normally the players' day off. Where are they losing in terms of their preparation time?
00:17:00
Speaker 4: Is it physical? Is it mental?
00:17:02
Speaker 2: Where does it cause a problem for a team that plays Monday and then Sunday?
00:17:07
Speaker 8: It's a bit of both.
00:17:08
Speaker 6: It also depends on how the game unfolded, injuries, those types of things. And week one, A lot of injuries have been happening around the NFL. I think for the Broncos, they missed the review to see what they did wrong in that game versus the Chiefs. That's usually Monday. That's the review. You get the kinks out. You do a little therapy, you know, some massage and try to regroup and get your body together. Tuesday is totally a maintenance day or either just whatever you want to do to catch up with your personal stuff day. Wednesday, you get back in. Typically on Wednesdays, you would do a big install. And Thursday, you want to fine tune that. Friday, everything's quick. Saturday's a walkthrough, a lot of visual mental stuff. But in the short week, all of that has to get moved the day ahead. And the coaches have to do their best to try to modify that weekly routine so it can fit.
00:18:05
Speaker 8: But they lose some valuable time.
00:18:08
Speaker 2: Last fall, when the Jags played out there, the running game was nowhere to be found.
00:18:11
Speaker 4: Just three yards per carry, Fred.
00:18:13
Speaker 2: And when you take out Travis Achan's 24-yard run, just 1.85 yards per carry. Now, my question for you is, based on what you saw last week against the Browns, can that 4.85 yards per carry, which is what we got from the primary running backs, is that enough to win in Denver against an excellent defense?
00:18:32
Speaker 6: You know, they didn't really... Look, it's a new season. You look at the Texans, you look at the Broncos. A lot of these other teams that have these so-called great defenses. Now, you don't want to look past them because they do have potential. But this is a new season. Everybody have to, you know, they have to be playing their techniques. They have to be playing their discipline. You know, they have to really play sound football, right? And, you know, the way the Jags ran the ball a week ago was excellent. I think they had 126 yards. We don't know where the Browns are from a defensive standpoint. You look at what Kansas City did. right, to the Broncos. They had about 200, Kenneth Walker had 173 himself with a 60-yard scamper down the left sideline on the fourth and one bus by the Broncos. So I would say the Jaguars have to be excited seeing this on film, and I'm sure they're going to try and do some of that. But as long as they can create the balance that they had a week ago, if Trevor can really Outside zone, a lot of outside.
00:19:36
Speaker 8: Play action run.
00:19:37
Speaker 6: A lot of Trevor big passes came off by way of play action pass.
00:19:43
Speaker 8: It wasn't just simple drop back.
00:19:44
Speaker 6: It was a lot of play-action action along with those nice passes, which typically, Brian, opens up the run game. So if we can execute on those things, then the run game should be able to go this week versus the Broncos.
00:19:57
Speaker 4: Brett, I can give you all the numbers, but you know them. Trevor Lawrence is playing at an insane level right now. How good is he?
00:20:05
Speaker 2: Has he stepped up into the level of Josh Allen and the elite quarterbacks in this league, or is he still knocking at the door?
00:20:11
Speaker 8: I think.
00:20:13
Speaker 6: I would say he's still knocking at the door. This is a very sample size. These guys have been doing it year in, year out, very consistently. Trevor's getting there. We saw 17 games last year where Trevor played outstanding. This year is a continuation of last year. We're impressed by the fast start, the pocket throws he was making, the accuracy, the velocity, the control. This is what you want to have out of your franchise quarterback, which is what we see out of these other guys. I asked Coach Cohen during our podcast on the pivot, when does he give the keys to Trevor? When does it go from Trevor running Coach Cohen, Liam Cohen's offense, to it becoming Trevor Trevor Lawrence's offense. He's like, we're working towards that. And I think last week showed another step closer in that direction.
00:21:05
Speaker 8: And Trevor, don't get me wrong, Brian, he's right there.
00:21:08
Speaker 6: I mean, there are different tiers of quarterbacks in this league, but he is right there. And again, the comparison is to NFL MVP and Josh Allen. So if he can make that step, we'll be talking MVP for Trevor Lawrence.
00:21:21
Speaker 2: Well, I talked to Cohen last week, and the head coach told me that the key, the next step for him was consistency, doing it week in and week out.
00:21:28
Speaker 4: And this would seem to be.
00:21:29
Speaker 2: A great challenge today against that pass rush that the Broncos bring. Last year, they fell just short of the NFL record, if you can call 68 sacks coming up short.
00:21:40
Speaker 6: Yeah, well, you know, this offensive line, the Jacksonville Five, like I said, they like to shuffle the guys, right? They did a great job last year. They did a great job last week. Trevor barely had any pressure on him. I think if they can continue with the offensive line, as well as certain play schemes to minimize that pressure from the Broncos front, same thing Kansas City did a week ago. And two things you can do with that, Brian. You can run the ball, wear them out. That pressure will slow down. You can also get the ball out quick. Trevor did that last week. That pressure will slow down. Oh, it should be three things. You can also chip with the running backs on their releases and that pressure will slow down. So by way of coaching, you can do some things to ensure that the sags are minimized.
00:22:29
Speaker 2: By the way, our buddy Jeff Loggaman loved the Jacksonville Five. He grabbed me on Monday when he was here and was laughing, said you had the best line of the weekend.
00:22:37
Speaker 8: So kudos.
00:22:38
Speaker 6: Listen, they did so much shuffling. They do more shuffling than the Jackson Five. So we might as well call them the Jacksonville Five. I mean, you got to Guy go from right tackle to left, left tackle to right.
00:22:50
Speaker 8: The guards are moving. They're all over the place.
00:22:53
Speaker 2: I sense a music video that maybe makes its way onto the pivot for your Netflix debut. But let's talk real quick about Sean Payton, one of the game's great play callers. He's been calling plays. How do you think that plays out? How do the Jaguars prepare for that on Sunday?
00:23:09
Speaker 6: Look, he's– so we tend to– We invest a lot in having a conversation around who's calling the plays.
00:23:22
Speaker 8: All of the coaches are on the same page.
00:23:24
Speaker 6: The script, the game plan, all of that comes down from the head man. He wants to not have as much stress on the sideline throughout the game, but you can better believe that he's totally involved in everything that's coming out of that other earpiece or the headset going into the quarterback's headset. He's going to either green light and say, yeah, let's go with that one. Or he's going to say, no, check it. Let's try this one. Even though he's not calling the plays in the eyes of everybody that's watching, he's calling the plays throughout the weekend. He has a big influence on it. And Sean Payton, why would he give up the keys? I mean, he's a great one.
00:24:04
Speaker 8: All right.
00:24:04
Speaker 2: Who impressed you most last week against the Browns? Ventrell Miller, who was nine tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, a pass deflection, and was flying all over the field even when he wasn't making tackles. Or Trayvon Walker, who had six quarterback pressures, the sack.
00:24:19
Speaker 4: I thought he was a game wrecker.
00:24:21
Speaker 2: The defense has so many options to choose from, but those two guys really stood above everyone else.
00:24:26
Speaker 6: Yeah, I think, Brian, I think this sounds a bit like a setup or maybe even a trick question. I mean, because we got a bulldog and a gator. I love Trayvon. I mean, he's an amazing kid, amazing person. Don't want to call him a kid. Amazing player as well. But Ventrell, I mean, he's a gator boy who's been waiting for his opportunity.
00:24:46
Speaker 8: I think he had more. He had a ton of expectations.
00:24:50
Speaker 6: You know, I don't know how to weigh the expectations with a former number one pick in Trayvon versus Ventrell. I've been trail, a guy who's had some big shoes to fill in the place of Devin Lloyd, but I think he stepped up. I think he did everything. The team asked them to do in a bit more, just a hell of a performance. I will say hell on the radio.
00:25:11
Speaker 8: Who's listening.
00:25:12
Speaker 6: I think they would agree with me in that sense, but I'm gonna go with my Gator. You know, I think he really influenced the start of the game. that led to that big turnover there, which also led to that fast start, and the Jaguars never looked back. So I just hope that he can get out there and double down again this week, along with Trayvon. We're going to need a lot of pressure on Bo Nix, who's still coming off that ankle surgery from a year ago. He has some mobility, but I don't know if he has as much as he showed last year. So we're going to need pressure from everybody.
00:25:48
Speaker 4: Brett, let me tell you, there's so many things I love and admire about you.
00:25:51
Speaker 2: Your loyalty to the Gators stands so strong. I just, I smile every time you say it.
00:25:56
Speaker 8: And this is the thing too.
00:25:58
Speaker 6: We haven't had a ton of Gators success in draft picks and players in Jacksonville. So anytime I get a Gator that can have an opportunity to play well, we got to talk about him.
00:26:09
Speaker 8: I want to highlight him.
00:26:10
Speaker 6: And Ventrell is just a great person as well. So yeah, I'm going to show my Gators love all the time.
00:26:16
Speaker 1: All right.
00:26:16
Speaker 4: Let me get one last thought from you. Two years ago, right?
00:26:20
Speaker 2: The last year before Liam Cohen became the head coach, you had a team that lost games in the fourth quarter regularly. Nine out of 10 games they had the leader were tied in the fourth quarter and they came away with L's. In one year's time span, in the span of 18 regular season and one postseason games, Liam Cohen has completely transformed this team into a bunch of just stone cold killers, especially on the road. I mean, They won their last four games on the road. They won the West Coast on the road. This team is completely transformed, not just physically by the style of play, but mentally by the way they approach the game.
00:26:54
Speaker 1: I just marvel at what the coach has done.
00:26:57
Speaker 6: Yeah, he's done an amazing job, and I think it starts with trust. You know, it starts with the approach, the respect for the players, and that's reciprocated. It starts with accountability. That's another piece of it. Those guys, he's accountable to them. They're accountable to him. And I think it's mutual right at the surface and underneath that. And I believe the last piece of that, Brian, is that these guys, they believe in each other. The locker room, we're talking about a standard that they uphold. And that's what Liam was preaching when he first arrived at Jacksonville.
00:27:41
Speaker 8: It was a standard.
00:27:42
Speaker 6: Because a lot of times things can get lost in this whole, well, it's the culture, it's the Jaguars culture. No, I prefer standard over culture because standard has no shortcuts. Culture, there are so many variations of culture, right? So, but a standard, you uphold one standard and that doesn't change for anyone. And as long as the leadership in the locker room can identify what that is and it trickles down to everybody else, starting from the head coach down to the players, I believe SAT is what they have. A standard and accountability with each other and a trust because of all of that.
00:28:22
Speaker 1: SAT.
00:28:23
Speaker 2: That sounds like something I need to find a way to use. Great thoughts from one of the great Jaguars.
00:28:27
Speaker 4: Fred, as always, we appreciate your insight. Hope you enjoy the game. We'll catch up with you in the postgame.
00:28:32
Speaker 8: I'm looking forward to it. Talk to you soon.
00:28:36
Speaker 2: My favorite Fred Taylor moment against the Broncos came on Monday Night Football late in the 1999 season when Broncos quarterback Brian Greasy was giving the Jaguars fits. The game was tied at 17 with 2 minutes and 35 seconds to play. Now, Fred hadn't played much because he was recovering from a hamstring injury, but he came off the bench when the Jags needed him most and raced through the Broncos defense for a 38-yard touchdown that sparked the Jags' 10th consecutive win. Ironically, if the Jaguars win in Denver on Sunday, it will be their 10th consecutive regular season victory. One more conversation to share with you, and it's a good one. Linebackers coach Tim Lubaku is already one of my favorites. He's passionate, energetic, and as you're about to hear, a natural leader. It's easy to see why the linebackers love playing for him and why they played so well last week. Foye Aluokun, Branson Combs and Ventrell Miller combined for 17 tackles, two sacks, an interception, and a forced fumble. Miller played especially well after winning the starting job for the first time. time in his four-year career. So I asked Lubaku if he saw that one coming.
00:29:48
Speaker 1: I did because he's prepared.
00:29:51
Speaker 9: You know, we try to make it very obvious to the guys that it shouldn't be a surprise if you put the work in what the results are. We're process-driven.
00:30:01
Speaker 2: And the process worked well because you had interceptions and fumble recoveries and sacks. The linebacker corps as a whole had a heck of a game.
00:30:08
Speaker 9: Yeah, we have a habitat. We have a culture in that room. Preparation equals performance. And that's what the guys did the whole summer and the week leading up to this team.
00:30:20
Speaker 2: Liam has talked about success being when the players take over and hold the standard high. Has your room taken over that culture, or are you still driving it? A thousand percent the players. That's what it's always going to be from now to the end of time. It's the way, you know, the first time I got into the league, that's what I realized. The good players, the guys that are consistent, it comes from them, right? We give them direction. We give them the data. We give them the information. And then once they're on the grass, it's all them taking over. I see that the linebackers are almost always the last guys off the field, and your veteran guys right here working with the younger guys. How much does that help you?
00:30:57
Speaker 9: It's everything because, you know, more is more.
00:31:01
Speaker 8: More is more.
00:31:03
Speaker 9: You can never work hard enough. We try to do it within the bounds of what we're allowed to do, but there's always something that we haven't seen yet or something that we can always work on, and the guys have embraced that, and it shows.
00:31:15
Speaker 2: So this team last year had a good day running the ball in Week 16, but Monday night they didn't run the ball so well. How do you balance what you've seen in two games, one on TV and one in person?
00:31:24
Speaker 9: It's the National Football League. If you don't bring your A game, you're going to get taken advantage of, and that's not what we do.
00:31:32
Speaker 1: So you just assume you're going to get their very best.
00:31:34
Speaker 8: Absolutely.
00:31:36
Speaker 9: That's always the attitude that we have because they're highly paid, too.
00:31:40
Speaker 2: Give me a sense of this quarterback. Bo Nix is a guy who moves around a lot. He stresses the defense, doesn't he? What's important for a defense to be aware of with him?
00:31:49
Speaker 9: Our eye control. They do a lot of eye candy and things that mess with the linebackers. The guys take pride in our room that we're the first level of defense that every offense tries to take advantage of. And when we're on our game, it looks really good.
00:32:06
Speaker 2: Takeaways were a big part of last Sunday's win. They were a big part of your win in Denver. It's obviously something that people just assume. Well, you're not going to get 31 again this year, but you're off to a great start. What's the mindset of your football team?
00:32:17
Speaker 9: The mindset is we never talk about we're going to have 31 takeaways. The mindset is the process, and the process is attack the ball. And you can attack the ball if you're anticipating plays, by looking at formations, by looking at tendencies. That's the things that allow us to attack the ball.
00:32:34
Speaker 2: Tim, is it difficult to get players to go from being outcome-driven to process-driven? Or we've seen enough of it in recent years that guys come into the league ready to be process-driven.
00:32:44
Speaker 9: It's 100% difficult. I'm a guy, I'm in my 40s, and it's human nature. You always want the results now, but results only come because of work.
00:32:54
Speaker 2: Can you put into words, for everyone who's listening, what Foye Aluokun means to this defense?
00:33:00
Speaker 9: He is the glue guy. He's the energizer bunny. Oh, by the way, on top of that, he's also making plays. So who wouldn't want that on their team?
00:33:09
Speaker 1: Doesn't surprise you at all that he has an interception on the opening drive, does it? Not at all.
00:33:13
Speaker 2: Not the way he prepares. Tell me about playing in Denver. It's one of the great road atmospheres. You're heading into a tough stretch of schedule against one of the best teams in the league in one of the most difficult environments. in pro football. How much does this team embrace the challenge? How as coaches do you help them embrace the challenge?
00:33:31
Speaker 9: We love it. We love it. It's part of the equation. It's part of being great. If you want to be great in this league, you got to go and perform in those kind of environments.
00:33:40
Speaker 1: It all comes with it.
00:33:42
Speaker 9: It's not that we're going to behave any differently because of where it is and who it is, but it's a part of the blessing that we have to be a part of this league and compete versus a team that has a great atmosphere and a lot of good players.
00:33:57
Speaker 2: And let's end on this. We've heard about AAA. Anyone, anytime, anywhere. How have your guys embraced that?
00:34:04
Speaker 9: It's what makes it even more fun for us because, you know, as a competitor, you don't want to ever make excuses for why you don't perform or compete at a high level, and we never will. So that's why, you know, we always strive to be better than we were the day before.
00:34:20
Speaker 1: Tim Novakou, go get him today.
00:34:22
Speaker 9: I appreciate you.
00:34:26
Speaker 1: So there you have it.
00:34:27
Speaker 2: A few good minutes with a few good people to help get you ready for the Jaguars Week 2 showdown in Denver. Kickoff comes at you at 4.05 Eastern Time, and if you're so inclined, and would like to hear more, dial us up.
00:34:38
Speaker 1: We're on 1010XL in.
00:34:39
Speaker 2: Jacksonville or the Jaguars YouTube channel with the Publix pregame show starting at one o'clock on Sunday afternoon. And I'd love to hear your Jaguars Broncos memories. You're more than welcome to share them with me on X. You'll find me at Brian Big Mouth. Yeah, I know the shoe fits. Thanks for spending some time with us. We'll be back next week with another edition of A Few Good Minutes.
