JACKSONVILLE – Four takeaways from HC Doug Marrone's press conference a day after the Jaguars' 13-12 loss to the Houston Texans Sunday at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas
1.Marrone still feels good about Gardner Minshew II. The rookie sixth-round selection nearly rallied the Jaguars from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit Sunday, and in the process, he continued to impress Marrone. Minshew led a field-goal drive midway through the final quarter, then led a 68-yard touchdown drive that ended with a four-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver DJ Chark Jr. with :30 remaining that cut the lead to the final margin. Marrone said while parts of Minshew's early performance in his first NFL start were "a little dicey," and while there were throws the rookie likely would want back, "I can't say enough [positive] about the guy. He's a different cat. He really is."
2.Cam Robinson may play Thursday. Robinson, projected to start at left tackle, missed the first two regular-season games after hyperextending his right knee on the Thursday before a Week 1 loss to Kansas City. This was after he missed the last 14 games of last season with a torn left anterior cruciate knee ligament, but Marrone said Monday there's a chance Robinson will play Thursday when the Jaguars play host to the Tennessee Titans. "We're hoping to," Marrone said when asked if he believed the team would have Robinson at left tackle Thursday. Robinson was listed as full on the Jaguars' Monday injury report, which was an estimation of what would have happened if the Jaguars had practiced Monday. The team under NFL rules must release an injury report on the Monday before a Thursday game. Swing tackle Cedric Ogbuehi (hamstring) also was listed as full Monday, with the rest of the injury report as follows: wide receiver Marqise Lee (knee, limited), Chark (ankle, limited), wide receiver Chris Conley (hip, limited), cornerback A.J. Bouye (hip, limited), cornerback Josh Robinson (foot, limited), safety Ronnie Harrison (ankle, limited), defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (hamstring, limited), linebacker D.J. Alexander (hamstring, did not practice) and tight end Josh Oliver (hamstring, did not practice).
3.Logan Cooke is turning into a big-time punter. Cooke, in his second season, drew praise from Marrone throughout the preseason – and he turned in perhaps his best NFL game Sunday. He punted six times with a 47.2-yard net average and four punts inside the 20. Cooke kept the Texans pinned deep in their territory throughout the game and complemented one of the team's best defensive efforts in recent seasons. "He's really doing a nice job; he's really coming along," Marrone said.
4.Marrone was comfortable with The Decision – and The Call. Marrone for a second consecutive day said he had no regrets over going for two rather than playing for overtime after Minshew's touchdown pass to Chark with :30 remaining. Marrone said while he wished the outcome of the play had been different, he had no problem with the play call on the conversion. Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette was stopped inches short of the goal line on a run up the middle. Marrone said there were multiple pre-snap options based on the defense, and that Minshew ran the right play. "If they were going to come with pressure, we were going to be able to throw the football – and if they weren't going to come with pressure, we were going to give the ball to Leonard and run," Marrone said. "I thought we had a great chance either which way of what they wanted to do. I loved the play. I looked at it all week. At the end of the day, we just didn't get enough push up front. Really, when you look at it on film, I wish we were able to get more push. I'm sure the players did."
