Press Pass: Doug Pederson

Jaylen Watkins um is good as well. So um, everybody else's is full strength. Roster spot, what are you gonna do with it? I haven't done anything yet again, as kind of what we've done in the past. We just kind of wait and see how the week goes. And and we do have Watson obviously on the practice squad and that's definitely a possibility, but nothing at this time Marshall ready. But there's to handle like a lot of if you need him, I think so. I think so.

You know, he's been here all season and went through camp with us and very familiar with offensively what we're doing, and it's been in on all the meetings and Deuced does a great job of getting THO those guys prepared. So um, his role obviously will we'll pick up a little bit more this week. Did a third spot running back? I mean you know, yeah, I would like for it to be a running back, um, you know, and again with with Watson sitting right there, it'd be a it'd

be a no brainer for us. But again we'll wait and see later in the week. How how how things go? Pretty good? Chance if you guys see Marshall Navy in some extended role on Sunday, I think so you know, um, right now, the plan is, you know, Darren, but uh for sure see see Byron a little bit more on first and second down probably and even you know, some third down situations. Uh. I think he's um, he learned a lot from the Baltimore game playing and then sort

of you know, calling himself down in that game. And he had a nice uh a couple of nice runs, had a nice little twelve yard in a game. Something to learn and build from. But his role will definitely increase this week a little bit, blocking his reving that kind of thing, receiving I think It's probably one of his strength. I think. I think out of the backfield,

he's he's extremely elusive. Out of the backfield, He's quick um as a runner um, He's got a great uh sort of a first jump cut type move that that is very elusive, and you see it in practice when he's going against our defense. And and those are things that we gotta we gotta see carry over obviously into a game. Having a big play in the last game, how important going into the off season with confidence in a high No could could this game be for him

to do some good things? I think it's it's not only big for him, but I think I think for a lot of guys, you know, on the team, for for us, if we can somehow figure it out and win this football game Sunday, I think I think it's big for for a lot of reasons and for a lot of guys, and for for our team going into the off season. But for Nelson, I think it would be uh be extremely beneficial and and and just it it leaves you with that great taste and that great feel,

you know, going into the off season. It kind of gives you that offense looking forward to to OTAs and and obviously next years, do you see any decline in his quickness or his first I don't, UM, you know, he's he's still very explosive. UM. You know you saw the uh obviously just a couple of weeks ago, the punt return that was you know, obviously called back. But you saw the punt return. And you're seeing some things with him out of the backfield that can keep him,

keep him going, you know. And and so there's been no um really from the beginning of the years. And it really goes to the way he practices. You know, you watch him on the practice fielding. He's full speed, whether being a walkthrough or or in the regular course of practice. And it's just the way he prepares himself. And and uh a veteran through and through play guard. And how puntful would you deal with him? I think he was what are at the center may being able

to make a la hole. I would have no hesitation, um if he had to play center. You know. I think it's just where he's at as a as a as a as a player. UM. The ability to make

all the calls. UM, we give them, you know, give them a couple reps here and there, even on the service team, you know, at center during the course of the year, and just want to keep him keep him going from from that standpoint, but um, you know, he's been such a versatile offensive lineman for us that would have no no issues if he had to play center. Any assistance on your staff that you think are deserving

of some head coaching looks well. Obviously there's there's talk out there of of you know, the two coordinators, um right now and um and listen, I was in that spot once and and UM, I think that obviously they

would be they'd be great, great candidates. They they you know, obviously in Schwartz's case, he's been there before, he understands it, and and uh, you know, um, and and in Frank's case, I think I think he's he's you know, he's had interviews in the past, and so he's kind of been through the process, sess and and uh, you know, you hate to see because I hand picked all these guys.

You know, you hate to see any of them go because I feel like we've got some special going and uh, I would love to keep them all here if I could. How would you evaluate Schwartz? I know you're not in a full season evaluation yet but a defense has started all really strong and then uh, you know it has

has tailed off a little bit. Well, yeah, I think I think that uh you know, you look at what he's um, what he's put together, and what they've accomplished and and and really defensively from numbers even stats, I mean, they've been relatively high. You know, all season long. There's been a couple of weeks, a little drop off here and there, but for the most part, with with the guys that have that have been healthy and playing, he's

kept that thing together. And uh, you know, the one thing that really intrigued me about about Schwartz and his style was that it was it was a very simplistic scheme. It wasn't even when you get into sub packages and stuff, it wasn't a lot of you know, different calls and different defenses. And I think that's what makes I think that's what makes any good coordinator, um great in this league.

Is it the ability to keep it, keep it simple, to allow your guys to play fast and and uh, um that you know, are there going to be setbacks, There's going to be setbacks throughout the year, but again, you just stay true to your process, stay true to your scheme, and uh, you know it usually it usually works itself out. Aside from those two coordinators, Um, your special teams coordinators had a pretty good season. What do you see from Dave FIfF And do you think he

has that kind of potential to be a head coach? One, Dad, Yeah, I do. I think he. I think he's very capable, you know, next to myself, he's the he's the next coach on the staff that really is in front of the team, you know, talking and can you know, coordinate meetings and things of that nature. And and um, I think that he'd be uh, you know, uh right for the for for for a job, you know, for an opportunity, and and um, he's very detailed on his work. He's

very thorough in his work. He he gets the guys to practice fast, and and uh again he's another one that uh as a coach, he keeps things very simplistic for the guys and able to execute and go out and and uh, you know, play the scheme fast and aggressively. Yesterday that there don't seem to be five year rebuilding plans in the league anymore, that there's an urgency when a new regime comes in to get it right and

get it right quickly. How does that kind of how do you balance what you do on a day to day basis with wanting to win and knowing that you probably have to win relatively soon versus you know, some of the things you want to do with a long term developing Carson, rebuilding a roster, doing implementing some things you want into Well, I think I think that um, you know, it starts with the support of your owner. And I think that's where it starts with with Jeffrey

and the support that he has of me. And he understands where we are as a football team, and you know, one of it, one of the big um, you know, he was on board with everything and the decisions that

we made to go out and get Carson. You know this spring he felt like that, uh, you know, in order to have success in this league, you know, uh, you got to have a quarterback and and so it started there and uh, you know, quarterback of the future, and um, you know, if you don't have that type of support, it makes it a little more difficult, you know, because the pressure is to to really win from day one and uh, and sometimes maybe you're not built that

way because you're coming in and you're changing scheme and you're maybe guys are playing you know, a position they hadn't played before or in you know, in a few years, and um, you know, you just got to get everybody to believe. But um, you know that, and that's the challenging thing. But but having that support from from the top down, um gives you gives you that a little bit of time, not a lot, not a lot of time, but a little bit of time to uh, to get

this thing going in the right direction. And then and then ultimately, uh, you know, um it comes down to me as the head football coach to make sure the thing's going and staying in that right direction. Doug Loves made halfway through the season about Kelsey's performance, and he was pretty honest about his own play, and you know said, if I don't play better, I'm not going to be here. How have you seen him over the second half of the season, if you've seen any change and his you know,

you haven't really seen any changes in him. The way

he practices, the way he plays. I mean it's a again, he's a he's another one of those you know, pro athlete players that gets himself ready every single day, and he's so smart and a great athlete, and um, you know, I think I think he was one of the guys that was just kind of putting too much pressure on himself to perform and instead of just kind of letting the game happen and um, wanting to do things right all the time, which which I really appreciate from any

from any player and in all players. But I think that's the thing that I think this the second half of the years, he's just kind of, you know, it's settled down for him, meaning meaning he's not letting he's letting the game come to him, you know, which we've talked about, and I think you're seeing it in his play and and he's he's done. He's done a really

good job here in these last few weeks. Given John's success down in Baltimore, given all the things you said about the appeal of a special teams coach as far as being qualified for head coaching jobs, why do you think so many, so so little are being have been seriously considered since John took the Baltimore Joe, I think it's it's interesting, and you know, I think too sometimes you know, um, you know, of course each team, each ownership is different, but you know, um, obviously, I think

I think you look at the quarterback position, you know, offensively, and you kind of start start there, um, you know, and and and say, okay, do you want a guy that's offensive driven? Do you want a guy that's defensive driven? Do you want a guy that's that's proven in the league. Um, those are all questions that that that ownership obviously has

to answer. And and I think sometimes that um again, for whatever reason, I think sometimes special teams gets gets kind of snubbed a little bit, and and it's unfortunate because there are some great special teams coaches in the league that, um, you know, I came from Kansas City where Dave Tobs another one that said had great success as a special teams coordinator. And you know, it seems like year and year you know, goes by and these

guys kind of get overlooked. But who says they're not qualified, Who says they're not very capable of because again, they're the ones that are they're addressing the team, they're standing up in front of the team and just like I am, you know, and so um, you applaud obviously what Harps has done, because he's gone out and he's he's he's he's hired great coordinators. And I think that's where where

it starts too. You know, you you hire the right guy for the for the head job, but at the same time making sure that the coordinators are the are the right guys too to run your offense and defense. It's it's gonna be sixteen starts with forward Carson in terms of res durability. Was that's something you would concerned about going into the year and what do you make out the fact that it was last You know, the

durability was really never an issue UM with me. Um. You know, I know we had to address some of the sliding and getting out of bounds and protecting himself a little bit early on, and he's done that. UM, so we kind of got that fixed. UM. You know the thing the thing with with him as a rookie. UM, just mentioning this earlier, UM, Derek and I were talking

about it. Just he's played a ton of football here in the last year, and you think about his progression from one double A national championship to right into the Senior Bowl, to combine prep to you know, pro days and workouts and then OTAs and you know, right into camp, so he really hasn't had a break and for him to be playing what we feel really he's playing his best football right now at the end of the year, just goes to show the type of type of player

he is, the type of professional that he is, and how he's learning each week, and how the um, how he's attacking each week, and by the way he studies and prepares and takes care of his body. Um. And then a lot of the credit to obviously falls on the offensive line for for protecting him this season, and it's just been, Uh, it's something that we can definitely build on for them for the future. And how they've had a lot of success obvious starts with the running

the ball. It's like that served them well this year. The investments in the offensive line served them well in twenty fourteen when they be in the playoffs. Uh, you know, the trickle down, the effect of the run game, quarterback not having the past as bunch of the defense not being on the field as much. Is that a strategy you would like to emulate moving forward? Yeah, you know, it is a strategy obviously for success um, and and and really you know you look at you know, Carson's

attempts and and per game and Dacks attempts. I mean, I think it's within four or five attempts per games. It was not that far off. And even our rushing attempts or our tenth in the National Football League right now, so you know, it feels like we're throwing the ball a bunch. Um. But I think the obviously a recipe for successes is lower those attempts, keep im in that manageable thirty three, thirty four, maybe thirty attempts a game, but still being the ability to run the ball just

just as equally. Um, I think our our our our formula's first success. And I then play obviously played great defense and special teams. Okay, thanks guys,