Liam Coen Talks Focus Day After 22-17 Win Over Bengals: "Big Week of Mental Toughness…"

Oct 05, 2026 at 06:42 PM

Jaguars Media Correspondent

JACKSONVILLE – The Jaguars are a tough team that keeps getting tougher.

Toughness is a Jaguars hallmark under Head Coach Liam Coen, a trait they will need in the coming weeks and one they have displayed consistently this season. That they showed it this past Sunday was a reason they won a second consecutive key early-season AFC Game.

And it was a reason Coen was pleased with their most recent victory.

"To walk out of that stadium yesterday, with a similar situation and getting it done, that's growth," Coen said Monday.

Coen spoke to the media Monday, a day after the Jaguars' 22-17 victory over the 2-2 Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio – a victory that improved the AFC South-leading Jaguars to 3-1through the first quarter of the 2026 season.

"Really in a lot of ways, the game played out so many ways the way we wanted it to, the way that we went into the game trying to play that game," Coen said.

The Jaguars never trailed Sunday, leading 22-10 early in the fourth quarter and clinching the victory when second-year safety Rayuan Lane III stopped Bengals running back Chase Brown for a 9-yard reception on fourth-and-10 from the Jaguars 21 with :50 remaining.

The Jaguars had multiple touchdowns and turnovers negated in a game marked by double-digit penalties against both teams. They had possession in the final minutes leading by the final margin, punting with 1:44 remaining.

"If we score one more touchdown, then we probably would have been a lot more at ease with things," Coen said. "If maybe one of those doesn't get called back or we finished in the fourth minute, whatever it is … I think you feel even better about, 'OK, our plan going in, how we wanted to play the game was in a lot of ways how it did play out.'"

The Jaguars on Sunday played the entire game without starting cornerback Montaric Brown and reserve cornerback Christian Braswell, with safeties Eric Murray (concussion) and Caleb Ransaw (knee) leaving the game with injuries.

The Jaguars held the Bengals to 23 yards rushing, forcing two key takeaways – a fourth-quarter interception by linebacker Foyesade Oluokun at the Jaguars 10 and a second-quarter interception by cornerback Jourdan Lewis that led to the game's first touchdown.

"We are going to go into each week and look at it as an imposing defense, and we are going to impose our will," Jaguars safety Antonio Johnson said on Monday. "I feel like if you don't respect us, then we are going to make you respect us."

The Jaguars will practice in Jacksonville Wednesday and Thursday before traveling to London for a Friday practice ahead of Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

"It's a big week of mental toughness: A lot going on with the travel and the preparations," Coen said.

Sunday will be the first of two consecutive games in London for the Jaguars, who will play host to the Houston Texans the following Sunday at Wembley Stadium.

"Obviously everybody being on the same page and understanding what the schedule is pre going out there: We talked about that today and getting ahead of some of the things regarding Friday in terms of they're going to be fatigued and tired when we get over there and trust that we'll take care of you guys and do what's right by you during the week," Coen said.

"We're going to need some mental toughness throughout this week to go out there and make sure we're physically and mentally prepared to go play this physical game on Sunday against Philly."