Press Pass: Doug Pederson

a little bit of a struggle. That's why I bring them in and do some stuff on Monday and excuse me, and get them get them refocused again mentally as well, and then and then just just reiterating to them that, um, you know, it's another really in my opinion, our season starts now, you know, and and and we've what we've did already is great and we're in a good position, but but we need to we need to buckle down and prepare um as if this is week one and go go one game at a time. Was arrested in

Miami for counting still weapon. You know, obviously it's my messaging, uh the week before is you know, be smart, be careful, protect each other away from the building and obviously it was away from here, and um, you know, guys have got to make better decisions when they're when they're away from the building. And um, you know, it's unfortunate. It's obviously outside of my hands. Now it's still a legal matter, but um, you just gotta just gotta use your head,

be smart. No situations that he was carrying a loaded weapon. But I don't know why anybody would do that. Um, you know, obviously I don't. I don't know all the circumstances around it. Um. And and you know it's obviously, ah, it's big. It's a big deal, you know, to do that. And um obviously you know he hasn't registered from that standpoint. He you know, listen, I have rifles and I like to hunt and do that same thing. But um, you know,

we just have to be smart. But it is it is a little surprising that he that he carried it. Any any discipline coming down from the league, and will you uh discipline him for any of his actions until until the whole you know, legal process you know, pans out. Obviously from the league, they got to look at it the same way I gotta look at it. Um, you know right now, nothing's been said. Um, and and and we'll go forward as much like the Lane Johnson thing,

until we hear something further. Both those guys will play and and uh we go from there yesterday that you might use by time to be a tackle in place, but Johnson wants you if he does get suspended, is true. It is true. It is true. It's something that we've uh, you know, talking with coach Stotlin and and and watching Big V closely, not only through preseason, but you know, in in in practices these last couple of weeks. Um, you know, again, we want to exhaust all the possibilities.

And and you know, Alan Barbie has been playing great at left guard. And if you if you don't have to disrupt two positions and just do one, I think, you know, there's some conversation there that we got to have. But but yeah, he's definitely definitely in the mix. Scott, about the first three weeks there one player where a

couple of players that really stood out as exceeding expectations. Um, you know, right right now, I just feel like as a group collectively, the offensive line has played has played extremely well. They they've protected Carson. Uh, in in throwing situations and obviously done a nice job in the run game. So as a group collectively, I think that that group has stood out. And then you look at the defensive side and the way they've created turnovers in the way

our pass rush. Um. You know, it's one thing I challenge both both offense and defensive lines each week that that's where that's where you win and lose football games, in my opinion, is up front, and those two groups have really stood out. You know in these first three games. Do you need to talk to Nigel at this point or have you? Or are you just going to kind

of wait and see what happens. I'm gonna wait and see. Um. You know, listen, he's been talked to by a lot of people already and and um, um, he understands, And I'm just gonna wait and see what happens. And and uh um, you know, I'll keep talking to him like normal, all the guys and just keep reminding them that we got to make got to make good, smart decisions away from the building. That now this is his second arrest and in a few months ago. I mean, it's it's

it's obviously a concern. Um you know again, it just both of these were incidents. Is they're away from here, and when they're they're out of your control that way. And and this is where guys need to, um, just be smart about it. There there there, it's their livelihood, it's their families. Um. In everything that we do, it's no different. You know if if I'm away from this building, and then the things that i do as a as a uh, when you're not the head football coach, you know,

and you're you're you're with your family. You just got to make those smart choices and and um, you know it's easier obviously when they're in town because you can kind of control the environment a little bit and protect them. But but uh, you know they've got to they've got to be a little smarter away from the building of a defensive he become to this team. I mean it overshadowed by those things is kind of what he's done on the fields, means he's played well, he's played well.

He's been one of the one of the you know, the bright spots on defense and uh, um you know, um, it's he's also had a had a role on special teams and and you know when when when Ertz was down, he kind of had to fill in a little bit on teams and and and and pick up the slack there. So yeah, he's been a he's been a valuable part too to what we've done defensively and as a whole

as a team. Gelved as a head disappointed. Well, I mean again, it's to me, it's a fine line, um, because if if if I can talk to him, tell I'm blue in the face, I'm tell I'm blue in the face. And and you know I could, I could sit him down, I could suspend him, I could do a lot of different things. Um. But at the same time, because it is a legal matter and you know the

league could potentially step in in these situations. Um, until I get all the information, Um, we we go as we go as business as usual, and I'll continue to talk and mentor these guys as as I've done all along. Very highly of Carson's follas level. With him having a week off and his new found success and fame, how do you think he has handled things now coming back and getting back in the floor. We'll find out, really,

we'll find out. Um. You know, he was in here again this morning five thirty the quarterbacks, and he was back on back on track, studying the Lions, and and um, you know he's doing the same things. He came in, had a good, good, good workout on Monday, and um, it doesn't seem to to bother him right now. We'll obviously, you know, as we go this week, well we'll see more and more, um and then ultimately on Sunday how

he plays. So you know, we just keep him focused, We keep the main thing the main thing, and and uh, get just get ready for the Lions each day. If Brian Matthews is one hundred percent healthy, Um, will you still use him as the Premier League back or would you kind of gradually working back eas him back into the rotation. Yeah, you know we're going to continue or I'm going to continue to use him like we've been. Um, you know, the all four backs have really I played

a played a big part in the success early. Obviously, Windale had a big game, you know against Pittsburgh the other day, and um, you know Ryan is still our our primary guy. He's our he's our go to guy. So, um, you know he's one hundred percent and and and we go with Ryan and we mix the other guys in according to according to play or game plan. So he's all the way back, Doug from his side, Yes, yeah, he's there. There's a little soreness still with him, you know,

with it with that ankle. Um. But but he worked on Monday and looked good. So yeah, we go business as usual bringing back I'm about thirty snaps and and go to the last two games. Where is he as far as he grasped with this offense right now? And have you been pleased with what you've seen South partner. Yeah,

he's getting he's getting better, uh mentally. Uh. And and you know, Greg Lewis and I spoke last week and wanted to actually increase his load even more and uh and give him a few more a few more plays each week and put him in, uh, in more situations. And and he's done a nice job. He's really uh grasped the offense and understood his role. Um. And and you know we have things in the game plan each week designed for him and and UM you know it's my job to um to call those plays and and

you know, UM put him in that situation. But yeah, he's he's right on track and doing doing well from him that he's given you compience where he can pass, we come in and play right tackle and him, have you been giving him reps with the first team offense that increparation for that possibility of the second part. We have not given him first team reps yet. Uh. He's been going against our starting defensive line all of you know, the regular season so far. So the work he's done,

UM in that capacity against a good defensive line. UM, you know, gives us confidence that if that if we had to make that decision, we could we could do that, UM, and and not not bad an eye. UM. So just from that standpoint, and then and then going back and evaluating even his preseason games and uh, looking at that and where he is physically mentally, UM, puts him in a good position to potentially be be that right tackle. Was injury a factor and all that, No, not at all, um.

And Isaac is healthy too now, so you know, UM, it's a good thing to be in this position again. UM. But but the way it's the way it's sort of working out. UM. You know, Isaac uh doesn't doesn't necessarily factor in with the way even the way Wiz has been playing in some goal line situations, warrior. You just stands out well. You know, I still think you know, I like watching Stafford play. I think he's uh, he's

a good quarterback. Um. Uh you know Golden Tate and and you know, uh an Quon Bolden is a smart veteran guy. Um, they've they've um it can be it can be a situation where they get on a little bit of a role. Um it's hard for it's hard to stop them, you know, and in their run game obviously with any team, becomes really important. Um. Defensively, very similar style of defense, like like we we play, you know, with those wide defensive ends, and and it's a it's

a get up the field, it's an attack mentality. And the benefit to it is that we see it every day in practice, so we're used to this style. But at the same time, they're they're uh they're aggressive and uh um that you know, and it it's something you see from them every week. In fact, last week, I mean they had they had chances to uh to potentially win that football game and and uh being a better situation. But um, you know, we've got we've got our work cut out for us again and and we just got

to go to work today. Smart, did you go through started to see it started again? No? No, Um, you know, UH asked him a couple of questions about crowd noise. Um, you know, for someone that's that's been there and things like that. But um, I haven't really you know, he's focused on our defense and getting them ready to play and and uh, you know, so really haven't focused on that. Your film review, did you go back as far and your film review, did you go back as far as

like Thanksgiving scheme? Thanks given a day game with the Eagles and how they how they effectively? Uh watched a few plays of it. Um Again, I told the team this morning, you know, not to get caught up in that game. You know, we played him last year, The Chiefs played him in London last year and it was a different outcome as well. I don't get caught up

in that. We're different, they're different this year. We just gotta understand that this is our next game, you know, on our schedule and and uh, um, you know the best way to erase that memory is to is to put together a good performance on Sunday. Tight ends what is that in for your offense? And the options would

play calling and packages yeah. You know, Um, in the first couple of games, you've noticed that Matt Tobin has kind of taking the role of a tight end and this this way, it kind of gets back to what I envisioned us being early in the season, obviously in training camp, with three tight ends. Um, you know, I love using all three of our guys. I think I

think number one, I think Selk's playing extremely well. Trey Burton had has been playing consistently, and now now is that getting back and what he did you know in that Cleveland game. Um, really, it just kind of opens up a few more things out of that package run and pass for us, and and uh looking forward to you know, this week and and and hopefully you know, future weeks with those with those three guys. If Lane does get suspended, are you definitely gonna go vi tire

right tackle and leave Alan? Is that is that the plan or is that just something youres It's something we're considering. We still have the original you know, like we talked about before you move Alan out and possibly wiz you know it left. But um, I got to take in all the information again. It's a situation where if I can just tweak one spot and not two. Um, it could be better for us that way, same time those teams ducation I do, I do, and again, you know,

it's just it's been that way. It's kind of a it's a strange deal. But uh, you know, week to week we just we just go that route and and um, uh you know Big v or Alan or whoever we end up putting over there, excuse me. Um, you know we'll be ready to go. But but right now it's it's Lane Johnson and right right tack. He's gotten he's

gotten a little better each week. Um, there's still some things on film that that uh that he can even do better at and progressions and reads, but you know, um, he's doing a better job with communication with with Kelsey and and Mike points and protections and adjusting and and and doing that. And then um, you know he's done. He's done a great job of just protecting the football,

which is obviously the ultimate goal. But um, yeah, he's he's, he's he's slowly each week getting better with more more reps and more time. Any think the biggest thing you've done to coach his dad to enables as he's you know, I think I think just you come out of training camp with a volume of plays in your playbook that you know, UM, you kind of go into the season using plays that we've got a lot of time invested in.

Players know him, the quarterbacks know him. And and obviously you know, he missed, he missed some time there in preseason, and so I felt like it was important, uh game planning that we kept things very familiar to him, and then utilizing his strengths, UM in the in these first three games, and and UM it's it's obviously uh it's

been successful. UM. But at the same time, you know, UM, I'm going to continue just to coach him up, coach him hard, try to put him in the best possible situations, you know, on Sunday, UM, where he's not having to hold the ball a long time. UM, utilize the run, game, play action pass, all that stuff that that we've that you've seen in the first three games. Just keep keep that formula. Play great defense, play good special teams. UM, protect the football, take away the football. UM so far

has been has been a good formula. Do a better job of protecting himself. In the third game versus the first two, well, UM, you know, he ran out of bounds, a couple of times in that in that Pittsburgh game,

once on a scramble. The second one he obviously made the great play to Darren, And you know, he's just he's just seeing himself on film and understanding and then and then really just watching watching around the NFL, just watching highlights and clips and seeing you know, some of the quarterbacks that are that are being hurt or in the pocket, which is going to happen others, you know, whether they get out of bounds or slide or whatever.

He's seeing that sort of thing, you know, throughout the week. So um, he learns not only from his mistakes, but he also learns from from other other teams around the league just by watching and observing, observing what they're doing. Now to call many designer runs for him without giving away the game plan, no, I'm not. Now it's weak for us. It's our fourth game of the season, and obviously as a staff, we got to be extremely smart

on how we handle that aspect of the game. Probably the deeper as you go into your regular season and if you have a if you're in a position to make the postseason, you might increase that a little bit. You know, one of the things that I think defenses sometimes forget not I mean, I'm not saying they forget it completely, but it's the quarterback and the ability to run.

And I think that was an advantage to us in Kansas City with Alex Smith and his strength was the ability to run the football, And as we got deeper into the season, we dialed up a few more of those h for him and and and I think it could be the same type of formula with Carson. You know, obviously you want to protect him and you want to get through a full sixteen game schedule, but I think the deeper you go, you increase it a little bit more. Yes, yeah,

he's he's full. Yep, he's full. Yep. Yes, thanks guys,