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Jaguars News | Jacksonville Jaguars - jaguars.com

Doug Marrone - Wednesday, September 19, 2018

(On if it helps that the Jaguars are familiar with both Blaine Gabbert and Marcus Mariota in preparing for the Titans offense) "Yes, I think it does, the schematics that they have now … We have to be prepared for both. We just have to make sure we are sound defensively in everything that we are doing and that we protect the field because it is wide open. They do a nice job of stretching you, putting you in space, misdirection. It will be a good challenge for us."

(On preparing for the Titans special teams unit) "They are a very talented group when you talk about their special teams. They can obviously cover extremely well [and] tackle well. It is a veteran type group from their special teams there. We have to be sound. It is going to be a challenge for us to do a good job against them from a matchup standpoint. They have some pretty big guys that can run really well and cover and have done it for a long time. Again, it's like a lot of the personnel remains the same, but schematically, it's different."

(On the challenge that Titans RB Derrick Henry presents) "He's an excellent runner. Once he breaks that initial line of scrimmage, he has the ability to [finish]. Even though he's a very big back, he does have the finish ability to take it to the end zone. I think he's a tough runner. I think when you have him corralled up, he can cut across the whole field. He is an excellent runner at bouncing the ball outside and running. Once he starts running, he is tough to tackle. He is a big target. He is big. He is strong. He has made us miss tackles in the past. We are going to have to do a good job of getting a lot of people to the ball carrier."

(On how he's seen the team move on from the win Sunday and directed their focus to this week) "I think obviously it is a divisional opponent early in the season and things of that nature. All of those things I think contribute to it. Obviously, that is what it is. I think right now we had an opener on the road versus New York, which was a tough, physical game. We had a home opener here versus New England, which was a tough, physical game. We know we are going to get into a tough, physical game with our divisional opponent. For us, I think we are trying to make sure that we manage the schedule, and we get ourselves back. We are kind of banged up a little bit."

(On if he knows Titans head coach Mike Vrabel at all) "Yes."

(On the relationship he and Mike Vrabel have) "Obviously, when I was with the Jets, he was still playing [with the Patriots]. We had a lot of respect for him. He did a heck of a job. When he got into coaching and was in Houston, obviously, Coach [Bill] O'Brien and I are really close and he did a great job there. I think he's done a great job here with Tennessee. He has been around a while. He is a good football coach. He is knowledgeable. He can get his guys ready to play. He can put them in good positions. He is a good football coach. They brought him in there obviously to try to take them to the next level and he has that ability. That is why it is a good challenge for us."

(On if he thought Mike Vrabel had head coaching qualities in the past) "I never really think about it. If someone was to say one day, 'Could you believe Mike [DiRocco] is the head of ESPN?' I would be like, 'I never really thought about it.' I don't ever … It doesn't surprise me, but no, I never thought about it."

(On the Titans passing game) "[Corey] Davis has really come on. The first-round pick for them, he has really good speed. [Rishard] Matthews is a guy that has a lot of ability. [Taywan] Taylor, the kid on the outside, is very athletic and can run. They have good athletes now that can run. Their tight ends, obviously they lost a great player in [Delanie] Walker and we have the upmost respect for him. They come in with their tight ends and they are big, athletic and they can run. They can stretch the field very easily. When you stretch the field and the quarterback can get them the ball and that ball is in the air, it can go either way. We would like to think that we would come down with it. Up front you are talking about one of the better lines in the league. I know they have had issues at tackle. I would think Taylor Lewan will come back. He is an outstanding player. I don't know if [Jack] Conklin will come back. He is practicing. Even without those two guys they still played extremely well with the three inside guys. They are big, strong and powerful. They lead the league in the least amount of hits and pressures. It is going to be a challenge for us up front to see if we can get after the quarterback when they drop back. That is not going to start until we show we can stop the run."

(On the Titans secondary trio of Malcolm Butler, Adoree' Jackson and Logan Ryan) "I just think they are three good players. Adoree' Jackson, we did a lot of research on him coming out. He is an unbelievable athlete. He made a great play. They had [Texans WR DeAndre] Hopkins doubled teamed in the back of the end zone and he went up and gets the ball and brings it down. Obviously, Ryan is a good football player. He plays corner and then all of a sudden when they go to 11 [personnel] they bump him in and he plays nickel, which is always difficult to do, but he can do both extremely well. Then obviously Malcolm Butler is someone we have practiced against. He was in New England and we have a lot of respect for him. Obviously everyone nationally knows he is a heck of a football player."

(On if the interior offensive line practicing against Marcell Dareus will help them prepare for Jurrell Casey) "That is tough. It is different. When you get to the game it is different. Casey is an outstanding football player. He has been since I have been here and he has been on Tennessee. He has speed. He has power. He is a pass rusher. He is up there with all those – the Aaron Donalds and the other type of players in there. He is difficult to defend. He has good hips, good movement. It is tough. They have guys on the outside that are veteran guys. With Brian [Orakpo] and 91 [Derrick Morgan] on the other side. They are fast, quick, savvy – three stout guys on the inside. Downhill linebackers who are big and strong. It is like an old-school style defense that plays hard and comes down hill and tries to knock the crap out of you."

(On the various fronts the Titans defense presents) "I think base downs you get a sense of it and then third down they have different types of packages that come in and they become a little bit more multiple. That is the case for pretty much most of the league, but more or less, I don't know. It is a combination. [Titans Head Coach] Mike [Vrabel] has a background in New England. He has a background with Houston. [Defensive Coordinator] Coach [Dean] Pees has the background with Baltimore. It is a little bit of that in what you are seeing."

(On the play of A.J. Bouye) "No one has even said anything. No one had said his name. That is always good. When you are a corner and playing back there. He is doing a good job for us."

(On Ronnie Harrison) "Good. We are happy with him. Like I have said before, the more he plays, the better he gets. He had a good game. He played well."

(On if there was someone on the roster similar to Harrison last year) "No. Not at that skillset. It helps us personnel wise."

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