**
TITANS INTERIM HEAD COACH MIKE MULARKEY**
(On Rashad Greene's punt return) "It started on the punt. He (Rashad Greene) caught it on the run. Obviously, the coverage was not down there in time. He was at full speed and everyone was not in their lanes yet and he ran right past everybody. It's not good. We didn't punt the ball well enough all night."
(On the mistakes they had late in the game) "You know, it sounds like I'm rewinding the tape every week. I don't have to tell them. They watched what just took place. We knew this team has hung around all year and been in close games by getting turnovers like they did. Again, it sounds like I'm repeating myself but it feels like it. We have to find a way to get over that. That is my responsibility to try to get them over the hump. "
(On if they could have done anything different during last drive) "(We just) ran out of time. There were little things. Like seeing, Antonio (Andrews) could have given the ball to the official like we practiced and harp on instead of throwing it on the ground costing us seconds. Little things like that."
(On intentions on last play) "We had to throw it to the end zone. We had inside receivers running through hopefully gathering a coverage for in-cuts in the end zone. It would have been to Rico (Richardson). "
(On why the final play to Richardson) "It was the play we had and couldn't change the personnel because of the clock."
(On thinking of going for it on the 4th down before Green's return) "After the fact, I still wouldn't do it again."
(On how tough it was for a rookie quarterback in the final drive on the game) "It was pretty productive all way down to the last play. We have a chance to win the game on the last play of the game and he (Marcus Mariota) had a lot to do with that. He made plays on his feet. He made some throws and guys made some plays. That is a great experience for him to move forward on. He is going to win a lot of those games."
**
QB MARCUS MARIOTA**
(On potential game-winning drive) "Every single opportunity we have, we try to score. We had an opportunity at the end to just try to throw it up there and give the guys a chance. We were basically trying to get everybody out in the end zone. We were down to that time situation and I have to do a better job of giving those guys a shot."
(On team injuries at wide receiver) "It is what it is. I thought those guys who came in played well. Unfortunately, we just weren't able to execute in the fourth quarter and that's why we lost."
(On play of RB Antonio Andrews) "Offensive line was able to create some running room for him in the second half and unfortunately we weren't able to get a couple of first downs in the fourth quarter when we needed them.
(On attitude after loss) "It's tough. We've been in a lot of close games and lost a lot of close ones. We have to be able to finish. This team works hard. You can feel the frustration, but we can't hang our heads. We have a lot of games left. Our defense is playing at a really high level. They keep giving us more and more opportunities. We just weren't able to capitalize on turnovers. We just have to do a better job of scoring points."
(On learning experiences) "We are a pretty young team. You go through these situations week in and week out, and to be able to learn from them will only help us out in the end."
(On TD run) "The defensive end kind of crouched on the running back and (Philip) Supernaw did a great job of getting a block downfield, and because of the way Antonio was running the ball it gave me an opportunity."
(On last place in the division) "It is tough because unfortunately we haven't been on the right side of some of these losing games. I do feel like it's a good learning experience. We will build from it."
**
TE DELANIE WALKER** (On losing games late) "I'm a little upset. You go out there and make the mistakes we made and that's how you lose games. To be honest, the Jaguars made plays when they needed to make them. I would say in the middle of the game, they made some adjustments. At the end of the day, we made some mistakes, had a couple of sacks and that long return hurt us on special teams. We had a fumble that hurt us at the end as well. You can't win games with things like that. It doesn't matter who you're playing."
(On Thursday night game) "It's frustrating especially in prime time Thursday night the way we lost it. I felt like the team played good at the end by driving the ball down the field. In the end, you can't have sacks in crucial moments like that. I felt like we made a lot of mistakes out there. We made some penalties on both sides of the ball, mistakes that you can't have. "
(On Jacksonville) "They have a very young team too and some guys that can make some plays. We have a lot of injured guys and a lot of guys had to step up tonight. We had to pull up a couple of rookies that played. This is the NFL. When your number is called, you have to go out there and perform at a high level. We want to do things right. Everybody is upset when they make key mistakes that can cost them the game. There's no panic going on in this locker room." **
LB ZACH BROWN**
(On intercepting Jaguars QB Blake Bortles in 4th quarter) "I was just playing man-to-man and he ran a seven route. I just happened to look back and he threw the ball. I just learned that when they run the seven run, when you undercut him you just have to fade back with him or the ball will go right over your head."
(On frustration of loss) "We can't panic. We just have to find a way to win. I don't know what to do, but somehow we have to find a way to pull the game off. At the end of the day, they did their job. They got the turnover and found a way to win."
JAGUARS HEAD COACH GUS BRADLEY
(Opening statement) "First I've got to give credit to our fans. On that last drive I know we felt the energy from them and to be able to get this win at home in front of our home fans is an awesome feeling. I know the guys are elated in the locker room and it's just a great win. You talk about two good teams trying to get back and get a couple of wins here on each side. I give credit to them, they battled through it all. Their defense is a very tough defense. They put a lot of pressure on us. We knew that coming in that we were going to have to hold up on our protections and we did just enough. I'm pleased with our special teams. I thought they did a nice job. Defensively they scored a touchdown but overall I thought we made some nice stops in critical times."
(On Rashad Greene's punt return) "It was great. What I liked about it was how aggressive he was. He was back there and got a low punt to him. He had his mindset that he was going for it. He really did a nice job. I thought the punt return team did a nice job with hold-ups and the blocks down the field. They made really good decisions at a critical times. There was a time that we looked like we could have got a block in the back, I think it was Sergio that held up on it. It was a good decision that allowed us to get that field position."
(Anything you changed in the fourth quarter with pressure?) "No, I think we brought some pressures, different pressures on third down but our guys just stayed alive. I think we had better coverage downfield, I think that helped. They had a couple of explosive plays in the first half that hurt us on drives that got them in field goal position and I just thought we tightened it up a little bit better."
(On two games in 5 days and having to dig deep) "We really did. I look at guys like T.J. Yeldon, Dan Skuta, there are a lot of guys that really sucked it up for us. Skuta went as long as he could and it really is a testament to these guys and their will. We talk about it each and every week but now we're talking about that we got one in the win column and that's even better."
(On Allen Robinson big catches) "Yeah, you know what? A tremendous athlete. I know he started out a little bit slow and we were trying to get him involved but he came up with some big catches. His explosiveness, his ability to judge the ball, go up and battle and compete I think speaks volumes of him."
(On scoring in red zone late) "Yeah, it was a little bit frustrating, I think twice we were inside the 15 and came away with field goals. Maybe it was three times but we will continue to work on that. To have that one after Rashad's punt return, to get it in the end zone versus pressure. Blake made a nice read, got to the appropriate guy, got it to J.T. and to get into the end zone was big."
(On kicking a field goal after the turnover) "When they used their time out and they had no time outs left we put our offense out there to see. They used their time out and we sent the field goal team out there."
(On everything coming together) "In this game and last week too, so we're getting these one possession games and we've been in them all year. To see us do enough to get the win is great. I think we're seeing who we are. We need this spirit, we need this will, the trust and the faith that they have in one another, that's what I told them, I said speak about that. That's what's great about this team. I'm sure there will be many more to come like this, in these one possession games. Fortunately we came out of the good end this time and we'll get back to work."
(On Jason Myers gaining confidence) "It was good. I give credit to Dave Caldwell. We talked about it that there were going to be some ups and downs especially early with them and there were but we wanted to stick with them and be strong with them. We felt strongly about him and it's good to see that he's responding."
(On Blake going to Thomas often) "There was some by design. There were other chances that we missed. I think it was the second half that we were taking a shot and he dumped it off to Julius so some were the second and third read."
(On having nine days to prepare for San Diego) "I think that with their mindset is right now is they're going to appreciate this one and then get back to work. They kind of defined themselves. They talked about in the locker room that this is the type of game we're going to be in and we know what it takes to be in these games and come out the winning end, so we've got to go back to work and keep building on this. We have to go about it the same way we have. They have so much faith in it and they have so much faith in one another and that's what you see when they come back to work. No talk about let's look ahead. We really talked about the last three or four weeks about respecting the day."
(On altering mindset with Mariota getting the ball out quickly) "We did a little bit. We knew that, he's a very talented player. I think he had ten touchdowns and no interceptions on the road, over 130 quarterback rating on the road this year, so he is a very talented quarterback. It really challenged us. You're right, he does do a good job. We knew that coming in; he's got a quick release, he gets rid of the ball, he makes good decisions and he's very talented."
(What was it like on the field on the last play of the game with make-or-break plays?) "I think as the game went on and we got that long punt return you could feel it on the sideline, but it was really strong the whole second half. Regardless of what happened they just felt strong about it. Then when we had that opportunity it was so close and they wanted to take advantage of it right away, but then the faith they had in the defense too. When we kicked the field goal everybody was excited about that. They felt like the defense was really coming along. The more they got more and more reps on it the more opportunities. It was good and then to have that last play where the guys played good disciplined ball they had their heels on the goal line and they protected it, so it was good."
QB BLAKE BORTLES
(On the pressure of scoring a touchdown after the long punt return) "I thought we did some good stuff from the 20 to the 20 (yard lines) obviously, but we lacked a little bit in our red zone efficiency when we got down there. But the guys continued to fight, they continued to battle; they did an unbelievable job. You get a chance like that, you can't wait for another opportunity to get the ball down to the red zone. The guys did a really good job of staying poised and Julius (Thomas) ran a really good route and got open…one on one against really a defensive end, so that's kind of a mismatch."
(On touchdown pass to Julius Thomas) "They dropped a defensive end to play man coverage against Julius, so I think any time you see that, you've got to give him the ball because he's going to win and get open."
(On the excitement on winning) "It's always exciting when you win a ballgame. I think going through that last drive, the defense gets an opportunity to go out there…we have all the faith in the world in them and they made a big play to end it. As an offense, you always want to end the game, you want to run the clock out; you want to take a knee at the end of it. But we have unbelievable faith in the defense and they played unbelievably all night…really back-to-back weeks, they've kept us in the game."
(On how much effort there was to get the ball to Julius Thomas) "It's kind of funny. There was nothing different. It wasn't the same game plan, but similar stuff and he won early and we got him a couple of touches early and obviously he made the big play on the touchdown. We'll continue to try and get him the ball and continue to try to let him be a big part of this offense."
(On how much confidence he has in Allen Robinson) "We talk about it all the time in the quarterback room…no matter what you do, don't overthrow him. Just give him a chance because he is going to go up and make a play. That's really all you do when you throw the ball to him, you don't have to throw a perfect ball, just don't overthrow him and let him go up and catch it. He's going to make a play. He has been unbelievable. Guys like Julius Thomas and Al Robinson are all big dudes who can go make plays, so we'll have to use those guys better in the red zone."
(On how the offense played) "It is a continuing process. I think we've done a good job over the past couple of weeks. I thought we were able to run the ball good tonight; like I said earlier, I thought from the 20 to the 20, we were unbelievable. Two bad turnovers on my part that I need to continue to work on and cut those out. I thought from the 20 to the 20, we were really good, but we've got to continue to work."
(On if playing at home helps the short week preparation) "I think it's huge. I think it's big to be able to play at home—we're always excited to play at home—and we play four of the next five at home and I think to be able to do it on a short week means a lot. Guys are banged up; guys are hurt, so to be able to come in the short week, show up and give it all you got and play as hard as you can on Thursday night, it's impressive. It's fun to be a part of. It's definitely a special opportunity to be part of this team."
(On what he thought about the uniforms) "I liked them. I played at UCF (University of Central Florida) so we had gold in our uniforms. We were always pretty boring at UCF, so any time I get to wear something different, I'm excited."
TE JULIUS THOMAS
(On his touchdown reception) "It was actually a look I hadn't seen in a long time. Having a linebacker in man coverage – particularly a rush linebacker – was pretty unique. It's been awhile. Just a nice comfortable stick route, something I've done thousands of times. I just wanted to make sure I gave Blake plenty of room to deliver the football. He threw a great pass, on time, in a place that only I could get it. I probably made it sound a little better than it really was, but it was just your classic stick route."
(On scoring a touchdown in the red zone) "There's nothing more frustrating than kicking field goals, especially when you're inside the five. I think that our offense works really hard at being able to execute in the red area. To struggle with it was a little bit frustrating but it's always great when you can go down there and get points. Our defense was playing fantastic football and we felt like we were letting them down by not scoring and pushing that lead up. It was the right time and we were able to hold on and get a big stop to end the game for a win."
(On thoughts prior to the snap of his touchdown play) "I think that it was more of our formation that dictated that. T.J. [Yeldon] being lined up outside – the corner stayed out there with him. That's how defense goes: corners take number one and linebacker takes number two. It was a good call on Oly's part. For me, it wouldn't have mattered if it were a corner or not. I just want to be able to win that route and put points on the board."
S JOHNATHAN CYPRIEN
(On Rashad Greene's punt return to set up a touchdown) "It was amazing. I was kind of mad at myself that I even let him catch that pass, so I was just hoping that it was a punt and not a fake. So as soon as he punted it off, I was relieved. Then to see Rashad do that – it was amazing."
(On expecting the game to be close to the end) "I definitely knew that. Every game that we play for the rest of the season is going to be a tight game and we understand that. In the fourth quarter, we're prepared to pull it out now."
(On the defense's fourth quarter success) "We've just been continually growing. We're finishing in the fourth quarter and that's great. Start fast and finish faster – that's what we want to build on. As we keep growing and keep getting better, we'll start opening the margin of points and beating people by a little more points."
(On the AFC South division race) "It's awesome. At the same time, we're just focused on the next opponent. We understand that it's not a sprint, it's a marathon. We have a lot of games left."
CB AARON COLVIN
(On the defense's performance) "Definitely. It was a goal for us to keep them out of the end zone. Unfortunately, they scored once but I felt like we did a pretty good job overall."
(On his individual performance) "I was just playing my game. This is one of the first times that a team has tried to attack me, so when they did I tried to make them pay."
(On what it took to win the last two games) "Just our perseverance. I feel like we don't have any quitters. We all believe that we can win any game. Any time it may look like we're out to the public eye, to the naked eye, we feel deep down that we can win the game. We have playmakers that are starting to make plays in crucial situations and you can see it each and every game."
(On the AFC South division race) "We all know the situation with our division and we all know that it's wide open. Any team can win it. Like [Johnathan] Cyprien told you guys, we're taking it one week at a time and we're just focusing on our team."
DL JARED ODRICK
(On Johnathan Cyprien's third down tackle to force the late punt) "Cyp is really good at making big plays. He made another one right there. That was a huge stop for us and put us in a good position to win the game."
(On the short week to prepare for the game) "We assume every game is going to be tough. The thing is that we're in it to fight and we're in it because we believe in each other. The belief runs from the first quarter to the fourth and we were able to keep our belief, fight, stay true, grind it out, true grit and all of that. So it was great."
(On if the improved tackling sparked the defense's performance) "It's a combination of things. In terms of making tackles, guys are really focused on getting their head across – across the mid-line of the person's body – and making the tackle. A lot of that is positioning. A lot of that is running to the ball. We have a lot of guys that are willing to do the dirty work in order to let somebody else make a big play."
DE ANDRE BRANCH
(On his game-ending sack) "I flushed him and he stepped up because he was feeling like he had to throw the ball. I just countered back in and he was right there in the honey hole and I just made the sack."
(On how making that play felt) "[It] felt real good. We closed out a game and got a W. That's the most important thing."
(On if it was his best play of the season) "I don't know. I just go out and keep playing football, man."
WR ALLEN HURNS
(On how the team has learned to win) "It's come down to some crazy endings in games, but we came together as a team. We had faith that we would get things accomplished. Rashad's [Greene] punt return was a big momentum swing for us."
(On if this team has learned how to win) "Oh, most definitely. Before the last couple of games, we were just coming up short. We had opportunities to win those other games, but as you can see, things have turned around for us and we're pulling out tight games right now."
(On what Gus Bradley's postgame message was) "He was full of energy. He was just talking about the guys having faith and continuing to do what we do and cherish the moment. He pointed out some of the big plays that we made, things like that. It was a great feeling."
WR ALLEN ROBINSON
(On his impressive catches tonight) "I'm just trying to make plays for my team. That's the mindset that I have and that our whole receiving corps has. When the coaches call our number, we just try to make plays for our team."
(On if the team has a winning feeling now) "I don't think that there ever was doubt. We've come out on the short end of the stick in some close games early on. Those were games that we were leading and games that we were a couple plays away from winning. Now, even though it may not be pretty, we're making those plays at times that we need to."
(On how much it means to have extra time off) "I think it means a lot as far as us taking care of our bodies and getting a jump on film. We have some guys that are banged up so I think it's a good opportunity for us to try to get healthy."
WR RASHAD GREENE
(On his punt return) "I did my best to make a play, but I've just got to give it back to the guys up front. They did a hell of a job blocking for us.
(On what point he realized he had a chance for a big return) "When it came off of his foot I saw that it was kind of short, so I peeked and saw my guys blocking and knew that I was going to get a gain from it, regardless. Early in the return I saw a couple of lanes here and there, so I knew there was an opportunity based on what we were trying to set up. I just needed that ball and he gave it to me the way I wanted it."
(On how it feels to return and immediately make an impact) "It feels great just to be out there competing with my teammates, doing it together. There's no better feeling than playing with a group of guys that love each other, want the best for each other and want to win. We went out there and did it together, which is the most important thing."
