Coachspeak: Commanders 28, Jaguars 22

LANDOVER, Md. – Senior writer John Oehser examines Head Coach Doug Pederson‘s press conference following the Jaguars’ 28-22 loss to the Washington Commanders in a 2022 Week 1 game at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., Sunday

1. Easy analysis. Pederson saw this one simply. “We beat ourselves,” he said following his first regular-season game as the Jaguars’ head coach. The Jaguars rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit to take a 22-14 fourth-quarter lead before Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz threw two of his four touchdown passes to rally Washington.

“We had some costly mistakes at the wrong time,” Pederson said. “Games come down to three-to-five plays every week. We have to finish better and take care of the little things.”

2. A lot to like. Pederson didn’t like the loss, making it clear afterward that he doesn’t believe in moral victories. But he said he still found a lot of positives. “I look at the plays that were out there on the field that we could have made,” he said. “Little things become big things. That part you take away and you learn from. It’s a group of guys that are young a little bit and still understanding some of these situations, and not making these critical errors at these times. There are a lot of positives and things we can take away and learn from.”

3. “Finish.” The Jaguars, after taking an eight-point lead on an 11-yard run by running back James Robinson, had remarkable momentum for a team that had trailed 14-3 at halftime. They not only held an eight-point lead, but they had also scored 10 points off back-to-back takeaways. They then allowed long touchdown passes on the Commanders’ final two possessions, drives that covered 78 and 90 yards.

“It’s finish,” Pederson said. “It’s finish, finish, finish of the game. Finish a play, finish a series, finish a drive. They’re all teachable moments, and that’s what we’re going to do as a staff. We’re going to teach these guys. This group’s going to be better because of it. We don’t make any excuses,…