HEAD COACH DOUG PEDERSON
What does it mean to get a win in Nashville and close the game so strong with a 10-0 run?
It feels great to get back in the win column. It's been a while. Hats off to the players. They battled their tails off. Defense fought all day and kept us in the football game. Came up big with some PBUs and obviously there at the end. Offense, we got a slow start, but we gained momentum as the game went on. Proud of the guys for 10 points in the fourth quarter and for finishing the game that way. Hats off to those guys. They battled their tails off. You can see all of my excitement right here.
Could you talk about the reaction in the locker room?
It's excited, sort of a relief. It's the excitement, it's the joy of the work that you put in and you're finally rewarded for a win. Again, just so happy for the players, the coaches, just hanging in there battling their tails off. Tennessee, that's a good football team too. They do some really good things. I'm just excited and happy for our guys.
Can you talk about the defense that kept you in the game and Jarrian Jones two break ups and a sack?
I thought in Jarrian's (Jones) case, just played really well down the stretch here in this game and you talked about the couple of pass breakups and that sack was a thing of beauty, how he can bend and get around that edge and get Will Levis on the ground. I thought he did a really good job, and he just continues to get better each week. He works extremely hard. So, a lot of good things about Jarrian.
Can you discuss how you finally got Brian Thomas going in the third quarter?
We tried earlier in the game to do some things that way. Tennessee took a couple of those options away and we didn't get into a rhythm. But it's what we got to do, right? We got to get Brian (Thomas) involved. And he's such a dynamic young, first-year receiver that is a great player. He's going to be going to be a really good player in this league. And for he and Mac (Jones) to make that play, it's kind of broken-play scramble that really got us down there. And I think that is where we scored the touchdown on that drive. Just a great awareness by those two. But B. T. is just a solid player that continues to improve each week.
What do you see out of Mac Jones getting the start?
That's one thing about Mac he just sticks to it. He grinds it out. He's right there with all the guys. The way he led our team. And really, there was no panic, right? Nobody pointing the finger or anything. It's we just had to tighten some things up and make a few subtle adjustments for him to lead us down there and get those 10 points, I thought. And then we had an opportunity before the half, in the two-minute drive before half, we're in a position. We just really we had a penalty, a sack there, knocked us out of field goal range. He did some good things today and things that we can continue to build on.
How impressive was Travon Walker's tackle there on the first goal-line stand?
That's Travon (Walker). I thought today guys like Trayvon, Jarrion (Jone), Mac (Jone), you guys were talking about B.T. (Brian Thomas), Tank (Bigsby), I mean all these guys, every one of them, it's just the consistency and just continuing to do their job. And that's what we've asked them to do and on that particular play, Trayvon just did an outstanding job just making a play. And obviously the fourth-and-goal late in the game, to come up empty there, hats off to the defense for just the execution.
Could you talk a little bit about how Mac Jones must feel getting his first win for his hometown team?
I think you have to ask him, but I know he's going to be excited. I'm excited for him to really lead our football team. And now he knows, too, moving forward that he's going to be out there, he's going to be the guy. The second half of last week to this week, just some things that we can continue to build, and he can build upon but excited for him obviously getting that first win.
What was Anton Harrison's issue for not playing today?
Illness. A little bit last night and then all day this morning when he woke up. I mean, sick, illness.
How did Cole Van Lane play as Harrison's backup?
I thought for someone who woke up thinking he was going to be a backup to starting, I thought he played really well today. We'll take a look at the tape, obviously make some corrections. But I thought he played physical, he played good for being a backup to a starter within a matter of hours.
After losing so many starters previously, was there any part of you that was wondering how they would respond?
You're always wondering how they're going to respond, but look, I've been around these guys all season and sure nobody knows the outcome of the game, right, until you play the game. But I know how these guys prepare during the week, and I know how they work during the week so that's what gives you the hope that, 'Hey, we're going to go out and we're going to get the job done, right? And we're going to we're going to play well to do it, whatever it takes.' When you're playing Tennessee, it's never an easy game. I mean, it's a game that's always tough. It's physical. It's a battle. And I'm just so happy for the players and for the work that they've put into to finally get rewarded.
