JACKSONVILLE – Work must be done, and Doug Pederson will approach the bye that way.
While Pederson as an NFL head coach at times has given teams entire bye weeks off, he won't be doing so in his first season with the Jaguars.
So, work will continue this week at TIAA Bank Field.
"We're a young football team," Pederson said Monday, a day after a 27-17 loss to the AFC West-leading Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. "We're still learning and it's a great opportunity for us as a [coaching] staff to continue to teach and coach and get through the tape with our players in the next couple of days."
The Jaguars (3-7), after six losses in seven games, have a bye this week and will play host to the Baltimore Ravens (6-3) at TIAA Bank Field Sunday, November 27. Pederson said the Jaguars will practice Tuesday and Wednesday before being off Thursday through Sunday as mandated by NFL rule.
"We're not game-planning anything, but we'll go back and really go through this first part of the season and reteach and relearn and show them," Pederson said. "You're a little bit calmer this time during the bye than during a game-plan week. It's a great opportunity for these guys to continue to learn."
Pederson at times scheduled entire bye weeks off while the Philadelphia Eagles' head coach from 2016-2020.
"Especially with our younger players, I think it will be good and beneficial to work with them and kind of keep their development and growth coming," Pederson said. "At the same time, or older players – the starters – it's a time to sort of rest and heal and get ready for this back-half push.
"I will talk to them about how to handle their business with the four days off I have to give them. It's all about being a professional. How we handle it can affect next week for sure, but it can also set a standard for the rest of the year."
NOTABLE I
- Pederson on Monday discussed inside linebacker, where Chad Muma – a third-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft – played a season-high 25 snaps Sunday with starter Devin Lloyd playing a season-low 58 snaps. Lloyd, a rookie first-round selection, played 100 percent of snaps in six games this season, but played 91.5 percent in a Week 9 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders and 60.3 percent Sunday. "It helps sometimes coming out of the game and seeing it from the sidelines, seeing a little different perspective, and allowing Chad to get valuable reps – and seeing where Chad is with everything," Pederson said, adding of Muma: "He's a good linebacker and we wanted to get him on the field." Pederson added, "It helps Devin from the standpoint of seeing things a little bit differently, maybe with calmer eyes, from the sideline." Pederson was asked if Lloyd's issues could stem from missing most of training camp and preseason with a hamstring injury. "I think it can," he said. "It's a young player. He missed all the live reps in training camp. That's hard because those are all valuable reps, reps that Chad got and [reserve] Shaq Quarterman got. But we've played a lot of football now, too. He should be understanding what the scheme is, understanding his technique and how to play within the defense a little bit. Again, this is that time of year with young players. We're coming out of Week 10 into a bye Week 11 … this is sort of that rookie wall you talk a little bit with some of these guys. Again, it's a good time for a break."
NOTABLE II
- Pederson on Monday also discussed a Jaguars pass rush that registered no sacks and four hits on Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes Sunday. "It's the coaches putting together a good pass-rush plan, then the players obviously have to go execute that," Pederson said. "Then again, too, you're going up against good offensive linemen who do a nice job. No. 15 (Mahomes) scrambles around a little bit and that makes it a little bit harder as well." Pederson also discussed fourth-year outside linebacker Josh Allen, who registered no sacks and a pressure Sunday. Allen this season has three sacks through 10 games with a team-leading 13 hurries. "He understands he has to get going," Pederson said. "He knows that. He's had conversations with the staff, knowing he's a big part of that rush. He's talented – and too talented not to get there. We just have to make sure he stays focused in and locked in on the rush plan and sticking to the technique that has made him a good pass rusher in this league."
NOTABLE III
- Pederson said the Jaguars sustained no major injuries Sunday. He said wide receiver Jamal Agnew and tight end Evan Engram both left Sunday's game briefly before returning.
The air was cool, but Jaguars fans came out to cheer on the team in a Week 10 game against Kansas City. Check out the top game photos, from tunnel views to on field perspectives you'll get a glance from every angle at Arrowhead Stadium.