JACKSONVILLE – Jaguars Head Coach Doug Marrone's message won't change.
Neither will the immediate circumstances.
So, with the Jaguars entering their regular-season finale with a franchise-record 14-game losing streak, Marrone on Monday afternoon reiterated what he said the previous day about the approach for the final week of what he called a "disappointing" 2020 season.
"It's the first game of 2021," Marrone said Monday, a day after a 41-17 loss to the Chicago Bears at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville.
That was Marrone's message to players Sunday following the team's third consecutive one-sided loss, one that helped the Jaguars (1-14) secure the No. 1 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft.
And Marrone said that will remain his theme as the Jaguars prepare to play a 10-5 Indianapolis Colts team that must win at Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday and have one of four teams – Tennessee, Baltimore, Cleveland or Miami – lose to qualify for the postseason.
"We've got to really focus on this one game and how important it's going to be to how we feel and how we leave the building – all those things," Marrone said. "After this game, then it's time to reflect. That has been my talk with the coaches and the players because reflecting now is not going to help us win this football game.
"We're playing a division opponent. We're playing on the road. It's important for us to win because it's in the division and that's what we try to do. We try to win. … We haven't put four quarters together for the entire season, and that's what we're trying to do."
Mike Glennon started at quarterback for the Jaguars Sunday for a fourth time in five games, throwing for 211 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions that led to 10 Bears points. Marrone said he considered replacing Glennon with Gardner Minshew II – the starter in Weeks 1-7 and Week 15 – but didn't feel there were enough possessions remaining for the Jaguars to rally.
Marrone on Monday said he had yet to decide who will start at quarterback against the Colts. Marrone said coaches had yet to discuss the issue when he spoke to the media Monday afternoon.
"We'll go this afternoon, and we'll discuss it and make the best decision for the team," Marrone said.
Sunday marked the fourth quarterback change of the season, with Minshew starting eight total games, rookie Jake Luton starting three and Glennon starting four. The Jaguars have started six quarterbacks in Marrone's four seasons – Blake Bortles, Cody Kessler, Nick Foles, Minshew, Glennon and Luton.
The 2017 season was the lone season in Marrone's tenure in which one quarterback – Bortles – started the entire season, and backup Chad Henne started the preseason finale that season after Bortles struggled early in the preseason.
"It's been tough; I think we all know that" Marrone said. "It's been tough not necessarily from the people you're dealing with – the players themselves. All the players have been great. They're trying. They're doing their best. We're trying to do our best to put them in position.
"It's just tough when you don't get that production out of that position. There are a lot of things that go into it, but obviously we haven't had the opportunity to have someone in that position that can really get a lot of things done. That's not the players' fault."
NOTABLE
Marrone on Monday said rookie running back James Robinson's status for Sunday remains uncertain. Robinson, who has rushed for 1,070 yards and seven touchdowns this season, missed Sunday's loss to the Bears with an ankle injury – his first missed start of the season. "He still has swelling; we can't do anything until that swelling goes down," Marrone said, adding that he hopes to know more Wednesday. "If the swelling's not down, then obviously it's not going to look good. I'm not ready right now to say it's for sure, because there's still a chance."
