Eagles 360: December 6

now is who really wants to play? Who's going to really fight for a job the rest of the year and show they belong next year. That's kind of where you are. Yeah, really tough times for the Eagles. They get ready for the Washington Redskins. We're talking football today. We're gonna dive into a couple of things around the NFC East. Doug Peterson also visits in studio. First those get you caught up on everything that's happening today. Usually

the coordinators have been meeting the media on Thursdays. Now they are going to meet on Tuesday's starting today, So Frank Reich and Jim Schwartz met the media. Alex Smith has the news in our Eagles three sixty update. Hi everyone, I'm Alex Smith here with your three sixty update. The Eagles are, of course, coming off of their third straight loss,

this time at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals. Today, we heard from both Eagles coordinators and we'll start things off by hearing from defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, who talked about how the Eagles defense needs to play with a little bit more energy, especially after the way that they came out early against the Cincinnati Bengals. I would agree that we need to play with more energy, and that's a hard thing sometimes too. You know, you're down twenty

nine to nothing. I've been there. You know, you make a sack, it's twenty nine to nothing. If you get excited and high five and have a sack dance, ma'am. You guys probably say it. I probably say at home watch TV. Man, they didn't not go know what the score is. But if you walk back to the huddle and put your head down and you know, and just go through the motions and everybody says the other things, man,

they're not into it, they're not spirited. So I just I just told that, guys, Hey, let the chips fall where they may play with some emotion, play with some play with some be willing to put yourself out there, and I think, don't worry about, you know, anything else. Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, we heard from offensive coordinator Frank Reich, who explained that despite some recent struggles, quarterback Carson Wentz has continued to show that he is

mentally tough here in his rookie season. This guy's mentally tough guy and and very mature guy. He's mentally and physically very tough, and he's very mature. So that's a good formula for us because you got to be to play the position and certainly to play, you know, here in this city. And he welcomes that, and we welcome that. We're glad we have him. I've seen the best of them get broken down, you know, the most confident quarterbacks in the world lose their confidence and get battered. Okay,

so that you don't take it for granted. All right. That will wrap things up here from the Novacare Complex. But you can check out the entire press conferences from Jim Schwartz and Frank Reich on demand right here in Philadelphia Eagles dot Com and the official Eagles mobile app.

Thank you so much, Alex. Here's my question to you, more concerning to you in the big picture, Glenn, offense or defense, defense, And here's why I think with offense, what you know is that you need skill position players. And on offense you've got a lot of injuries. You've got the big injuries on the line. You've got injuries to your running back, to your wide receivers. Defense, to me, you thought you were pretty set. You thought you had

a defensive line you could rely on. You brought in new cornerbacks this year, the safeties big free agent long term contracts. So as the defense has played poorly in the last few weeks, it's more of a concern to me. Yeah, I probably would agree with you. Will be interest me into that there. Yeah, we're gonna be interesting to you what Jim Schwartz does against a Washington offense that earlier

in the season shredded Eagles. They're coming off a tough loss against the Arizona Cardinals when we return to Eagles three sixty something interesting for you. He's on our minds all the time. Carson Wentz and his development, how to his numbers and his performance as a rookie stack up to some of the really prominent rookies in recent NFL seasons. When we returned, Glenn and I will talk about that.

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and donuts America runs on Duncan. We are talking quarterbacks in our segment here on Eagles three sixty Dave Spidero, Glenn Macnow and the topic, of course is Carson Wentz before we get into the comparison to other quarterbacks, young quarterbacks in this league. Your thoughts on Wentz this season from September to now, Glenn, Yeah, And I know that everybody will look at the numbers and see that how he's regressed. Those first three or four games in September

were fantastic. October not as good. November not as good as that. Long term, I'm not concerned. Long term. I really still like what I see. There are issues He's gonna have to learn, how not to sail the ball, throw off his back foot, those long passes. His judgments still needs some work. But to me, that's components of a rookie quarterback. Bottom line package I like what I see. I think the players really respect his leadership. I still

think he's going to all that. It really is interesting when you look back at this season, the loss of Lane Johnson and the impact that that has had on this Eagles offense, which is scoring ten points per game fewer than when Lane was in the lineup. We talked about this way back when, and the line I used was, I hope that right tackle is not Carson's kryptonite. I'm not saying that it is, but it certainly has had

an impact. It all starts on the offensive. Yeah, and the timeline that you show when he started playing poorly is when they lost Lane Johnson are playing more poorly. And there's a lot of other issues with it as well. You know, the wide receivers just did not pan out this year. Other than Jordan Matthews, there's nobody out there to throw too. But yeah, if you had had that nice, solid offensive line, any quarterback, I loved that Carson Wentz. His number is a five and seven record, sixty three

percent completion percentage, twelve touchdowns, eleven interceptions. How do those numbers stack up with some of the young quarterbacks who are lighting it up around the NFL. Let's begin in Oakland and Derek Carr, a second round draft pick in two and fourteen, and the Raiders now ten and two. But as you see, it took a while for car and the Raiders to get to this point. They've had great offseasons, great personnel acquisitions, impact players added to that team.

And that's what Carson wentz kneeds. Yeah. Absolutely, And if you look at cars numbers, fifty eight percent completion, Raiders first year sixty one is second sixty six this year. Throws the deep ball as well as anybody and helps when you have Michael Crabtree and a Marty Cooper there to catch it too. And one thing you like about him, and we'll find this out with Wentz but I think it's there is he is a very, very clutch player.

The Radios have had six comebacks this year. Second half, fourth quarter against the Bills, they were down twenty four to nine, they came back and crushed the Bills in the second half. As I said, I think he's a viable MVP candidate. And let's talk about some prominent rookies from the two fifteen draft. The number one pick in that draft jamis Winston on a flo state goes to

Tampa Bay. We saw Tampa come into Philadelphia last year and light up the Eagles and a good rookie season for Winston, but a six and ten record through four thousand yards, twenty two touchdowns, fifteen interceptions. Now the Bucks are surging and Winston playing really good football. Yeah, and it really happened during this season. They started the year one and three and he was off to a slow start.

There was a lot of commentary as too, this kid's not developing, and then he turned it on really well again, he's got he's got the weapons there, He's got Mike Evans, he's got a nice tight end in Cameron Bred. The running game is nothing special, but he's really developed. And what everybody says down there, I don't get to see

Tampa Bay Bucks a whole lot. We will more now is that he's really learned and they have focused in teaching him how to spot defensive coverage and it's something that Carson clearly has to work on and presumably will develop. And the second pick in two and fifteen from the University of Oregon, Marcus Mariota in Tennessee, showed some flashes in a tough rookie year. They had a chance to blow up that coaching staff. They didn't do it, and now Tennessee tied for first in the Division six and

six record. Mariota looks like he's going to be a super superstar dual threat. Can really make plays with his legs, and the arm is a big one. Twenty five touchdowns, nine interceptions this year. I mean, that's good anywhere. That's amazing for a second year player. I think what helps him is they're really they've developed their team as they're going to run the ball first. They're ground out team.

They spent their second first round draft pick this year on offensive tackle Jack Conklin, who's really helped them a lot. All Right, So Glenn, let's talk about Carson Wentz and what you want to see from him these last four games of the regular season, possibly the playoffs, but we're not talking about that right now. All right, Well, what I want to see from him in the last four games of the regular season clearly has to cut down in the interceptions, most of which come on the long throws,

most of which come on the overthrows. He's got to learn the judgment of when to throw there and how to throw there. No more thrown off that back foot stuff that you can get away with at North Dakota State, you're not going to get away with in the NFL. That's number one. Number two with him. I just want to see him continue to be the leader out there. I think his teammates really respect him. When you're going through tough times, when you're losing games, if the quarterback

can help hold everybody together, that's a big deal. Yeah, And now we find out what the offense. We'll do with some adjustments here. The offensive line not going to change much in the next couple of weeks. We don't know what happens when Lane Johnson comes back in a

couple of weeks. But clearly you've started four in the last eight games, four different combinations along the offensive line, and it has impacted the run game, it has impacted the pocket, and it certainly has impacted Carson Wentz is timing his confidence, his rhythm. So there we go. More offensive talk on the way here on Eagles three to sixty, Head coach Doug Peterson in for his weekly one on

one interview. That's next on Eagles sixty. This portion of Eagles three sixty was presented by Acme Shop the Eagles item of the Week all season long, and you can enter for a chance to win one of several prizes, including Eagles tickets, ACME shopping sprees, or a chance for your child to be the kickoff kid at an Eagles game. Their legend is legendary. They've seen the end zone more often than any other duo in history. They are professional

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com slash Eagles to book your trip today. All right, fellas, let's go out there and give them pack. Let's go out there and give him the one to throw out there. We're gonna really give him the business. Oh my god, let's sock it to him. Yeah, fat and square hit all right, Hello, old smoked. The old game just can't compete, especially when it comes to innovative energy solutions like the ones NRG uses to power the Eagles. Visit pick nrg

dot com today. Celebrate the holidays with delicious Duncan coffee stop by Dunkin Donuts for two k cup boxes for fifteen ninety nine or three pounds of package copy for nineteen ninety nine. America runs on Duncan. We welcome you to our exclusive one on one interview with head coach Doug Peterson, presented by I Wah Wah and coach. I know these are tough times. Look, seven losses in the last nine games. What about that kind of bothers you

the most? Everything that you've seen, I think, I think what bothers me the most is we sort of it's self inflicted. It's we self destructum, meaning meaning the penalties, the turnovers, um, the lack of getting off the field on third downs, um, you know, getting to the pastor everything's sort of in in our court, you know. Um. And so that's why it's self inflicted, and that's why it's a little disappointing, Um, because at the beginning of

the season we were we were doing these things. And so right now we've got to figure out how to get back to that mentality, how to get back to that execution both offensively, defensively, and of course on special teams. Let's start on the offense here, coach, specifically to Carson Wentz at quarterback, what do you when you watch film? What are you see? You're seeing a lot of great plays, and then you're seeing sort of the plays that that we need to get better and we need to fix.

Where he gets a little out of sorts sometimes is a little bit mechanically throwing off his back foot. Still, Um, there's pressure from the offensive line which which leads to

that sometimes and then just decisions. You know, it's just a young quarterback right now, just learning the game and understanding personnel and plays, and you know, you never want to go into a game thinking you're gonna throw sixty times and really and then a bright spot is to come away with one sack, you know, in sixty attempts. But we just got to get back to basics fundamentals with everybody, the quarterback included, and just start from there.

From an Eagles fans perspective, some questions about Carson. Is he staring down receivers? There's evidence of that. How do you get rid of that? You know, it just goes to just understanding the offense more and and just time in the system. Again, He's he's played twelve games in the National Football League, and you know, with each rep he gets better and better and it's something that he can learn from. And and uh, you know, by no means is this a negative on him. It's just it's

a growing process. And these quarterbacks that that end up having great sort of those those hall of fame careers, Um, it doesn't always start out pretty. And and yet they they stick to it and they understand the offense, and they understand how to how to utilize the personnel, and they just grow with it and mature with it. And and and that's the bright spot. And that's the encouraging thing with me. So I understand that that's what we all want.

We all want Carson to be a Hall of Fame quarterbacks. So the questions that I'm asking you are in those please make it happen vain um seeing the field, that's all all these things will come with Carson, it comes with time, it comes with playing the game, and everything moves extremely fast at this level. He does he does so many good things well that that sometimes the negative obviously outweighs the positive. And and and it's it's just I tell you this, he for a young quarterback, he's

he's not mentally, he's still extremely sharp every week. He's he's not going the other direction. He's not going in the tank, so to speak. He's actually getting getting stronger mentally, he's leading and um, you know, he hates to lose, just like we all do. And uh, we just gotta figure out a way to get back on the track. And those things throwing off the back foot, that's all fixable in the big picture here, it's all it's all fixable. Well.

The other thing that that sometimes too, when when you go into a game and your quarterback gets hit early in the football game. And because I've been there and I understand that that that tends to kind of you know, and the next time you drop back here, you might be a little more hesitant, and and um, you know, we just got to continue to keep talking and fighting through it. And and you got to have that gun

slinger mentality. You just got to stand in a pocket and knowing you're gonna take some hits, and and we got to shore up the protection obviously. Um. But but overall we're we're we're doing some good things and and he's, uh, you know, he's continuing to grow each week. Defensively, coach, what what are you seeing from that group? Again, it's not for lack of effort. Um at times, you know, I discipline, being in the right being in the right gap,

um you know. Uh, a pass rush obviously, lanes coming out of lanes, allowing quarterbacks to escape the pocket or push and and do some things there. You know. In the secondary, the guys are in position to make plays, um you know. And it's just it's just not happening right now like it was earlier in the season. Backling has been has been pretty good, um, you know. So it's it's it's a combination of all these things. It's not a scheme thing. It's not do we need to

you know, blitz more, blitz less. You know, we just come down to fundamentals details. Understand that the defense called just like it is on offense. There are some who have questioned the effort your response to that, well, then they need to come to practice. They need to see these guys work every single day and and and you know, to see the things that I see. Um, it's it's not about effort. Um. You know, we're playing some good

football teams. We're playing some good quarterbacks these last couple of weeks, and and um, you know those guys get paid too, just like we do. And and uh, we just have to do our job and make sure that our effort is a little bit more than theirs. Washington Redskins on Sunday, very good football team coming off at tough loss. And it was a really difficult loss for the Eagles in land Over, Maryland. So from there, how much of the Redskins kind of change from that point?

Now they're they're having a good season. Um, it was a tough loss for them. This past weekend out in Arizona is a tough, tough trip. And and uh for them, but you know, Kirk Cousins is playing extremely well. He's playing sound football, you know. And and their ability to use that run game and play action pass like they do and sort of maximize the protection with their tight ends and and they have some injuries on offense. But it all starts with that quarterback and he's playing extremely well.

He's playing efficiently, and uh, he's making plays down the field. And gar Song is having a good year obviously over there. And you know, we know Deshaun and his speed and his ability to make plays down the field. So again it's a it's another tough test. It's it's great that we get them here. Now. Your message to the team this week, coach, we just gotta stay the course. We got to trust the process. Uh, you know, we got

to make sure that that we're doing everything right. Everybody's got to look at themselves and not point the finger at anybody but themselves. And I've got to point it at me, and I've got to look at myself and make sure that I'm doing everything right from a from a leadership standpoint with a football team and holding guys accountable, holding coaches accountable this time of year, and making sure that the little things are not not overlooked. Tolks, Thanks

so much. Beat the Redskins on Sunday, Thanks Dave. We simply right checking from Sun time their bank. Just make one deposit, withdraw transfer or payment each month to wait the monthly fee, and there's no minimum balance. You're all right, it's simply right checking from Sun time their bank. You say crazy, I say crafted. You say savage. I say practice, crazy, crafted, savage practice. Let's run that whole thing back. You say unbelievable.

I say achievable. You say incredible. I say an invitable. Unbelievable, achievable, incredible, inevitable. Let's run that whole day. Bet harps to compete electric lights to were plenties. You here to buy the tickets? Hey, buddy, you here for the tickets? Yeah, dude, what's the password? Man? What were you thinking? We're doing like a CD ticket deal instead of going to NFL ticket Exchange. NFL ticket exchange.

I'll tickets from one fan to the other. We'll see it the game, all right, yes, third, all right, appreciate it. It's bannerow, Glenn Mac. Now it's time for our look around the NFC East, presented by Bob's Discount Furniture. We don't like the look of this. Dallas has clinched a playoff spot, the Eagles looking up at the division. The next team up is the Washington Redskins. Glenn and the

Eagles on Sunday, a big game against Washington. Introduce to see what Jim Schwartz does against that very potent Redskins offense. You have not been in love with Washington. They had a tough loss on Sunday in Arizona Division at the start of the year, but it was Kirk Cousins. Yeah, Benna,

obviously I've given the guy his due. Kirk Cousins is an excellent season, but it really will be the next month where I think in Washington they decide whether he's going to be the guy they won for the future or not really there, Yeah, because I think they're really in that position now. They're not a lock for the playoffs by any stretch. Now they want him because if they fall out of it and he doesn't play well at the end in big games, that's when they'll let

him go. That was the argument against him before that he's not a guy who can win big games at the end of the season. He's got his chance to do it now. They won down the stretch, won the division, right, we will see if they're able to do it. Uh, and we'll see what they do. They get Trent Williams back against the Eagles, their lineman that that's going to help him because he had no protection last week when

they lost to Arizona. Jay Gruden, by the way, goes off in the locker room afterwards so loudly that you can hear it outside all the reporters just writing it all by So sometimes the team needs that. Yeah, and we'll see that. After the Eagles, the Redskins play Carolina and then at Chicago, so they have kind of a path here to the playoffs. Now. The New York Giants beaten badly on Sunday by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Glenn, that's a team that you really haven't been high on, the Giant.

There we go, that's the team I haven't been high on. I'm still not high on the Giants. And the Giants have the toughest schedule left of every team that's kind of going for the playoffs. They played the three teams in the division, including the Eagles, of course, and they play the Lions, who are She's a really good team right now. Lions want five of their last six. Giants defense played well against Pittsburgh. Their offense was just trocious.

Defense had two turnovers. The offense could not convert. Big news out of there, Jason Pierre, Paul Hurt with a growing uncertain now what's going to happen with him. It's had a very nice comeback year. That's a big part of their defense. Yep. And then the Cowboys have clinched the playoffs spot. They continue to roll a win last Thursday night over the Minnesota Vikings with that stop in the two point conversion territory, Sam Bradford throwing high and

wide incomplete. So the Cowboys clinch a playoffs spot. They're healthy, they keep playing well, the offensive line is awesome, and they have done a great job minimizing mistakes. Give them credit, they're an outstanding football team. Two points on the Dallas Cowboys Number one. I will tell you that what's really been remarkable at about them this year's how good they

are on the fourth quarter. You saw it again in Minnesota where they have the opportunity to lose that game, they're losing that game, they come back, score the touchdown and then as you say, stop him on the two pointer. That's been a big part of them. So the question with Dallas is what keeps them from going to the Super Bowl in the NFL to Seattle Seahawks. Seattle Seahawks. Yes, but here's the other thing. They still have no pass rush.

And I would argue, it's really hard to get to and win a super Bowl when you're gonna have to go to the playoffs and play against Russell Wilson. You're gonna have to go to the playoff, you're gonna have to Falcons. Okay, but you're still if you don't have a pass rush, the Falcons will carve you up. And I think that's the real challenge. Matthew Stafford's having a great year. I don't think they're anything. That team is

anything that is smoking mirrors. That's fine, smoking mirrors pretty good against the Eagles a while again, they did not. They were getting their butts killed Lions. Eagles came back at the lead. Ryan Matthews fumbles a game away. Yeah, okay, that's fine. I'm just not into that. I'm not I'm not here to sing up the Lions. I'm just telling

you that's I'm trying too. I hate the deal. The Cowboys will not get to the Super Bowl because their offense, excuse me, their lack of a pass rush will stop it. Mark that down. That's our look around. The NFC is presented by Bob's Discount Furniture. One segment to go here on Eagles three six, Hea, Glenn and I were coming right back. Their legend is legendary. They've seen the end zone more often than any other duo in history. They are professional football player watchers. Become a pro fan only

with Xfinity X one caller click today. I sept to Philly. I scept to Philly, the bus, the trolley, the train, Jefferson Station, Airport Line, sixty nine Street, Broad Street to the game, Paoli Sr and Gold Chestnut Hill Regional Rail. I scept to Philly the Broad Street line on game days, Hedega to the movie, to my Parkway Spring Garden, late night, West Philly, South Philly. With simply right checking from side

time their bank. Just take one deposit to draw transfer or payment each month, to wait the monthly fee and there's no minimum balance. You're all right. It's simply right checking from Santan their bank. Their legend is legendary. They've seen the end zone more often than any other duo in history. They are professional football player watches. Become a pro fan only with Xfinity X one caller click today. We welcome you back for our final segment here on

Eagles three sixty. Dave Spidero, Glenn macdown, We've got to set up for Wednesday on Philadelphia Eagles dot com or Amrosso's on the menu segment. Frank Reich offensive coordinator in studio, My Quick my co host, and we take our first look at the Washington Redskins at six five and one. We've got press passed and a lot of players lined up for their weekly press briefings, including, of course, the quarterback, Carson Wentz. Amrosso's the reason Philly sandwiches are so famous.

I've calmed down, Glenn the previous segment. I can speak now. How you doing? Yes, I'm great. Disappointing to be sitting here at five and seven, I'm sure is Dave Spidero. I don't think we saw the Eagles as a super Bowl team, but I thought they could be a team that could get a wild card. As recently as two weeks ago, the lost to Green Bay, which was horribly disappointing, followed by really the worst effort I've seen since a

year ago. Thanksgiving against Cincinnati was very disheartening. They've now got the four games left, three home games. It's such a cliche to say you play for pride, but at this point you do. You play play for jobs. Yes, you were employed in the NFL. If you want to stay employed in the NFL, you play hard and smart, and we'll find out what they did. I've always said this, there's a difference between playing hard and smart and playing

desperate football. And that's what I want to see on Sunday from this football team in front of the home crowd against the Division A team that beat you up in Washington. Let's see how desperate the Philadelphia Eagles are on Sunday. Glenn mcnow, Dave Spidero, well, thank you for joining us on Eagles three sixty. I'll be back tomorrow with Mike Quick. In the meantime, have yourselves a great Eagles Day.