Jaguars Players Looking At the Bye as the Perfect Time To Rest and Reset

Nov 20, 2024 at 01:50 PM

John Oehser

Jaguars Senior Writer

JACKSONVILLE – The time for rest is now.

And as Mitch Morse saw it, it's the right time for that time as the Jaguars move forward from one of the worst losses in franchise history.

He wasn't alone.

"If you asked everyone around this building, this bye week has come at the perfect time," Morse said.

Morse, the Jaguars' veteran center, was among multiple players speaking to the media early this week in the wake of a 52-6 loss to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich. It marked the most one-sided loss in franchise history, with the Jaguars (2-9) having lost the final four games entering this week's Week 12 bye.

Head Coach Doug Pederson on Monday spoke of a tired team, fatigued not only from 11 consecutive games but from a series of difficult losses.

"We're not winning," Pederson said. "We're not executing. We're not winning games. I think all of that, from a team perspective, not just the defense, but a team perspective, the guys are tired. The guys are mentally and physically fatigued. This is a good time to step away and take a break, and recharge for the last six games."

The Jaguars this season have lost six games by five or fewer points, with all six games decided in the final two minutes. They lost three consecutive games in that fashion entering Sunday's loss, all to NFC contenders – 30-27 to the Green Bay Packers, 28-23 to the Philadelphia Eagles and 12-7 to the Minnesota Vikings.

"It gets very frustrating when you feel like you should've won some of the games," rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. said. "You feel like some of the games, being one-score games, you could've had a different outcome if only one play or something like it would have been better. It gets really frustrating, but we have to keep our head down, keep fighting, stay focused."

"We just want to finish these last six games strong, just come back with more focus than ever and finish the season out strong."

Right tackle Anton Harrison called the situation "tough" – and echoed the sentiments of Thomas and multiple players when he spoke of the opportunity in the final six games after the bye.

"Obviously, it'd be tough for anybody, 11 straight weeks of what we do. It's hard, but it's what we signed up for," he said. "It's not really an excuse, but it's definitely something that is true and something that we have to just have to come back stronger and better."

The Jaguars will play host to the AFC South-leading Houston Texans on December 1, then finish the season at the Tennessee Titans (2-8), home against the New York Jets (3-8), at the Las Vegas Raiders (2-8), home against the Titans (2-8) and at the Indianapolis Colts (5-6).

Morse this week spoke of the bye as a chance for "not just time away from the building, but self reflection, getting your bodies back."

"It's everything, a mental and physical reset, and then we get to come out of this with six weeks of being able to just push and see what we can do," he said. "We put our foot in the gas. We have nothing to lose, be professionals, and do that to the best of our ability.

"When you ask anyone in the locker room, no one expected to be in this position. It's how you respond to that, and that's going to be a great challenge. We'll all have our moments this week to just really take a step back and see how we want to attack individually and as a team these next six weeks after we get back after the bye."

QUOTABLE

Thomas on veteran wide receiver Gabe Davis, who will miss the rest of the regular season with a knee injury sustained Sunday: "He fought through a lot of injuries this season. It just shows how much he's willing to give for this team, how much of a team player he is. He's fighting, battling each and every week through injuries. He's just a great team player."

QUOTABLE

Pederson on whether he regrets holding tough practices during training camp: "I don't. There's no substitution for your hard work and preparation. This is a football game, a sport. It's contact. You've got to put pads on. You've got to do those things to condition your body."