Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach Doug Pederson Conference Call

Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach Doug Pederson Conference Call -- December 5, 2019

Q: How do you keep your team positive through these recent struggles and the fact that you guys haven’t been playing up to your own expectations, frankly?
A: Yeah, well I think… we still have four games, there is still a lot of football season left. By no means have we been eliminated for postseason and all of that. Those are things that I can continue to express to the team, that there is still a lot of football ahead of us and we’ve got a great opportunity, obviously, on Monday night. Look, we’ve got to fix some issues first that have kept us from playing our best football and that’s what we’ll focus on and work on those things this week.

Q: What has been your biggest issue defensively?
A: The biggest issue defensively?

Q: Or shortcoming, or something you need to improve most on defense?
A: I think in recent weeks, I felt like the defense has played pretty well. We started getting healthy over there. Really against the Patriots and the Seahawks, they played well. They kept two offenses to, really, gimmick type play touchdowns. Then we just had some miscommunication and some issues Sunday down in Miami. But I think, overall, the defense has been playing well. We just have to regroup, play better as a football team overall, and continue to prepare our players to be successful.

Q: How do you expect the Giants to be different with Eli Manning than they were with Daniel Jones? Do you expect them to just go back to the Giants you saw in the last couple of years?
A: No, I don’t anticipate that at all. I think that, obviously, having Eli have a chance to kind of watch from the sideline, to kind of observe and see how things have gone on the last few weeks, I think that’s just going to help— not only help him, but it’s going to help sort of jazz up the football team and kind of motivate the football team. One of the things, one of Eli’s strengths obviously, is how he distributes the football to multiple people and that’s something that he’s been able to do throughout his career and be successful. I don’t think it goes back to the old way at all. I think it’s something that Eli has probably sat and watched and observed and he’s going to use that to his advantage.

Q: This is probably a little of what you were just talking about, but how can he, as a guy who has kind of seen it all, help guide his offensive line, help his running game that’s struggled the last couple of games—we haven’t seen the real Saquon Barkley. How can he help in terms of diagnosing what you are doing on defense?
A: Well, I think that’s something…one of Eli’s strengths, obviously, is his smarts— his IQ, his football IQ and instincts. He does a great job, as I mentioned, of just getting the ball out of his hands, not taking the unwanted sack, distributing the football. He understands the offense and where everybody’s at, that’s been his strength, and then taking the shot when it presents itself. Those are all ways that he can help an offense, and he can help a defense that way. Stay on the field, move the chains, play that ball control style of offense, and Eli is one of the best at it.

Q: You were a backup in this league. How hard is it to not play for months at a time and then come in and be sharp?
A: It’s difficult but that’s what makes you a solid backup or a pro in this league, especially at the quarterback position. I think sometimes the best teacher is watching and seeing it through different eyes. So, when you get an opportunity you know exactly what to expect, what to do, where to go with the ball. With a guy like Eli, you’re not going to surprise him, you’re not going to show him something he hasn’t already seen. He’s played a bunch of football in his career, but I think having a different set of eyes seeing the game a little bit differently is definitely going to help him.

Q: Obviously, Carson’s (Wentz) improvement from year 1 to year 2 was dramatic. What’s the most important factor for a rookie quarterback going into that first offseason to make a big improvement in year 2?
A: Well, I think the biggest thing is just having the offseason. You’re kind of on that whirlwind tour going into your rookie season. With the combine, the draft, trying to get through OTA’s and then, boom, you’re in training camp. It’s sort of this media tour, whirlwind tour, it’s hard to settle in that first year. You are doing a lot of things. I think the biggest jump was because Carson had an offseason. He had a chance to work with his guys. That’s where you really begin your chemistry and your timing and accuracy with your skill guys. That’s something that Daniel is going to have the opportunity to do. It just benefits you going into year two.

Q: Do you make anything out of how lopsided this series has been. The Eagles have won nine of the last 10, the Giants haven’t won there (Philadelphia) since 2013. Do you make anything of that, do you address that with your players?
A: I do not address that with the team. This is one of those great rivalries in the National Football League, obviously, the NFC East. I think you push all that aside, it’s two good football teams playing. I know each team has had their issues this season, but it’s always a great matchup. I don’t expect anything less Monday night.

Q: When you play a team twice in a 20-day span, does that change the way you go into the first game?
A: No, you have to take each game as it comes. We understand we’ll turn around and see the Giants in a few weeks after. You have to go in and prepare each time. We’ve done that with the Redskins before and the Cowboys. You just have to take them one at a time and prepare like it’s the first one. When we get to the second one, we’ll make some subtle adjustments but other than that you just continue to trust your process.

Q: I’m guessing there will be no Eli Manning tribute video this week?
A: (Laughter) No, not this week, nothing.