Trevor, can you talk about that first and goal from the 5[-yard line] situation? Where you thought you were in and then not able to get in and how that sort of just impacted all the momentum?
TREVOR LAWRENCE: The third and goal there?
Yeah, that whole sequence, first and goal and James [Robinson] doesn't touch it, then you get in but don't get in, how that just kind of sapped all the momentum?
TREVOR LAWRENCE: Yeah, that was tough. We score there, and defense goes back on the field, gets a stop, get the ball back to go win the game. We had just a couple—I barely missed Laviska, I think, it was on that drive down in the red zone. He ran a great route, had him in the end zone, went to one hand. Could have given him a better throw there. Then, I thought I got in, they reversed it or overturned it, whatever. [We] play the next play, and you think about like four inches, that's tough. You want to be able to punch that in and we weren't able to. Obviously, the Titans did a good job there, but it's disappointing for sure.
Week by week, your progression is getting better. You've looked more comfortable on the field. You're definitely producing. What exactly are you seeing different now that through five games you're getting more comfortable with the game? And how big is the impact of losing your center on a game on a day like this?
TREVOR LAWRENCE: Yeah, it's tough. Brandon [Linder] is a great player, great person. Love being on the same team as him. He's just the kind of guy that you want, who's fully committed, all in. A guy that's—I think it's his eighth year—he's an older guy, but he's just so committed to this team and turning it around. Won't find a better guy. I don't know the extent of the injury. But hopefully—we're optimistic. Hopefully it's not too bad, it's not season-ending or anything like that. But we'll have to see. He's definitely one of our best players, so I hope not. But Shat [Tyler Shatley] did a good job coming in and being ready. He's a guy that's gotten a lot of reps. So, we love Tyler. He did a good job for us. What was the first part of that question?
You're seeing things differently on the field from Week 1 in Houston to now. You're taking a little bit more chances, but you didn't take any deep shots, no dramatic deep shots. Why?
TREVOR LAWRENCE: The way their defense is—the way their structure is, they try to take away big plays. They played just really soft today honestly, so we had to dink and dunk a little bit. We did a good job staying ahead of the chains. I thought we made good decisions all day except for that last play. Obviously, that was really bad, forced that. But they were just wanting to play really soft and take away the big plays, so we just drove the ball down the field little by little. We had a few opportunities that we almost connected on. Then one shot we were taking early in the game on second down, the guy hit my arm, and the ball flew in the air. So that was one we didn't get. Then almost hit one to Marv [Marvin Jones Jr.], It was going towards our end zone—almost hit that on,e too. So those are two shots we almost had. But no, it's one of those games where– I think that's where I'm getting better is playing smart, don't force it. If they want to just bail out of there and take your shots away, then we can find stuff underneath. Receivers did a really good job getting open. I thought we were more efficient on offense. Obviously, we had some costly possessions as far as the scoop and score early and then the fourth-and-1 on the goal, or fourth-and-inches right there. That's tough. We've got to get those. But other than that, I thought we were pretty efficient on offense. I feel like I'm seeing it really well.
Trevor, going back to that goal line play, Coach [Urban Meyer] just said that you guys are still working on quarterback sneaks. Did you feel comfortable being under center in that situation for a quarterback sneak, or is that something you guys are still working on?
TREVOR LAWRENCE: No, I feel comfortable. Obviously, I haven't really ran it before in a game, but I feel comfortable. It's something we've worked. We trust our guys up front, we trust our backs in that situation. Obviously, I'd love to get in there, but if we make the play, it's like no one says anything, but it's a TFL, and that doesn't look great obviously. So, we all can get better. But no, a QB sneak is something we can all get to and I feel comfortable with.
Trevor, this is something brand new for you in terms of every week for the most part playing uphill. You never took a snap having the lead. How difficult is that playing uphill, or do you just say, hey, it's the NFL, and there's going to be weeks like that?
TREVOR LAWRENCE: I mean, it does make things more difficult. I think we really think about the last two games, the Cardinals and the Bengals last week, we were ahead for some of that. I thought we played better staying on schedule. Obviously, we had some things today that got us behind. But that's just part of it, that's the NFL. Every week is going to be different. You've got to just find a way to win those games. When you get down, whatever, 12, 14, there's so much time left. We can still win the game. I think we really are turning that, and we all believed, and we had our opportunities obviously. Like I said, it's a totally different game if we get that fourth-and-inches. I think that brings us within five points. I think we were down 12 at the time. So that changes the whole game. Obviously, look at the score, the final score looks bad, but we were right in that game and [we've] just got to capitalize and we didn't. So that's something where we've got to learn how to win, got to learn how to pull those games out. When it isn't easy, take advantage of all your opportunities. When you are behind a little bit, that's just more sense of urgency as far as not turning it over. I thought we did a decent job after the first series of that, taking care of the ball, and then just taking advantage of every drive you get. I think we can still play more complementary offensive and defensive. Sometimes defense is playing great, and we go three and out. Or we have a long drive, then they score. It's just like we've got to play a little bit more complementary. You see when teams do that, they get up quick on you. So, I think we're getting better, but it's something we've got to improve.
How comfortable are you at this point of like pushing back on a play call or a situation? Do you have the freedom to do that? I know you said you trust your teammates, but when you're down there fourth and an inch and James isn't in the ballgame. Just a lot of surprising aspects to that particular play.
TREVOR LAWRENCE: Yeah, I think we're getting there. Obviously, actually, the first time we were on the goal line when James [Robinson] got in early in the game, it was kind of a similar look. One of the A gaps was open, and I thought about just sneaking it and could have gone in but didn't. At that point in the game, I think it was like first or second-and-goal, so give James a shot, and he got in. And then later, they did the same thing on fourth-and-inches, but they stemmed last second and filled both of the A gaps. So, I wasn't really as confident changing it there and going on my own and try to sneak that in with both A gaps filled. I think we still could have got it, yeah, but it wasn't the same look as it was earlier. There's a time and a place for all those. In that situation, you'd rather trust your guy to run the play that's called than try to go on your own and make a play and not get in. So, I don't know, I mean, hindsight's 20/20 right? So, it's hard to say after the fact. But definitely some stuff we've got to look at and talk about. I think that me and Coach Bev [Darrell Bevell] and everyone, we're getting more comfortable. I think you see the way the game is going and how we execute on offense, you can see it. As far as just putting drives together, we're way more efficient. It's all coming together. So, we're getting more comfortable with each other. I think we're going like this, but we've got to win some games.
Hey Trevor, the past couple weeks you've done a good job of using your legs to kind of get out of trouble in the backfield. Have you guys worked on the scramble drill? It feels like some of your receivers aren't working back to you to give you some opportunities to get them the ball down the field.
TREVOR LAWRENCE: Yeah, that's something that we always talk about and continue to work on that honestly we didn't work on enough early. The last few weeks as I was starting to use my legs more, we just talked about it more and more because that's such a big part of the game you see. Guys like Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers, all these guys, Kyler Murray, that scramble and guys are running and get separation and make plays. You have a lot of big plays there. So, that's just something we've got to continue to work on, but I think the guys are doing a decent job. That's one of those things that, if you don't do it, it's not natural. So, you've got to get used to –for me, it's top-down, looking downfield, and get what I can and being smart. But then for them, it's immediate reaction when you see a scramble. That's just something that we've got to keep working.
You haven't lost a ton of games in your career, and it's 0-5 this year. But 20 straight losses for this franchise. Can you even comprehend that? And how desperate do you feel this locker room is? Is it something you all think about, talk about?
TREVOR LAWRENCE: As far as the streak or anything like that? No, I mean, no, we don't really talk about that. It's not something we—I don't think it's good to talk about that. You can't get desperate. You've got to just keep going to work. We're going to win some games. We're going to turn it around. We all thought today was the day we were going to get that first win and it wasn't. We didn't execute enough down the stretch, but we're going to figure it out and we're going to turn this thing around. It's going to be a lot of fun when we do. But yeah, the locker room, we want to win. All the guys, we've got so many hard workers. Everyone's so invested. It's not a team where we've got guys that aren't really committed or don't care. Everyone's all in. So, it will come. When you have guys like that and you have talent, and we have enough talent. So, I'm not concerned, but we do need to get some wins.
