JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The NFL’s loudest trash talker has little to say after consecutive lopsided losses.
Jacksonville Jaguars All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey delivered a repeat performance Thursday from his postgame news conference that followed a 40-7 loss to Dallas four days earlier.
Ramsey drew sharp criticism for offering short answers in the locker room after the 33-point drubbing, mostly because he’s been so vocal — and critical — of fellow NFL players this year. He was equally succinct during his weekly media session in advance of Sunday’s game against Houston.
Q: Where is the confidence level this week on defense? Still have confidence you guys can bounce back?
A: We’ll see.
Q: What are your thoughts about going up against Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins?
A: Same as usual.
Q: What’s that?
A: Same as it’s always been. My past two years, y’all have asked me the same question. Well, last year y’all asked me. Next question.
Q: Is Hopkins one of the guys you like going up against?
A: Yeah.
Q: Why?
A: Uh, just a good matchup.
Q: You guys have always had confidence and now it’s, ‘We’ll see’. Why such a change?
A: We’ve still got confidence, but we’re going to see how the game goes.
Q: What did you see from quarterback Deshaun Watson in the opener last year and on tape this year?
A: Really good.
Ramsey spoke for a little more than a minute Thursday. His media session after the loss to the Cowboys was a few seconds longer.
Neither compared to the verbose jabs Ramsey has taken against Kansas City “return specialist” Tyreek Hill and New England cornerback Stephon Gilmore in recent weeks.
The third-year player and fifth overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft also ripped several NFL quarterbacks in an interview with GQ magazine this summer.
Ramsey called Buffalo Bills rookie Josh Allen “trash” and said Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was “overrated.” Baltimore’s Joe Flacco, Indianapolis’ Andrew Luck and Eli Manning of the New York Giants also got less-than-stellar reviews. Ramsey called Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger “decent at best.”
Ramsey also praised several QBs, including Watson.
A few weeks later, Ramsey upset a number of hockey players and their fans by saying he could play in the NHL despite having never skated.
The Tennessee native has 21 tackles and two pass breakups this season, part of a defense that allowed 802 yards, 63 points and 49 first downs in consecutive road losses to Kansas City and Dallas.
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