Chargers vs Jaguars Game Day Newsletter 8 Dec 8 Chargers_Digital | Page 16

must do as a team to put together a winning
performance.
“I think the biggest thing is we’ve just got to start fast,”
Minshew said. “You look back throughout the year, the
games we win, the games we get out and get some
momentum going, let our pass rushers eat, let our
[defensive backs] get some easy picks and also let
Leonard [Fournette] tote that rock. That’s when we’re at
our best, when we do those things.”
Defense
The Jaguars defense is battling through a late-season
injury bug. Last week, linebacker Myles Jack missed a
game for the fi rst time in his career with a knee injury.
Safety Ronnie Harrison was held out with a concussion.
Marrone praised backup players such as undrafted
rookie safety Andrew Wingard and linebacker Donald
Payne for stepping up in an adverse situation.
“I think they’re fi ghting their asses off,” Marrone said. “I
thought we kind of got after them a little bit. I thought
we had pressure early on. I think that we lost our gap
control on that one run, but those guys go in there and
it’s an opportunity to show what they have. They are
fi ghting their asses off. There’s not much more you can
ask of those guys.”
Marrone said there are always plays left on the fi eld,
but he was also happy to see players getting an
opportunity.
“You are always going to look back and want to make
some more, but I thought for the most part, I’m happy to
see those guys get in there and get an opportunity. The
way they go about themselves, it’s just unfortunate that
I can’t pull them all home for a victory so they can truly
celebrate it.”
Part of the Jaguars comeback bid last week was the
play of the defense early in the second half, slowing
down the Buccaneers offense.
“That was our emphasis this week: to start the half
strong because the last few weeks we haven’t,”
defensive end Josh Allen said. “We made a big
emphasis to stop the run, force them to throw the ball
and we were doing that and getting lots of three-and-
outs. We try to put the offense in good situations but
need to capitalize on more fumbles that we can cause.”
After reports of locker-room in-fi ghting after the game
last week, 12th-year defensive lineman Calais Campbell
understands how frustration can boil over. It’s how the
team handles it moving forward that counts.
“We just have to lock in until we get an advantage over
our opportunity,” Campbell said. “Frustration is a part of
the game. It’s an emotional game and when things don’t
go right, we’re going to have some frustration.
“We have to use that to prepare us to be the best that
we can and also lock in so that way, at the end of the
day, we will be able to come out with a win as a team.”