JACKSONVILLE – Doug Marrone talked about frustration Sunday.
He talked about job security, too – with the Jaguars' head coach emphasizing following a fifth consecutive loss that he understands NFL reality.
"The realistic part is you never know when it's going to stop," Marrone said moments after a 34-16 loss to the 2-3 Detroit Lions at TIAA Bank Field. "I'm not going to be one of those guys to say that that's not something that can happen. We see what happens around the league, so I acknowledge that.
"At the same time, it's something that I can't control."
Marrone, speaking to the media via videoconference following Sunday's loss, also was asked about the future of defensive coordinator Todd Wash. The Jaguars' defense has allowed 30 points in five consecutive games, the first time in franchise history that has happened in five games in one season.
"As long as I'm here and I'm the head coach, yes, he's safe," Marrone said of Wash, the Jaguars' defensive coordinator since 2016.
Marrone added of Wash: "We all have to get better; I'm going to acknowledge that. We've tried to do everything. We've done things [defensively]. We've worked on them, we've changed things up, we've pressured. I think we need someone to step up and make plays….
"Right now, I don't see any options. … We've just got to keep working to get these guys better and be able to make some plays, and that's what's hurting us. It's not a lack of not trying of changing things, which we have done."
Marrone also on Sunday was asked about a possible quarterback change. Starting quarterback Gardner Minshew II on Sunday completed 25 of 44 passes for 243 yards and a touchdown with an interception for a passer rating of 70.5. He also lost a fumble on a sack late in the first half.
"No," Marrone said when asked if he considered playing backup Mike Glennon Sunday. "Maybe in the future, I think. I mean, I'd be naïve not to say … that's up for any position; any play that we can do for ourselves to get better. But no, I didn't feel that way during the course of the game."
Marrone called this the "most challenging" time of an NFL head coaching career that spans three previous seasons with the Jaguars and the 2013-2014 seasons with the Buffalo Bills.
"It probably hurts more because we've got guys that are working hard," Marrone said. "We've got a bunch of coaches that work hard, and we can't seem to bring it together. That's what hurts me more than really anything. … We've dug ourselves in this hole and we've got to fight our way and just keep fighting. … It's a very difficult situation. I'm not going to lie about that."
Marrone added, "I want to make sure I'm clear on this. It's the biggest disappointment I have in myself. I don't want to make it like, 'Oh I'm just frustrated, I'm throwing [stuff] and I'm pulling out my hair.' I'm just so disappointed. In my past I've been able to pull through some things and pull people up and get people to perform. I'm doing everything I can to do that and it's not either: A, going as fast as I want it to; or B, I'm not getting that done and I feel like I'm the one that's letting down the coaches and the players.
"That's just how I've always looked at things. So, I really want to stay away from the 'frustration' word because I look at it as I'm just disappointed in myself."
NOTABLE I
The Jaguars rushed for 44 yards on 16 carries against a Lions defense that entered the game allowing a league-worst 170.3 yards per game. Rookie James Robinson rushed for 29 yards on 12 carries, including eight rushes for 21 yards in the first half. Right guard A.J. Cann sustained a shoulder injury on the Jaguars' second series with rookie Ben Bartch playing thereafter. "I just don't think we did a good enough job at that point," Marrone said "We've got to give Detroit credit. I mean, they've got some big guys up front, played a bunch of guys in the box. They were playing a bunch of bear [defense]—which we knew, going in, that they had the ability to do. We weren't able to break them. We just didn't win enough, collectively. And that's the one group that you have to win collectively on. We had just, maybe a couple, but obviously not even close to enough of what we needed to establish the run."
QUOTABLE I
Wide receiver DJ Chark Jr.: "Honestly, players play, coaches coach. Yes, the coaches have to put us in good positions to succeed. [Offensive coordinator Jay] Gruden tries. We're on him about getting [running back] James [Robinson] the ball. We're on him about getting me the ball. We're on him about all this. At the end of the day, the plays are being called and the attempts are there. [Gruden] can't go catch it for me. He can't throw it to me. He can't hand it to James himself. We just have to find a way to make things happen."
QUOTABLE I
Minshew: "We ought to have some kind of a sense of urgency to be able to score every drive. But also, a lot of that is putting our defense in bad positions a lot of the time and not capitalizing when they put us in a good position. We have to do better at that, and I think that will help us."
QUOTABLE III
Middle linebacker Joe Schobert: "We're a young team, you've got to learn from these mistakes and execute it fast. The NFL is a rough league if you make those kinds of mistakes over and over again. You've got to be able to turn it around and learn from your mistakes and not do it again. I know I trust the guys on defense, their will and their want-to. I know they're going to do their best to be able to correct that, and I know I'm looking forward to seeing how the guys keep on building and keep on going."
QUOTABLE IV
Chark: "I'm a competitor, I like to win. I go out every time to win. When we don't win, it's frustrating, it makes the week long, it makes going home tough. I've been here three years and still haven't really won. It makes it tough; it makes it hard; it makes football more difficult, but the only way out of it is to win. And the only way to win is to come to work and do what you're supposed to do. We just have to take that mentality throughout the whole team. Personally, I don't think, really, that any of these teams are just better than us. I don't know if you're supposed to say that or not, but I don't. But, you walk off the field and it's 31-10 or 31-whatever-it-is, you can't make that argument too much."
