Jacksonville Jaguars Impact Defenders Week 8 Preview

Jacksonville Jaguars safety Andre Cisco previewed this week's Week 8 game against the Green Bay Packers, and as always, we were there.

Jaguars safety Darnell Savage also spoke to the media this week. Below is a transcript of what he had to say.

Q: Are there any added emotions playing his former team?

Savage: “No, because this is already an emotional game. It’s championship week for us because it’s next week, so we’re just ready to go 1-0 every week and just keep going in the right direction.”

Q: How has he adapted to his role given the changes in the secondary staff?

Savage: “Yeah, I mean not having Tyson [CB Tyson Campbell]Injuries, that's just a big part of this game, just what comes with it. I missed a little bit of time too, so I just got everyone working together again and getting on the same page in terms of communication and just playing together again. We haven't really all been out there at the same time since camp, so we're just getting back into the swing of things and improving communication and stuff. I think the unique thing about our room is that we can all play a lot of different positions and then when you get a guy like Tyson back, he can compete with anyone, so that's an advantage a lot easier too.”

Q: How do all of Green Bay's offensive weapons factor in?

Savage: “They definitely have a lot of good weapons there, which a lot of good teams in this league have, but at the end of the day there is a football. So you have to do your job every single play, just be ready and think that the ball is coming to you every play, no matter what. As long as we keep that mindset and just make the plays when they come to us, we’ll be fine.”

Q: In his transition to full-time safety?

Savage: “Yeah, I thought it was decent. I thought the communication itself was good, me and Dre [S Andre Cisco]I'll just discuss a few things back there. I thought it was good. It's a lot easier to judge it after a win, but yeah, I definitely liked it. I felt comfortable there and stuff, so it’s good.”

Q: What does he think of CB Jarrian Jones' development so far this season?

Savage: “J-Dub, he’s a good player. We're just trying to keep him and keep everything fresh for him. It can be easy for things to become repetitive and newbie-like. So just keep it fresh for him, keep showing him different looks and just keep him on his toes. But I think he's coping very well with it. He's not afraid to ask any of us questions or anything like that. We also have great DB coaches, so we are prepared for anything.”

Q: On the impact of DE Josh Hines-Allen and DE Travon Walker up front in the secondary?

Savage: “We talk about it all the time, just about rushing and reporting, we work together. We have to stay on the track just long enough for them to get home, and they have to be fast enough so that we don't stay on the track for too long. So just work together. It won't always be perfect. They won't always come back there, but at the moment it looks like they are going back there to a good extent. It's good, these are some big, strong guys, so it's kind of scary for a quarterback back there trying to go through a read or make a read or whatever when these guys are trying to take you down. We really enjoyed watching them race like they did.”

Q: On his evaluation of Green Bay's secondary?

Savage: “Yeah, they definitely have some good players there, and like I said, that goes for most of the good teams in this football league. As for me, I'm worried about the offensive side of the ball. I'm not too worried about the people over there. I know Doug [Head Coach Doug Pederson] and Trev [QB Trevor Lawrence] and all these guys will be ready to go. So yeah, it’ll be a fun match.”

Q: Who is he most excited about from his former team?

Savage: “As in some friendly stuff? No, I'm here to play a football game. It's not a reunion. We’re here to win 1-0 this week, so that’s how we deal with it, that’s how I deal with it.”

Q: What is the external or internal perception of the team's handling of adversity in the weeks leading up to the win against New England?

Savage: “Yeah, well, you kind of answered the question because you started with the outside and then you talked about the inside. We just kept things inside. We have family here and we try to keep it that way. At the end of the day, we're the ones coming to work every day, and there comes a point where you have to work through things together. You can't worry about what everyone else is out there talking about, you have to work through it together and I think we did a good job of getting on the same page offensively and defensively and also competing on special teams. park [WR Parker Washington] had a great return. I just play free football. That’s a big part of this league, so we’re just trying to keep building on that.”

Q: On the team's optimistic outlook for the final half of the season?

Savage: “Yes, 100 percent. As I have said many times, it will be 1-0 this week. Like I said, every week is a championship week because it’s the next game, so just keep building.”

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