JACKSONVILLE – Doug Marrone isn't one for assuming.
So, just because the Jaguars responded well to losses last season doesn't mean their second-year head coach believes that automatically will happen this week.
"I'm looking forward to seeing how this team bounces back," Marrone said Monday, a day after a 9-6 loss to the Tennessee Titans at TIAA Bank Field in downtown Jacksonville.
The Jaguars last season won the week following their first four losses, winning their first AFC South title in 18 years. They didn't lose consecutive games until the final two weeks of the season, games that were played after they clinched the division title and playoff positioning.
"You can't rely on what happened in the past with a team," Marrone said.
The Jaguars (2-1) will play host to the New York Jets (1-2) on Sunday, with Marrone speaking to multiple veterans Monday about not taking playing well following a loss for granted.
"This is a different team with a different chemistry to it," Marrone said, adding: "This is 2018, so this is a challenge for us. This is the first challenge, obviously, with some adversity. We're going to have to do a good job from me on down to everyone.
"Obviously this will be a big week in terms of how we prepare and how we get ourselves ready coming off a poor performance."
Marrone on Monday also reiterated what he had said shortly after the game Sunday – that the team overall "didn't play well" in its third consecutive loss to Tennessee.
Quarterback Blake Bortles completed 21 of 34 passes for 155 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions and his longest completion was 19 yards. The Jaguars finished with 232 yards and 12 first downs a week after producing 481 yards and 27 first downs in a victory over defending AFC Champion New England.
"Obviously, I could have done a better job getting everybody prepared," he said. "We couldn't make a play. All we needed to do was make a play. We weren't able to do that, so I credit Tennessee; they did a good job keeping us from doing it.
"It starts with me. The coaches and players … it's on all of us."
Marrone on Monday covered multiple other topics, including:
*Running back Leonard Fournette, who missed a second consecutive start Sunday with a hamstring injury sustained in a Week 1 victory over the New York Giants. Fournette, who did not practice the week leading to the victory over New England, practiced limited all three days last week. "I was optimistic two weeks ago," Marrone said. "I'm just going to handle this one day-to-day."
*Marrone said the only current Jaguars injury that may not be day-to-day is cornerback D.J. Hayden, who sustained a sprained toe Friday. With Hayden out, Tyler Patmon moved into the nickel role Sunday. "He's probably more week to week," Marrone said of Hayden. "I'm not giving up on him for the week, but I think that status will be more week to week. …"
*Running back T.J. Yeldon, who played through an ankle injury Sunday and reaggravated the injury briefly. "He got hit on the sideline," Marrone said. "That took him out and then he recovered, then he was fine." Yeldon rushed for 44 yards on seven carries Sunday. …
*Right guard A.J. Cann, who missed Sunday's game with a triceps injury sustained against New England. "I think if he practices Thursday and feels good, he'll be back," Marrone said.
*Chris Reed, who made his first start of the season in place of Cann. Reed appeared to give up penetration to Titans Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jurrell Casey in the second half and also had a holding penalty that cost the Jaguars 10 yards from the Titans 25 early in the fourth quarter. "It's tough," Marrone said. "You're going against one of the better players in the league (Casey). I thought Chris had a couple of good plays and probably some plays he wants to have back. The holding penalty was questionable, but you can't do that when you're going back in the red zone."
*The Jaguars' inability to penetrate deep in Titans territory. They reached the Titans 20 just once, converting a field goal on 4th-and-5 from there three plays after Reed's penalty. "We played a game where we didn't get in the red zone," Marrone said. "That's something we don't ever want to have happen again, obviously."
