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Jaguars Safety Andre Cisco Condemns Defensive Performance Against Bears

Jaguars Safety Andre Cisco Condemns Defensive Performance Against Bears

The Jacksonville Jaguars' season continues to decline and the situation worsened when safety Andre Cisco stated that the defense gave up during Sunday's 35-16 defeat to the Chicago Bears in London.

Jacksonville (1-5) surrendered over 30 points for the third time this season and the 19-point margin of loss was their second-worst of the year.

"It was extremely poor," Cisco told WJAX-TV of Jacksonville after the loss. "I believe it was... how can I put this... a lot of surrender. As the last line of defense in a situation like that, you can sense when we are playing as a unit and when we are not. It felt very early in the game, maybe at halftime, that we were not playing as a cohesive unit.

"Guys need to realize that when you are out there, you are truly playing for your teammates. You are putting your teammates in vulnerable positions, whether that is physically or from a career standpoint. ... It was just a poor performance all around."

Cisco stated that the issues do not stem from a lack of preparation or disorganized practices during the week.

He believes that they arise during game time.

"On Sunday, that is when it matters," said Cisco, who recorded an interception and seven tackles against the Bears. "There is no excuse for a lack of effort. That is literally the minimum you can do, is come out and give effort. And I am saying that to myself as well."

Jacksonville held a 3-0 lead after the first quarter on Sunday before the Bears scored two touchdowns in the second quarter. Chicago added another touchdown early in the third quarter for a 21-3 advantage.

The Jaguars trailed by 11 points entering the final quarter, but two Bears touchdowns in a span of 2:27 turned the game into a blowout.

Shortly before Cisco's candid remarks, Jacksonville coach Doug Pederson called for a change in culture.

Pederson does not want the season to slip away from the Jaguars this early in the year.

"We play a 17-game schedule, so we still have a few more games left," Pederson said. "Nobody is going to feel sorry for us. We need to change. When I say 'we,' I mean all of us - coaches, players, everyone. We need to change our culture right now."

"Otherwise, things will spiral out of control. We are on a slippery slope, or right on the edge of it. At some point, we need to say enough is enough, and have enough pride to figure it out."

Pederson's coaching future has been the subject of speculation, while owner Shad Khan has publicly expressed his support.

However, prior to the season, Khan stated that he expected the team to make the playoffs. With the Jaguars tied for the worst record in the NFL, that seems unlikely.

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence maintains that Pederson has the support of the team.

"That is our head coach and we are a team," Lawrence said. "This is tough. Losing is hard... but it has nothing to do with our relationship and how we feel about Coach. We are a team. We are sticking together and we know that better days are ahead. We just need to keep working."

Meanwhile, the Jaguars will face another 1-5 team, the New England Patriots, next Sunday, also in London.

Pederson agrees that this is a must-win game for his team.

"I would say so," Pederson said. "I would say that everything from here on out, quite frankly, is a must-win. If we want to return to playing the type of football we know we are capable of, we will need to win a lot of games moving forward. So I would say that these upcoming games are crucial."

Cisco expects a better effort against the Patriots.

"The season is not over by any means," Cisco said. "The NFL is designed to play until Week 18, and we know that. So it is not a matter of 'Oh, the season is over, let's give up and look towards next year.' That is not the case for me.

"But we understand that it all comes down to Sunday. It is no longer about the schedule - that is irrelevant. At this point, everyone needs to understand that Sunday is the most important day."

Sunday's interception was the eighth

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