Press Pass: Doug Pederson

and we'll be obviously available for the game. You should film a defensive line's opposed to a defensive again, all right now with the injury to Benny and and you're down to three and uh, um as much rotating as we do UH with that group, UM, we felt the need to bring it fourth in both you and Dallas are at the top with regard to rushing attempts per game, uh, and at the bottom of the league in passing attempts.

Just with respect to your team, do you think that would be any different if you had a veteran quarterback? I mean, how much of it is is Carson related? You know what? I don't think so, I don't think so and I say that is because both teams have the ability to run the football. It just helps it helps your passing game. And and I think both teams know that they you know, we both have young quarterbacks and and uh, we've got to rely a little bit on defense. You got to rely on special teams, and

that running game becomes so important. Uh. The challenges obviously on the on the offensive line and the runners. So you know, um, it's also been a formula league wide. You know, you're seeing you're seeing teams that are having success because they're running the ball. And and that's okay, that's okay. Uh. You know, as long as you can do that and you still find a way to win the game, then then I'm okay with that too. From a system, or at least a coach of a system

that generally didn't run the ball very much. Um, it was more pass first. Um. Is this where you stray from from Andy? I think I think a little bit. I do. But at the same time, I think too, the sometimes games, games dictate that the personnel dictates that I've played the quarterback position. I know how important the run game can be your friend, and uh and and and it just opens up so much. It opens up your drop back game, it opens up your play action pass games. So I just think that that uh you

know where we are right now. Um yeah, we're going to continue to to to pound the football and and uh um you know, um utilize our our passing game where where we where we see fit and how how you know, how we're also protecting during that game. Prescott, Do you see any similarities between those two and what are some of the differences between all the similarities. Number one, they they they're they're they're proven, the proven winners. I mean, they know how to win, they know how to lead

their teams. They they nothing seems to be too big for either one of them. You know, they take it in stride. Um. The ability to check the football, um, you know, I think is and if through these first you know, six seven games like this has been has been crucial. Um. You know. Differences I think you know, Carson could be a little bit bigger. They're both very athletic though that's a similarity, um, you know, and just and not really knowing him personally and just knowing our guy, Um,

you know, I think they both prepare extremely well. Um. Definitely utilize their strength of their team and and um, you know, two good offensive lines too, you know, good run games. Um, I mean there's they're they're very They're probably more similar than they are not, you know, in my opinion, And Jack, why are they more ready for the NFL where they came from the minds, it seems more young quarterbacks are more ready when they come in

the NFL. I just think I just think these guys are are are They're they're coming out of school, out of college, a little more more NFL ready, a little more NFL prepared, you know, to handle number one, the rigors of an NFL season. These guys come out of I know, Carson, you know North Dakota State, and you

know versus SEC or Pac twelve or whatever. But they they've they know how to handle success, they know how to handle media, they know how to handle fans, and I think I think they're just genuinely more prepared coming to us at this level. And then to their credit,

it's how well they've prepared themselves to be in this position. Um, you know, they they they all strive to one day play in the National Football League and it's their goal to play in the National Football League and Um, you know, these guys are vowed and determined to to one day get there, and so they set goals for themselves. And then when they're here, they want to see the field and and and when they do, it's just, uh, it's

how well they they handle it all. And both guys are are I think that you know, in our case, how well he prepares himself during the week. Um, you know, his leadership ability and all that is just taught at an early age and you kind of just have it and some guys have it, some guys don't. Both of these guys have it. On what you just said about Prescott and arm are you surprised that he lasted into

the fourth round? I mean, and is that something you kind of it's all right away about a quarterback, like you know how he has it round? I mean, you don't really in a quarterback situation, You're not going to really know until you get him in your building and you start working with the kid, and and uh and get him introduced to your system. You know, Um, it depending on where you fall in the draft. I you know, it's all based on what a team needs obviously at

that time. And and uh, you know, I mean Tom Brady. I mean you can go down the list of guys that that that got passed up and are you know, over over time and UM, I'm not surprised, you know that Dak is having the success he's having. I think he's that type of guy. We had him here this spring in our building and and I really liked him,

liked everything about him. Um as a quarterback, I think you know, you do your due diligence on all the quarterbacks in the draft, those that are you know and saying the upper half of the board, and um, you just want to make sure that you're you're exhausting everything about him and um, and so wherever you end up and uh, you know, you just have to once you get there and make the most of that opportunity. And he's obviously done that defense also are they light now?

Which how fullible are they doing? You'd be as good as they go down the line. Yeah, I mean both these guys are are are playing extremely h extremely well

at a high level right now. But it's that offensive line that that that is really kind of taking it upon themselves to number one, protect Dak and then open up the lanes for for Zeke and you know, Um, we all know the type of runner that that Elliott is and um, you know, it's it's no surprise that he's having the success either that that he's having, you know, based on his ability and what he can do out

of the backfield run in and catch the ball. But it really starts with that offensive line and then um, you know obviously Dak protecting the football and not not hurting that team. Coach, how do you how do you approach a rivalry week like this? I know that every game is supposed to be the same, but what do you tell some of the young guys maybe we don't know a lot about it and how much it means to the city. Yeah, I think I think you just

you know your approach. Your approach, um for me is it's not going to be really any different than than

previous weeks. It's a division game. We know that, you know, we we slipped up earlier in a division You know, you remind the team that you know, if you want to be one of the teams at the end of the year, you got to handle your division opponents all that, and coaches around the league are telling their teams that when it comes to division games, you can you can also you know, visit it a little bit of the history of this game and you know the times that

I played here and you know, coached here before and just talk about it's it is a little bit different. But um, you know, our guys have just got to come, come ready to play. And and uh, it's it's a road game. Obviously we lost, you know, to Washington on the road there, and we got to make sure we handle that. And and uh, you know it's Sunday night football. The pressure of that and playing and and you know we can lean back on the Monday night experience a

little bit there. And but but you just try to keep it as as business as usual. You know, as you go through the as you go through the week, you've had all three tight ends back, you've continued use tobing in terms of the jumbo package. Um, but generally you've run out of those sets. Um. There's a disadvantage when you do that because teams generally know with what's what's coming or or do you feel like just the size, well we'll generally get Yeah, you know, it's it's funny.

Uh I say it's funny. I mean, you know, teams teams that do that tend to run the ball a little bit more in those situations, and and and just even the other day against Minnesota. Um, you know, they knew exactly where we were going to run. And it's still an eight yard game. So I don't put a

lot of emphasis really on personnel on the field. Um, does it give us a little leg up sometimes in the run game, yes, does it tip our hat probably, But at the same time, we also have throws that we could design and have up in those situations to kind of counteract that you would have ever used had you know, I had injuries at the tight end position or you know, did those injuries kind of breathing in

the season. The injuries obviously kind of led into us having that extra you know, tackle play play those positions. And the Monday night Chicago game we had both Whiz and Tobe on the field at the same time. And um, it's something that we utilize every week. UM, we're putting we're putting things in in the run game and in the past game a couple of times. In fact, you know, last week we had a couple of throws with with Tobin in the game, we just didn't get to them.

Just didn't call him. So, UM, it's something we're going to continue to work. Um. It's great in short yard, is great in goal line situations obviously, and and uh, you know, the ability to run the football with a bigger body can can help me. These dns or these dns are pretty good players. So UM, bigger body on them as well. Carson wentz Iss against the Kings. Were you and John and Frank doing this week in terms of coaching points of emphasis for your looking quarterback? Well,

it starts with fundamentals and it starts with mechanics. He missed a few throws to his left, some wide open throws to his left. Um, Trey Burton, zach Ertz, to name two. So we gotta get him, we gotta get him refocused on just a fundamentals. You know, right handed quarterback, hips, shoulders, eyes, all of that feat working to the left. That's an ongoing Um goes all the way back to what we mentioned even in training camp with the fundamentals and the

mechanics we're constantly every day working on with him. And you know, and then the other thing is that we're seeing and that that we're getting him. Um, situational football just knowing down in distance, how, how how if it's third down, if it's second down, first and second down, what our defense is trying to do. Who do we have in the game personnel wise. Those are all things now that that we're trying to bring Uh into his game.

And he understands, and he understands that it's just now sort of we have to magnify it just a little bit. He has to know if Darren Sproles is in the backfield as opposed to you know, Ryan Matthews or Wendell and because angles change on the run game and things like that. So we keep constantly talking about about these these issues each and every week because every week is

a little different. When he's strong to the left, what's specifically we're talking specifically is his target line, meaning his feet, his shoulders, eyes being in line with his target and and when he doesn't open up his front hip, he tends to and most quarterbacks would say, and this happens to him if he doesn't open up his left hip. Let's say he's going to throw the ball behind um. If he overstrides, the ball is going to sail. So those are all things that we keep working on in practice.

And try to put him in in game like situations in our in our drill work to help him just uh, sort of eliminate some of that stuff to his left. Us are looking to trade for a receiver prior to the trade deadline, turning legitimate legitimacy to that, and are you happy with your current players? No legitimacy to that, And I'm I'm thrilled with the guys we have and going to work with him every day. Your tight ends have kind only passes in the last three games, just

three of them for first downs. He said, A concern is just the way things have gone in those games. It's a little both, but I'll tell you this, it's

more it's more just the way things have gone. And this kind of goes back to Sala's question on on you know, getting Carson familiar with with who's on the field and knowing concepts and knowing coverage and things like that, and you know, um, we're constantly as quarterbacks, we're constantly learning um every single week and every week different um and and so sometimes it's just, uh, it's just understanding the design of a play and knowing what the defense

has given us. So um, it's not. It's not a scheme thing. It's not you know, um, a personnel thing or anything like that. It's just now we've just got to make sure that we're, um, we're all on the same page offensively with some of the some of the things that we're doing. Clear, you guys aren't trying to upgrade at the wide receiver position in front of the trade deadline. Well, look, I mean you say upgrade. I mean I think every team's trying to upgrade every position

if you could, but not at this time. Though stretches the field. Nelson can stretch it, Josh can stretch it. But I think I think I think it's uh um, I think it's uh protection design of the play. When when I when I think of stretching the field, I mean a guy can run fast and I can be stretching the field, but who can really take the top off. I mean, those two guys are two that can do

that kind of keeping rests. Sorry, it's kind of keeping guys like Nelson and Josh from being more consistent, you know, getting like wow, thanks, Josh was pretty efficient last week. I mean he caught some nice balls, you know, the a couple in the red zone, and a couple of bubble slant combinations that we do with him, and that that's kind of what what who Josh is and the kickoff return obviously, I mean, you know, these are these

are things Josh can do. And and uh, he's another one much like DGB that you try to find every week, just more opportunities. And you know, when you have twenty two twenty three pass attempts and another twenty six or so running attempts, there's just there's not too many plays, and so we have them in every week, you know, we just it's my job, I guess, to call them

in situations where where we can utilize them. But um, sometimes it's just the circumstance of the game, the running game, as well as the best we had a big part of the former. Would you say, is accward to use the term game managers when you talk about Press, Scott and Wains and then why is the term game manager not the negative way to describabilities? Yeah, I obviously don't

think it's a negative way to describe any quarterback. If if number one, if they're efficient with their throws, high hiper you know, high completion percentages, say in the upper sixties mid upper sixties. They're not turning the football over. Um, I think play play callers can help in that. In that situation, you take more calculated risks than than uh, just winging the ball, you know, or just trying to

attempt at a throwin. There's a little more calculation involved there from from play callers and design and and the way I think the way they in our case, the way he manages our run game, Um, we do we do ask our quarterback to to you know, put us in run left, to run right or things like that based on front and coverage and everything that that teams do. So he manages the game from from that standpoint. Sometimes

that that helps us. So you know, if you're efficient throwing the ball again completion percentage, you're not turning the ball over, and you're converting on third downs, then then that's a that's a pretty good way to manage the game. He endorsed on on Sunday night. Um, the last time you played the verse communication and how do you set ready? But besides just to you know, just checking out the

crowd les and practice. Yeah, we just got a you know, point of emphasis this week with the silent cadence and then we gotta obviously iron out some issues with with you know, Kelsey and Carson that we saw in the in the game the other day, and we'll fix those, but um, we just gotta keep keep hammering away, you know. And and uh, I'll have an opportunity this week to go indoors and and crank the noise up again and and and uh and just keep just keep chiseling away

at it and and uh and go from there. Okay, So thanks h