Press Pass: Doug Pederson

they're both day to day. Michael Kendricks had just a rib contusion against same thing, will hold him out on Wednesday's practice. Marcus Smith has a right growing strain. UM, should be fine. We'll just hold him on Wednesday. And then Benny Logan his left growing strain. His is a little more significant. UM, probably a week to week UH deal injury with with Benny, and but we'll keep monitoring that every every day. Brian Brayman, Jordan Matthews, Leo and

Rodney McLeod. Rodney got a right ac shoulder sprain in this game. But both of those are all four of those guys will be good U to practice on on Wednesday. Coach, you can get Leo's back, but then now you have another injury to another quarterback. At some point you're gonna have to change with you two on game day. Have

more quarterbacks up. Well, you know, we we brought up a CJ last week obviously to the active but um, you know this is this is the National Football League, and with with the limited roster side that you have, I mean this is it's a nature. That's the nature of the business. And uh, you know, injuries are going to happen. We just got to uh make sure our guys are healthy and fresh. But we have, um, we have combinations of guys that obviously we we've worked throughout

camp and first part of the season. So um, you know we'll attack it. We'll at act again this week. After the game, you kind of indicated that Big v will be your right tackle against the Vikings. But after watching the film, is he is he going to start on Sunday against the Viking? Yes? What you think of me hot in that, Doug, You know, you look at it from a certain perspective. Then you get a chance to come in today and watch it again, um and

and uh you get a different perspective. Felt like he slow start, but really settled in nicely, um throughout the game. And listen, there were was it perfect? Was it pretty? No? Were their assignment errors? Yes? And you know, I'm not going to stand here and point the finger at at Big V because that's not what happened. There's enough mistakes all around in this football game that that cost us this game. And you know, uh, but I thought as

the game progressed, he settled in nicely. And and it's a good thing you can take with a you know, a rookie quarterback back there and an inexperienced right tackle when you have other options. In fact, you thought the summer that the best option was to have Alan out there with Wiznowski at guard. Two veterans, um, and now you have a rookie that's in charge of protecting a very valuable piece for you. Listen, there's there's a risk every time they take the field. I'm just you know,

playing and simple. Every time we take the field, there's a risk. And regardless of whether it be a rookie or a veteran out there playing, Um, I can't get caught up in that. I'm not gonna necessarily worry about that as much as my focus is to get V ready to go and listen, he'll be a lot better this week. He's now got a full game under his belt. Um, and and that's valuable experience that he can learn from

going into this week of time. Think your first team at centered on with yeah be with he'll be with concern about Elsy missess Sunday No, yeah, yeah be you consider the best option right tackle. That's the best scenario for right now. Where is the idea of developing him and getting an experience and he can be a better player down the road. A bigger part of this is he he gives us the best opportunity to win right now,

and he's he is our backup right tackle right now. Um. Therefore he's he's going to play and he's gonna he's gonna gain valuable experience weekend and week out. Tackle is better than the world has, harb. Yes, yes, you set the four that you know world like to kind of do. It is all taken the defense. He would only kind of intervene if you saw something he didn't like. If you reach that point, No, Um, there's no panic by no no stretch with you mad, no panic whatsoever. Uh

talked to Jim this morning. We kind of went through it, and I watched the watch the defensive side of the ball and and listen, it's it just comes down to players making plays. And and um, you know it's um the guys are disappointed. The players are disappointed. They know, uh, they know how they played and they they they felt it after the game. And the guys that have been here already this morning, UM no, and and uh it's

just ownership. But uh by no means um will will have I or will I at this point, you know, make any any decisions on that side of the ball right now? You know Dougan knock and going with big V over the double move of having Barber's sprint outside and whiz which one concerns you more in this In that double move, is it moving Barber to the right tackle or is it putting wiz Newski in a left yea?

Because Barber right now, you know he's been playing really well at left guard and uh, um, you know it's a whole new position going from left guard to right tackle. You're out there on an island. And uh, um, it's just making a double switch like that, Um is tough even though it is two veteran players. That's a tough switch. And uh, you know, we did things in this football game to to help whether it be sliding protections or chips or whatever we needed to do, uh to help him.

And we'll continue to monitor that as we go, as we put game plans together in these these next couple of weeks. You enough defense. Two hundred and thirty yards rushing your front seven is supposed to be the strength of your team. It looked like it was just physically manhandle. Why does that happen? Yeah, I mean I would agree, I would agree that. Uh, you know, we got our tail kicked up front this this this game. I mean that's that's a that's an obvious and uh, it's uh,

it's a it's a pride thing. It comes down to each man, you know, taking ownership in their in their jobs and their assignments. Um. As coaches, we got to make sure our players in their right positions to make plays. And at the end of the day, you know, um, it's it's each man, each man to himself collectively, and then as a group, you know, coming together and making

making plays. It it's surprising that that you know, a team could could run the ball for for that many yards against us with with the way we play an attack on defense. But at the same time, I will give the Redskins credit for um getting after us upfront. Really on both sides of the both sides of the line scrimmage, that doug your offensive, your front flour a linement leaves more natural gaps or wider natural gaps, and a line of it falls on linebackers to be aggressive.

Is that where you're You saw some of the failing and in that second line. Sometimes linebackers get caught, you know, behind blocks. Sometimes we don't get the penetration we need up front. Um, guys begin to two gaps just a little bit more than what what gym teaches and and uh, you know coach Wilson and you know, we pride ourselves on getting up field. That's where you can disrupt blocks is by getting up field, and it creates space for

your linebackers to come downhill and flow. And when that's not syncd up all the time, that's where you can get behind blocks and that's where your your big running lanes can come from. Before this game, the way the offense is being able to hold the ball like the

time of possession. That's kind of masks some of the you know, problems on defense and go, well, we we've got our own set of issues, you know, obviously on offense, and we've got you know, you look at this football game too, and it comes down to penalties and third down, which it did almost a week ago. Um. You know, we average our average third down distance was third and ten in this football game, and uh, it's tough to overcome. And penalties, uh set us back on first or second

down and gave us some longer situations. So you know, we've got to clean that up offensively because then collectively that handles um the time of possession and the fact that we can stay on the field and then keep our defense and keep them fresh and died. And in the last couple of weeks offensively, we haven't been able to do that. Why why it seems right after the body I mean you you guys were getting lauded by the national but you carly that number one and the

number two already are you sating? Okay, every body, No, I'm not gonna I'm not gonna, you know, um change anything that way. I think it just you know, it just comes down to the communication from from me to the team to the staff. UM. Disciplining, disciplining ourselves in practice, focusing on the little things. Little things will take care of big things. Um. And those are all those are all part of the game. And again, the players know,

the coaches know. You know, we can't we can't keep keep putting ourselves in these situations and and UM, you know it's unfortunate, um that that is happening right now, but it's something we have to address and clean up. When you guys give up twenty one point in the first half of back to back weeks, what does that say about just the guys being ready to play? But you think that's an issue that they just haven't been kind of ready on both sides of the ball early

in games. Well, you know this game, Um, the guys came out, they came out ready. You know, Washington, you know punts early. Of course, we punted early, and then you know they put a drive together. We had we had a couple of penalties in there that kept some drives going. I know, Kirk Cousins scrambled on one that gave them a first down, things of that nature. And then then the defense steps up, you get to pick six,

you have the kickoff return. You're right back in the football game at fourteen fourteen, and you're looking for that one spark. And you know, we were hoping at that time that that was going to be our spark. And then off offensively, we've got to do more offensively to stay on the field and to keep our defense off the field. That's what we saw in the first three games. We were able to control the ball not only you know, plays, but at the time of possession. So, uh, it works,

as the beauty of football, it works. All three phases have to be in sync for this thing to happen. Well, he had opportunities yesterday. Um, you know, uh yeah, Well, and you know, listen, Um, there were plays designed you know, not necessarily with him being the first progression, but there were there were plays where where Carson, you know, based on the progression the read could have could have thrown

him the ball a couple of times. Um. And and you know, you got one football and you know, we asked Carson to go through his read and if he's the guy, he's the guy. But but he is a big part of the offense. And then we got to continue and I've got to continue with with Frank and the guys to still figure out and find ways to get him, get him and get him, get him the ball. Actually specificularly the class who sat that, what would you

like to see in that situation? Well, on the second and six, Um, you know, again, that was a that was a play designed to to to get the ball down the field. He had an opportunity. Again, zach Ertz was the guy underneath, you know. And that's the that's the thing about just understanding situational football. These are the things with young quarterbacks sometimes you kind of lose lose

sight of in the heat of the battle. Um, and and and Carson understands that, and he knows that, and and then on the last one, you just you just can't put yourself in that situation. You know, it was it was a two d man coverage and and uh, you know, he had opportunity, he didn't have to slide

and move into pocket. But at the same time, UM, in those situations, knowing again the situation and the coverage us, you should expect, Um and we should expect that the ball has got to come out of your hand because if we complete the ball on the third and law then it gives us an opportunity to go for it on fourth down and not have to punt the ball back. I did. People want to focus on many other problems. If you have the problems, and how much time do

we have? I mean, listen, this is this wasn't a perfect football game. It's not a perfect football game. We made enough mistakes on offense to to to keep ourselves and we kept ourselves out of the end zone. You know, uh, two field goals is not good enough to win. And and you know there's enough, there's enough to go around everybody, and me included that, uh. Um, And I beat myself up all the time. As far as am I putting

the am I making the right calls? Am I putting the guys in the right situations by play, call, by design? Am I helping if I need to have help? And you know, so I beat myself up to and and it starts with me because I'm the one calling the game. So you know, but there's enough mistakes, Yeah, I mean there's there's there's problems, uh, and and issues that we

have to address. Um with everybody play chip offal upsiders, you've seen the same level of players from Jason, but you can see yeah, and you know, um, he'll come in and he'll tell you that probably wasn't his perfect, wasn't his best yesterday. UM. And and you know, again, you're on the road, you get two wide good rush d ns and and you do everything you can to chip both edges. I was kind of the m O

going in on on in those situations. And um again it's it's something that it comes down to each man, you know, just doing their job, doing their assignment. That's kind of been my message throughout camp and throughout the early part of the season. And and uh just making sure that we uh um as coaches have our players ready to go and and detail their assignments. Fight end barbage for down considerably US today. I think four the

twin three, the man which scold only one target second universe. Ever, how much of that was in the product of having the ship a little bit because it takes your you know, your tight end a little bit out of the game. Um. From the standpoint, he's not necessarily down the field, down the field, UM, running routes. But at the same time, that type of defense, because of the way they play their zone defense, there's such a soft three D zone that that those those routes can become very important for

you as a quarterback. And again those are all Um. And then you could have seen you know, tight end targets up, you could have seen running back targets up, Um, and and you know it's just uh again, it's kind of the it's kind of the the growth, the maturity of of where we are. Um Carson learning the game, understanding the situation. And he'll just listen, he'll get better

with each time he takes the football. He gotta you know, this is his fifth start and and we're expecting, you know, the world out of him, and we put a lot on his shoulders now and uh, um, he's handled it extremely well. Are you able to call the game you want with so much attention going to helping out buy that?

I am? I am actually, And you know, we do a lot of things with jet protections and slide protections that that it's an easy thing to do just with a simple call and the backs can still get in their spots and still do their their their routes. We did enough five man protection in this game too that I was able to get get get all five guys out in the route. Um, So yeah, I was, you know, I was comfortable there. Lack of discipline and the penalties

and the sloppiness, are they showing up in practice? Are they at an issue during the week. There's a few. You know, we've been working the silent count these last couple of last couple of days because we've been on the road, and with the silent count always comes the issue of can the tackles and tight ends and the false starts and things like that come into play. Yeah. Um, and you see one or two of those throughout the course of the week. Um. And then of course you're

seeing it. You're seeing it, you know, in the games. But we continue, We're going to continue to work silent account. You know, we're we're back home this week, so we can we can use a little bit more of our lives and normal cadences, which is a little bit easier for our tackles and tight ends to get off the football. Um. But you know, it's an area that all addressed with the football games. Carson responded, I have to be initial. I thought that he bounced back and did a nice job.

You know, he stood in there and he delivered the football made a couple of nice nice uh throws on the run out of the pocket. Was unfortunate the one came back on a on a penalty. Um, but uh, I thought he I thought he stood in there and did a nice job, you know as as a game.

Wrong when Carson stands up yesterday and kind of tasted by in sacks and also you know maybe for the play to earths and you said could have been well, I mean does that resume players and kind of a you know players, players do see that and and and that's just a sign of mature um quarterback. And that's the type of guy that Carson is. And and you

know he's hard on himself. UM and and UM, you know he he understands that those situations he can't take those uh those sacks obviously in those situations, he knows that ball's got to come out whatever he can do to get you know, the ball lower six inches whatever. Um, you know, Zach making the play, you know it's a

touchdown on the play. UM. You know, the guys when when he when he takes ownership that way, UM, the guys really do understand and see that this is this is a kid that you can rally around and support and and uh, because he's he's a tough he's a tough kid now and he's going to stand in there and take a lot of shots and um and rightfully so. But yeah, the guys do take notice that you've always

said that executions car amount. You don't hear if you're going and has your entire playbook, if you execute, your going to new or correct, Well you're facing the situation is coming week. Who does have your entire playbook? Exeque affected all the weak put put together. One guy has my entire playbook. One guy he might he's gotta worry about getting himself ready to play too. So that you understand my question, do we also uh back a few years ago, Donovan was in Washington when we played him,

and uh, we had a pretty good day. Um so listen, I I'm not gonna change anything. Will we tweak some stuff? Yes, you know, we still have to get ready. It's a great football team coming in here now. They're undefeated coming off of bye. Um Sam has obviously a good understanding of knowledge of what we do on both sides of the ball. I think where it becomes valuable for a coach, Um when a player knows you is just knowing personnel, I think, just understanding the types of guys that that

are that are here. He's been a teammate, you know, for a couple of years here, and um, I think that becomes more valuable than than the x's and knows because I know, if if if I know Sam, and I know I know you know the quarterback position. I mean, he's got to get he's got to get ready for this defense and get himself ready to go as well coming in there so late. You know, it's just everything I've seen and worked with Sam, and how well he picked up our offense here and the execution he had

throughout training camp. Um, you know, and and you're seeing a lot of the same concepts offensively with them that that that we did here. And um, he's a sharp kid, and he's a smart kid and and uh he's very accurate thrower. And so I'm not I'm not surprised to success. He's got great you know, he didn't he didn't go to a you know, a one and fifteen team. He went to a playoff caliber team, so with a tremendous defense.

So that that helps as well. Question yesterday what's the thinking and now was rushing the punt team out there and preserving the time. Yeah, you know, it's uh at that time, obviously you're in a two minute situation. You take the big sack, you know, you end up doing the math on the whole thing. You're gonna end up in the same spot whether you take the time out

or you don't. Um. And so at that point I likeded to take the time out, save the time, knowing we were gonna have to punt, you know, hoping to get a stop on third down. They were going to waste the time that you know, run the time there, but we still would have got the ball back with I think just under fifty seconds, you know, in a game, with an opportunity to still go tie it. Okay, thank you guys. One