JACKSONVILLE – There's no panic around the 'Bank.
Head Coach Doug Pederson made that clear Monday afternoon, a day after a second consecutive loss dropped the Jaguars from first place in the AFC South.
"I still think we're where we need to be, quite honestly," Pederson said.
The Jaguars on Sunday lost to the Houston Texans, 13-6, at TIAA Bank Field, outgaining the Texans, 422-248, but scoring two field goals on three drives past the Texans 20-yard line. The Jaguars (2-3) are now in third place in the South behind the Tennessee Titans (3-2) and Indianapolis Colts (2-2-1) with the Texans at 1-3-1.
"Coach Pederson talks about flushing it and moving on," Jaguars veteran guard Brandon Scherff said Monday. "We don't want one game to carry over to two games. Everybody's got that want to win and want to get better. I'm excited to see everybody respond."
The Jaguars, held without a touchdown for the first time in five games this season, fell behind by the final margin when Texans rookie running back Dameon Pierce's one-yard run capped a 12-play, 74-yard drive with 3:11 remaining. The Jaguars had two possessions after that, with quarterback Trevor Lawrence throwing four incompletions from the 50 to end the first and throwing a last-play Hail Mary interception on the game's final play to end the second.
The Jaguars on Sunday converted six of 15 third downs and zero of four fourth downs, with Lawrence throwing an end-zone interception on the first drive of the second half. They committed six penalties for 48 yards, including a key unnecessary roughness penalty on rookie outside linebacker Travon Walker on 3rd-and-20 from the Texans 47 that helped extend the game-winning drive.
"Everybody was a little frustrated because we thought we played a heck of a game; we've just got to focus on details," Scherff said. "Going back and watching film just frustrates you a little bit more. We're in as good as spirits as you can be.
"It's frustrating because when you watch back on film you left quite a few yards out there. It's frustrating, yes, but we can move on from this and grow and learn."
The Jaguars' three losses this season have come by a score or less, with the offense having possession with a chance to tie or take the lead in the final two minutes of each loss.
"It's not perfect," Pederson said. "We could easily be the other way around when you look at the three losses. It's about what we do. It's self-inflicted. It's going to be that mindset as we go: How we handle those issues."
Scherff, an eight-year veteran who signed with the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent in March, said his message to younger teammates is to "continue to stick with the plan."
"We've been in every game that we've lost," he said. "We have 12 more games, so just continue to stick with the plan. It's all about sticking together. That's what it is and that's what we're going to do."
That's an approach that echoes that of Pederson, who said of teaching a young team to learn how to win: "You just keep showing them on film. You have conversations during the week. You go over it and over it and over it. You have to stay consistent with it. We know there are going to be some bumps and hiccups in the roads. That's part of it. It's our job as coaches to help minimize those. We take pride in helping those guys get through it.
"We're where we need to be. There are still those little mistakes we've got to correct and get better from, and I know our guys will do that."
NOTABLE
- The Jaguars, after converting four of eight fourth downs in the first four games of the season, failed to convert twice Sunday on fourth down in non-end-of-game situations. Lawrence threw incomplete on 4th-and-4 to wide receiver Christian Kirk from the Texans 37 to end the Jaguars' first possession of the third quarter and running back James Robinson ran for no gain on 4th-and-1 from the Texans 38 to end their first possession of the fourth quarter. "The plays are there," Pederson said. "We coaches need to teach a little better, we need to show the players a few more examples of how those plays can succeed, then we make them. We convert the fourth down, we stay on the field. I don't regret any of the decisions at all, I think they were favorable for us to go at those times and I would do them again." The Jaguars' third fourth-down attempt Sunday came on 4th-and-10 from the 50 with 1:41 remaining with Lawrence throwing deep incomplete to tight end Evan Engram.
NOTABLE II
- Pederson said left guard Ben Bartch was undergoing tests Monday after leaving Sunday's game with a knee injury. Pederson said an update is likely Tuesday or Wednesday.
