Press Pass: Doug Pederson

Darren Sprowles is good. Um. Everything everything he uh had to go through it was positive. So he'll be ready this week and then uh we'll see where Big V is. But he should be Uh, he should be ready to got going into this game considering the nature of the injuries that we've had and everything, and with Lane being back today, Lane will doing as a starter. Have you been able to see him. I haven't seen him yet today.

I know he's been here in the building and he's been with UH coach Statlin and Eugene and um, of course I've I've been game planning and and and been in my office all morning, so I haven't had a chance to see him. Yet, which is the is the injury risk to hire for a guy who hasn't played in that long? You know, it's it's possible. Um, you know, Uh, I just have to kind of see when I put my eyes on Lane, just to see where he's at physically and what he's been doing over the last ten weeks.

But uh, um, he's such a tremendous athlete that um, you know, I wouldn't I wouldn't expect, um, anything too too traumatic to to happen in the next next couple of weeks. But obviously it is possible. And back at left guard now something we're gonna evaluate. I gotta see where he's at healthwise, see if he's uh, you know, one hundred percent. Um. Obviously, these last two weeks we're kind of getting getting our offensive line back to full strength.

So um, that's something that we'll evaluate in these next couple of days. I know you've been a part of a lot of Thursday night games as a player and as a coach. What's the best approach as far as getting these guys off their feet as much as possible but still preparing the way you need to. Yeah, you know, today, Um, being a Monday and playing on Thursday. We want the guys in the building to begin the initial installation process

for the Giants. And and you know, there is a fine line between what you can do on the field and making sure they're fresh and ready to go. So you spend a lot of time in meetings. You spend a little amount of time as possible on the field, but it's more walk through situations, you know, to keep these guys as fresh as possible, because again, they're they're they're coming off a game, you know, less than twenty

four hours. So we just gotta make sure and I gotta make sure that we do the right thing by these base players. What were some of the issues with trying to throw the ball downfield early in the game. There was it the guys weren't getting open. Was it the defense or was Carson? Some of it was the weather, you know, the wind obviously when the wind picked up and the weather weather, you know, um, uh was able to move that ball a little bit. Some of it was uh, you know a little bit of the protection.

A couple of issues early in the game. You saw Carson moving around, you know, guys were they they Baltimore had a nice little pick stunt with uh, their their front and caught us a couple of times and made Carson move and um. And but you know, once we were able to kind of get those kind of settled down on the sideline, then then you started seeing some of the deeper you know, short I say that it was intermediate throws, um, you know, to to Earth's and and a couple of couple of shots there, um to

really get the kind of the ball moving. But a lot of it, to be honest with you, um, for half the game at least, it was a lot of

weather you know involved. Now that you've better chance to go back and watch it, do you have any thought in terms of the play call in the two point conversion to maybe some clarity as to why it was Byrn Marshall and not you know, Ryan Matthews on the field at that point listen, Yeah, I mean there was there was zero in my mind, there was zero opportunity to run because what what we anticipated is what we got defensively. They they gapped out, they zero blitzed us.

They there was not going to be a lane. It was going to be a one yard loss if we tried to run the football at that time, and in those situations, it's as I mentioned after the game, you know, as as a defensive coordinator, I mean you you, you go, you you you know, storm the castle and you know that's what they did. And uh, then you try to create the matchup one on one, which we had a good one on our slot receiver Jordan Matthews and and uh, just unfortunate the one extra guy I got his hand

on the ball and tipped it. So you know, it wasn't it going to be a didn't matter who was in the backfield at the time, you know, the fact, the fact of the matter was we weren't going to run the ball in that situation with him not after Doesn't that kind of give it away a little bit more than if you have a rookie out there playing

this first game. When you say that, I listen from a from a football coaching standpoint, It maybe from layman's terms, it might look the peer that way, but when you're when you're in the heat of the battle like that, Um, they're gonna do what they do. We're gonna do what we do. I know what we did the first two

point conversion. It was in the first half of the game when really, I decided to go for two then because of the weather, and I didn't want to take points off the board necessarily with a potential missed extra point, you know, with the way we were kicking into the wind at that time. So that's a different that's a different situation, different scenario. This was a true guy to have a situation. And and you know we had our we had our best play at that time against against

that defense. So you don't think the Ravens would have any any more notion that you're gonna throw the ball with a rookie playing in his first game at running back. Then they knew we were throwing the ball. Yeah, when you mentioned that Barber, you're not sure about him at left guard? Does seeing more Semalu factor into that decision at guard? You know it? Um it does a little bit.

Again this week, it's gonna be tough. He does have the ankle sprain, and you know it's just gonna be a day to day with him to see where he's at. But you know, Isaac came out of this game, I mean playing he played played well. First first right tackle, star he played, He played extremely well, and and um, you know we got a great player, and Isaac and a versatile player. You know, they can play any of

those positions now along the line. So um gives us a little more depth now on these last couple of weeks. But he'll definitely factor in all of those lines. You had mentioned earlier that once the team was officially eliminated from playoff contention, you think about UM playing some more young guys and kind of seeing what you have. Is that the plan? Now? Will you try to see what you're having some younger guys in the last two games, we're playing all our young guys now, you know, I mean,

who are you referencing? Um? You know, if you look at defense, c J Smith or on offense, you haven't seen a lot of Bryce Trade And yeah, CJ has been active every week and played a lot of teams. Jalen Mills has been getting a lot of reps. You know, guys like Jalen Watkins. Um. You know, even though he's not a not a rookie, he's been playing quite a bit. You know. On offense, I guess you know Bryce Trade,

Paul Turner, you know guys that have played this season. Um, you know, the only one that's unfortunate is when Dale not getting not getting you know, some carries in the next two games. But for the most part, most of our young guys have played extensively throughout the season. But I would say that, uh, you know, we still we still want to win these next two games. Um, you know, And so that's our approach, and um you know we're

gonna play. We're gonna play the best eleven you know, these next two weeks' report on Lane, what have you hard worries yet? Weight wise, conditioning wise? Um, well, again, I haven't seen him, so I can't. I can't really I don't know, you know, Um yeah something, well, yeah, I know something that Isaac's hurt and Big V's coming off a knee injury, and Alan Barber's injured. So what else do I have left? Yeah? Sorry, you know what

I mean. So if I'm just going Lane, you're the guy, I don't care if you're you know, X weight, I mean, you gotta play and listen, Lane, I'm sure you know he's an athlete, and uh, I'm sure he worked out and kept himself in shape and stayed you know, stayed relatively around. You know, he was about three eighteen three nineteen when he left us. So you know, expect to see him about that weight. I guess, uh later today. And you know, with the injury situation, you gotta go.

So my percentage is yesterday too, the overtime. And how much have you come to look at or rely on that, you know, statistical analysis. You know, it's it's it's become it's it's something as the season's gone on. Um, obviously we've looked at it, and I looked at it more and more. You know, it's something that's a UM something you you're taking the consideration obviously at early in the season.

You know, as I've mentioned before, on fourth downs and and going from you know, two point conversions and all that we understand you know, uh, all the situations that are you know, where you're at on a field defense, punt versus a field goal, all those things going to going to play, and UM we take into consideration to the UM. You know, you're on the road, you're the underdog. You know, what are the what are the what are

the scenario what are the classics scenarios? And and uh and so you know I rely on those guys to to to you know, give me the right information and and UM, you know, it's like calling calling timeouts or challenge flags. We're getting all the information. It's part of our process that we talk about each week. And and um, you know, these guys are given given great information during

the game and and uh you know. Um, and that's why that comment was made, you know, postgame the most important downs in the gaming in the league this season third most two punk versions? Is that important for you as a coach that have have have that aggressive major? Um? I think so, I you know, I, um, you know you want to stay aggressive. You want to trust your players, and that's what I've done and I feel like I've done, you know, this season. And uh, um it was no

different yesterday. It was evident yesterday. Um. You know. And again it just comes down to to rely on a lot of times on on the information, the data that's that's given and and and your your chances for success, and you know a lot of factors go into that. But um, you don't want to necessarily be in that

many fourth downs, you know. Um. And or if you're going for two a lot, it's uh, either because you're behind and you need the two points, or or sometimes you know, like in Pittsburgh's case, they sometimes they go for it early in the game and they want to get that eight to nothing score as opposed to a seven nothing score. So those are all things to consider necessarily, um, coming from any one person. It's things that we talk

about in our analytical team. You know, they study all the numbers and they crunch all the numbers throughout the league and the percentages over the course of so many years, and and usually you can go back five years and get all the statistical data and and uh, you know what what is kind of you know, in your favor you know, as an offense, and then it's broken down by field position and the actual down and distance and

where you are. So um, those are all things that we rehearse and practice and talk about during the week. Is you know, the previous five games, when he's an opportunity to drive, looks to the victory, you guys to call him short this one although thinking a victory, he did potentially score the game winning game time touchdown, I

can got going for two. What what does it mean for him at least get one of those as the way during his rookie season, as opposed to let's say, you know, he didn't wasn't able to least lead you guys too, well, yeah, I mean it would, it would. These last couple of weeks have been great to have finished UM with a win, you know, in these last two weeks. And I just think it shows the one the resiliency of him and the and and the team

you know overall. Uh, you know how how well the defense played at the end of that game yesterday with with Jordan Hicks turnover and then stopping them with the punt and you know, offensively taking the ball and going down and and and potentially you know, winning the game, getting us to with with within one. I think as a quarterback and a young quarterback, those are those are valuable experiences that you'll that you'll cherish and you'll remember

and you'll lean on the rest of your career. UM. And and for the guys to see him do that just show was the leadership capability that he has to to lead the football team and put us in those

in those situations last two drives. Just the way he was poised in a pocket, he commanded, you know, he was communicating in a loud stadium, loud environment, whether everything that could affect you as an offense was was in that you know, besides having you know, precipitation, there was um, everything was kind of against the offense because we were going into that wind and for him to be able to communicate and uh, you know standing there and deliver

the football and do the things that that uh you know, we we put him through um and then eventually scramble and and you know, uh take on a really good safety Eric Weddle and and and you know make him miss and score the touchdown. I think is just uh just shows his grit and toughness and willingness to uh,

you know, sacrifice himself for the team. You guys have you guys have one play of thirty yards or more than the less six games, and that was Paul Turner's forty one yard catch when you were down twenty six nothing in Cincinnati. What's preventing you guys from getting those big plays on offense? Well, Um, you know, the week before against Washington, we took a shot to Nelson. We got the past interference. It was a big you know, you're not going to get the game, but that was

an opportunity there. You know, we've had some shots that for whatever reason, whether it whether it be protection or M Carson going somewhere else with the football. You know,

all those things kind of factor in. You know, the one thing that M by design sometimes and not necessarily down the field, but but just designing shots for Carson play action pass has been and we'll always probably be one of carson strength and and for us as a staff to to be able to to design those fifteen to twenty yard completions, you know, catch and run and you know, make a guy miss and go thirty plus

is is very beneficial. It's it's hard to complete a lot of those throws down the field because it takes a little more time. A lot of times, you know, protection you either have to go six or seven man to um. You know, throw the ball down the field. I don't mind throwing a slant and letting the guy run for twenty five yards. I mean, that's that's all part of it too. So it's a little bit of

a little bit of everything. But something that will address in the offseason when we get a chance to evaluate our our our system and see how we can better improve that area. On the Rodney mccleoud play dog on the rushing touchdown, UM, I went back and looked at it this morning, and and uh, you know, I think as a safety, you know, he's always kind of prided himself and just you know, sticking his nose in there.

I just think there was a situation where, um, you know, it's kind of a one on one, one on one situation. And I get it from a player's standpoint too, that that you know, you're trying to maintain inside leverage. You don't want to get beat inside. Um. You know, I haven't talked to Rodney, so I don't I don't know if there was a an awareness, you know, where you

are in the field type thing. But at the same time, I think he would uh uh you know, he'd probably want that play over again to do um and uh and and he's listen, he's been a he's been a great part of our defense. He's been a you know, a steady, consistent player for US all season long. And and by no means there's one play gonna define him or or the way he's you know, the way he's played for US this season. Thanks guys,