AFC Notes: Colts, Jaguars, Titans

Colts

Colts RB Jonathan Taylor said team owner Jim Irsay‘s message about wanting everyone within the organization to be “all-in” resonated with the locker room.

“It definitely does,” Taylor said, via PFT. “Just a matter of fact that just from top to bottom, the Colts organization as a whole is second to none as far as that family atmosphere, being able to truly care for each and every single player and understanding that, like you mentioned, you need to be all in if you’re in the building. You need to be all in. If not, you need to be all out. And I think that’s something as a group, as the  players, we decided like, ‘Hey, this offseason, use this as fuel and be ready to be all in whatever it takes.‘”

Jaguars

Jaguars new HC Doug Pederson stressed that it is important to have a strong offensive line toward having a productive passing attack. 

“I still believe that games are won and lost in the trenches, honestly,” Pederson said, via JaguarsWire. “You’re not going to have a passing attack if you can’t protect the quarterback. I believe in throwing the football, I think you throw to score and run to win. That’s kind of my philosophy in this deal.”

Pederson is looking forward to working with QB Trevor Lawrence. 

“Teaching a young quarterback like Trevor how to really throw the football and be a great passer in the NFL, but if you don’t have the guys up front to protect him it’s just hard. It makes it really hard.”

• The Jaguars are hiring Buccaneers defensive and special teams assistant Cody Grimm as their new safeties coach. (Greg Auman)

Titans

Titans RB Derrick Henry said he is still upset about losing in the AFC Championship game and failing to reach Super Bowl 56. 

“When I see anything about football, whether I am watching TV or see something on my phone about football, it brings that sick feeling back,” Henry said, via Jim Wyatt of the team’s official site. “While I’m here, you just have to deal with it the best you can. It still hurts. I am still not over the fact that we lost, and we’re not here. It will replay in my head until we get back to football, which is going to be a while. But yeah, it still replays in my head every single day. I wanted (to win the Super Bowl) bad, and I know all of my teammates wanted it bad. Everybody was shocked when we lost. So that will be in my head until I am able to strap up again and play in a game.”

Henry feels that he could’ve exceeded his 62-yard, one-touchdown performance against the Bengals. 

“I am a competitor, and I pride myself on doing the best I can to be the best player I can to help us win and obviously I feel like I wasn’t that the last time we played,” said Henry. “I am pissed off about it, and I will be pissed off about it. … I can’t wait to play football again.”

Henry reiterated that his performance in the AFC Championship game weighs on him and is committed to having a strong 2022 season. 

“I am just trying to get back and contribute as much as can, which I feel like wasn’t enough and could have been better,” Henry said. “That is the standard I hold myself to, and it will definitely be playing in my head.”

Henry is already training for next year. 

“I am definitely encouraged,” Henry said. “I have already started working hard, and I was very happy to get back and contribute. But it wasn’t enough, and it wasn’t good enough. I am just ready to get back to work, ready to put this behind me and get ready for next year.”