Q. Good afternoon. Do you have any injury updates on a few guys? I have a list here: Rodney McLeod, Avonte Maddox. Darius Slay, Malik Jackson, Josh Sweat.
DOUG PEDERSON: Josh Sweat is going to be okay. He just got chipped by the running back in the game on his right side, right arm area; going to be okay for the game.
Darius Slay is gonna be in the concussion protocol. So no further -- obviously can't comment on that other than he's in the protocol.
Rodney McLeod, I can say he's going to miss the rest of the season. Torn ACL. Showed up on exam again this morning. Unfortunate with him that he's going to miss the remainder of this season.
And Avonte Maddox will also miss some time here in the next couple weeks.
Everybody is frozen.
THE MODERATOR: You good?
DOUG PEDERSON: Yeah, you guys hear me?
Q. Coach, do you have any update on who your quarterback will be on Sunday now that you've watched the film?
THE MODERATOR: Now Doug is frozen.
(Pause in press conference.)
Q. Hi coach. Are you back?
DOUG PEDERSON: Yeah. Did you guys get the first question, answer?
Q. The injuries we got, I think. I was asking you if now that you've watched the film, do you have any better idea as to who will start on Sunday?
DOUG PEDERSON: Yeah, after going through the film and really looking back even to last week and the preparation and everything, I'm going to continue with Jalen this week as the starter.
Q. Can I follow up on that real quick? Yesterday during your press conference it sounded like you chose your words carefully when it came to praising Jalen, and I was wondering, did you weigh Carson's feelings on that, or was it also part of it you don't want to put too much pressure on this kid going down the road?
DOUG PEDERSON: Yeah, you know, I was thinking of a lot of things. I was thinking of Carson, but I was thinking about the rest of the team and how the rest of the team played in the game. Jalen did -- after looking at the film again today, I mean, Jalen played well. He was a big part of the success we had on offense and obviously helping us win that football game.
There were a lot of other great individual performances on both sides of the ball. I think Miles Sanders, Josh Sweat, Javan Hargrave. Fletcher Cox had a big game, big sack. We had two defensive takeaways in the game.
So there were a lot of positives coming out of the football game, and I just didn't want to say, Hey, it was all about one guy. You guys know me and my answers, and I've always been about the team and really that was a team win yesterday.
Q. You're now 11 and 2 with starting your backup quarterback, excluding that 2017 week 17 game. Why do you think you've had so much success without your starting quarterback, and do you think as a play caller you call a better game for the backup?
DOUG PEDERSON: You know, Zach, I think that's a great question and it's something I've thought about that. I think about not just our team, but other teams in the National Football League who play a backup quarterback and the success that those teams have.
I think about New Orleans, the opponent we just played, with Taysom Hill. I think they're now 3-1 with Taysom Hill as a starter this year. Go back when Teddy Bridgewater played a couple years ago. I think he was 5-0 with New Orleans.
And you can pick out a lot of different teams that have had backup quarterbacks with success. There is just not necessarily a lot of film out there on these guys. I think as play callers, as you put plans together, maybe you keep things a touch smaller, keep the verbiage down a little bit, maybe you pull back or pull plays that you've used earlier in the season, time on task.
All kinds of things play into that. You know, and then of course you got to take the backup quarterback himself. He's getting an opportunity to play, tends to play well, and you always see what's going to happen the next time out, right?
So it's hard to pinpoint, but I think you can kind of point a finger at a couple things.
Q. If I could follow up on that, you mentioned the Saints and how Sean Payton had success with Bridgewater and Taysom, and previously with Drew Brees. Conversely, your record with Carson is just a little over 500. Is it fair to question whether the chemistry between you and Carson isn't what it is when you have a backup as your quarterback?
DOUG PEDERSON: Listen, Carson and our relationship is great. We've had great communication, and I just look at this year and the amount of adversity we've been faced with and played with all season, you know, trying to make things work.
But there is no issue with Carson and I. I look at maybe what I do or how I call the game. Maybe I can approach it a little bit differently moving forward that way.
But that's something that I haven't -- listen, teams have a lot of film on your starter. They have ways to prepare for your starter. They can take away certain things, and we've got to be able to compensate for that.
But there has been no issue between us.
Q. Hey Doug, to that point, talking with some the guys yesterday they felt like the flow of the game was different. Did you feel the same way? Then how do you build off that with Hurts now as a starting quarterback for the second straight week?
DOUG PEDERSON: Yeah, I felt like the flow was different, and obviously started with me as play caller. You know, one of the things is that we try to go into every game and keep a defense off balance. I felt yesterday -- you know, each week, sometimes on Monday, I sit up here and I go, Hey, we got to do better on first down. We got to stay ahead of the chains.
Yesterday we were able to do that. Whether it was first and ten into a second and eight, second and seven, or even a second and ten. We didn't have many second and long situations. We got ourselves into trouble on third down with penalties, but we were able to stay ahead of the chains.
So when you do that, it becomes a little bit -- I hate to say the word easier -- but the rhythm and the flow of the game, you can keep a defense off balance and have a little more rhythm.
I credit the offensive line yesterday for really blocking and doing a great job against a defensive front that is probably one of the best ones we've seen all year, and then being able to -- you know, the off-schedule plays that Jalen had in the ballgame really kept the defense off balance.
That's what you try to do each week, and then try to pick your spots on some shot plays.
Q. With the play calling looking a bit different between the quarterbacks with Carson and the backups, how much of that is you having handed the keys to Carson in a sense? You've talked about how he's gained responsibility over the offense as the years have gone on. How much of it is that it's kind of built in his likeness or he's got control, more control of what's happening?
DOUG PEDERSON: That's one of the things that I really appreciate about Carson, is I want him to have control. I want him to have the ability to get us in and out of bad plays or plays that aren't conducive to what we're seeing defensively on that snap, and we've given him that freedom.
He's that type of quarterback that can do that. At the same time, we have had success doing that because he can do that. He can get us out of some plays.
But so yesterday our mindset going into the game was just, Jalen, just run the offense, right? We didn't give him a lot of -- we didn't give him a lot of freedom in this game. We just wanted him to go out, first start in the National Football League, just go out and play. Much like Carson in his first start, just go play.
And then you continue to grow and build and take the successes we had in the game yesterday and try to build upon that this week.
But that's one of the things with Carson that I've appreciated with him, is just how smart he is to be able to fix protection, fix plays, get us in better plays and out of bad ones.
Q. Is it possible you've given him too much freedom?
DOUG PEDERSON: I don't think so. I think we have to be careful with the amount of -- I think that goes with any quarterback around the league, not just Carson.
With any starter that you -- as play callers and designers, that you give these guys too much on their plate, and you got to be careful. There is a fine line.
Q. Looked like the Saints did make some adjustments in the second half and shut the offense down a little bit except for the drive after the Josh Sweat strip sack. How different does it to have to be next week? You talked about teams not having film. Obviously the Cardinals are going to see this. Are you going to be able to get 100 yards rushing out of Jalen next week, and what has to be different going forward for the offense to continue to succeed with him?
DOUG PEDERSON: Well, you know, the second half of the game yesterday was probably more about us kind of shooting ourselves in the foot.
We failed to execute really in that opening drive of the second half when we had an opportunity there to stay on the field. Really wasn't about what New Orleans did. And then just being able to capitalize. It's called -- you know, we have to sustain.
You know, do I want to run Jalen Hurts 18 time? You don't want to run your quarterback 18 times. Not in this league, because you see the amount of hits that he took.
Do I want Miles Sanders to do what he did? Yeah, I would rather give those rushing attempts to him and Boston and Corey and the guys and use Jalen and the quarterbacks when we have to.
But we're going to -- each week is a little bit different from a game plan standpoint, and those are things that we as coaches look at today and tomorrow and put a plan together and practice and go play.
But you never know how a game is going to unfold either. I have a plan in my head that I want to approach the game a certain way, and when it works out, it's great. When it doesn't, you got to find something else to do. You got to find another set of plays and make some things work.
So we'll see how it goes this week. Hopefully we can build on what we did yesterday.
Q. Getting back to the secondary and the injuries, is there any chance at all that Cre'Von or Craig James would be available to you? I know you haven't even opened their practice window. And also Grayland Arnold Michael Jacquet were out for the week. Do you anticipate getting them back, and how serious is this whole secondary situation?
DOUG PEDERSON: Yeah, I'm hopefully that Michael and Grayland, their injuries are little less than LeBlanc's and Craig James that you mentioned.
I'm hopeful those guys can make a return. See how the week goes obviously and got a couple days before we hit the practice field, but I'm optimistic that those guys will be able to at least get out there on Wednesday and begin their practice in preparation for Arizona.
Q. How much of the no-sacks was a result of Jalen's ability to make plays with his legs, and how much was the offensive, and I guess who stood out on the offensive line?
DOUG PEDERSON: Yeah, you know, one of the things that Jalen did well when he was out of the pocket and there was nowhere to run or nowhere to throw, that he threw the ball away. That helps your offensive line. Doesn't put you in a bad situation. Doesn't put you in a second and long situation or third and long situation.
And I think looking at the offensive line, really across the board they all played extremely well. It wasn't perfect. I think Jack Driscoll played tough and physical against a really, really good defensive end.
And then Mailata did a nice job on the left side. Got beat a couple times, but overall showed some promise there. Showed improvement there.
I thought Isaac and Kelce and really Herbig in the interior part really did a nice job not only in the run game, but also in pass protection. This was a very active, stunting defensive line, linebacker pick games, all kinds of things up front. I thought for the most part, they did a really good job blocking this front.
And then Jalen, Jalen being able to step up in the pocket, allude the rush a couple times, and extend plays with his legs. So that's all part of pass protection and the guys did a good job.
Q. Rodney was one of the vocal leaders on this team. How will be able to replace that, and who are some guys that can step up and fill the void?
DOUG PEDERSON: You know, I've challenged the team every week that everybody on the team can be a leader. Doesn't need to necessarily be the most veteran player. Anybody can lead.
But, yeah, you're right. Rodney was a big vocal leader of this team. I would expect players like Jalen Mills to step up. I would think guys like Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, guys like Vinny Curry on defense, guys are really going to -- you know, even Darius Slay. Guys would rally around that and step up and bring some of these young guys along.
Just like on offense with guys like Kelce and even Alshon Jeffrey with the young receivers. Miles Sanders. These guys are great leaders in their own right, and I would expect majority of those guys to step up now in the next three weeks, you know, pull everybody together.
Q. You mentioned the young offensive lineman. Where do you see guys like Mailata? Obviously he's played both sides. A guys like Nate Herbig, is he the kind of guy you can look at and he could step in for Kelce when he decides to walk away, or is he more of a guard?
DOUG PEDERSON: We've cross-trained him at both positions, guard and center. He can play both left and right guard, which is very valuable for us. I think his best position is probably guard, being able to be a swing guard, play left and right.
But if we ever got in a pinch -- and I mean, we're getting in a pinch I guess with the amount of offensive linemen we have -- that he could step in and play center. He's done that before and could probably do that if we needed to.
Q. When we talk about the team's record with backup quarterbacks and much of the conversation is, Well, Doug must be calling the game differently or Carson must not be doing something. How much is the team itself stepping you up, rallying around a backup quarterback, and maybe executing a little bit better because they know it's on them to do that for their backup, the franchise guy is not out there?
DOUG PEDERSON: You know, Rob, I think that's a big part of it as well. I think everybody rallies around, and like you said, I see guys sort of step their game up when a backup comes in, because it just -- they have to do their job even better.
One of the things I did last week was just kind of challenge everybody on offense to do -- and coaches included, and this is something we've struggled with all season -- but be able to coach a little bit better, execute a little bit better in practice, and really do the little things, right?
Do the little things to help the backup quarterback. If they do their job, then it makes the backup quarterback just have to do his job and just distribute the ball and get us in and out of the right plays.
So, yeah, I agree with the fact that everybody around the backup quarterback has to pick up their game in support, because you can't do it yourself.
Q. Last night 8 of your 11 starters on offense were 25 or younger and you had a bunch of guys 23 or younger. Beyond energy, what have you seen the younger guys bring to the team at those important positions like the offensive line?
DOUG PEDERSON: You know, it's exciting to have the amount of young players that are playing and getting valuable time, you know, whether it's offense, defense, or on special teams.
It's just going to go to help the support of the long term roster makeup I guess, having these young guys out there. It is a little more energetic. They bring a little more tempo, upbeat mentality, attitude.
And it's sort of a -- it's kind of refreshing in a way because they really don't know what they don't know yet, right? They're new in the league and want to play and want to do well. They just enjoy having fun and really haven't learned what the NFL is all about. You know, that comes with time.
But I love seeing these guys out there and rallying around each other, supporting each other, having fun with one another. We saw it in the game yesterday, and it was kind of good to get back to that emotion of winning and feeling what it's like to win, sustain a lead and hang onto a lead, finish the football game against a good opponent.
That's what you saw out of young guys yesterday.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports