Q. How do you think your defense looked today against the Patriots?
JONATHAN GANNON: I thought we played pretty fast and we've got to watch the tape but I thought execution was pretty good and some guys had some pretty good performances just as I was out there just watching it, I thought a couple guys really had some good production.
Q. How much do you enjoy these joint practices where you get to look at another team? How much does it help your evaluation?
JONATHAN GANNON: A lot, especially like a team with New England, they are going to test your rules and your adjustments on every snap. It's a real good learning for our guys because we really didn't game plan, per se. Just go out and, hey, this is our system, these are our rules, you have to apply them and see if we can function. It will be good to get on a tape and watch with our guys and make some corrections with them.
Q. How did you think the tackling looked on Thursday?
JONATHAN GANNON: Yeah, good question, I thought we tackled really well for the first time tackling. You know, as I said before, we've got distinct language how we want to tackle people. I thought the DBs as a whole tackled excellent. I honestly was worried about when I was a DB coach, the first couple games in preseason were always sloppy. Seemed like they had a bunch of missed tackles and we didn't have a bunch of missed tackles. They are doing a good job. The drill work the position coaches are doing, the game reflected what they are being taught and how they are trying to tackle people.
Q. Is the technique for the down linemen to two-gap strictly?
JONATHAN GANNON: It's predicated a little by call but all our techniques are very similar with what we're doing, even though we might align some people a little bit different, techniques are very similar.
Q. You had a few longer drives, did it rotate, just letting those guys in, is that a way to gauge?
JONATHAN GANNON: Yeah, typically in a game, we would rotate a little bit more but we had some guys that played some snaps and then were done for the night. It was good learning for those guys when you're tired what goes away as a lineman assignment, key technique and really technique when they are tired and it was good to see those guys grunt through it and some guys stepped up and did some really good things when they are tired and playing multiple snaps in a row, so that was good to see.
Q. You mentioned the techniques are fairly similar. Is it a pretty easy transition for the defensive linemen --
JONATHAN GANNON: Our D-Line as a whole are very intelligent. So they know what we are trying to get done when we ask them to do certain things with certain calls. But I mean, that's a great question. Honestly, like we're ahead of where I thought we would be as far as playing blocks the right way, and all it comes down to is pad level and striking people and we are doing a good job with that.
Q. Alex Singleton obviously got a late start. He seems to have caught up pretty quickly. What have you seen from him?
JONATHAN GANNON: Yeah, he's got a super high motor, and he runs around and makes plays, and he processes very fast, like all our linebackers do. They are processing at a pretty good level and we ask those guys -- we put a lot on their plate in the run and pass game, he's doing a good job as far as, hey, here is the call, here is what you need to do, here is the communication that needs to be said, and then go play free, and that's what you see him doing right now.
Q. Doing the conversion to edge rusher to Sam and also how did he in the first game?
JONATHAN GANNON: Yeah, he's doing well. We're trying to essentially his skill set and we are moving him around to see, you know, where he can function, and like all of our guys that are playing multiple spots, they are taking the coaching, they make mistakes and then they get back in the film room, correct it with the coaches, work out individual, work out in practice and it shows up. He's doing a good job of taking the coaching and not making the same mistake twice.
Q. The sam position, how difficult in the games is it to trying the balance between not showing too much and being able to evaluate these guys and what you're going to ask them to do?
JONATHAN GANNON: What you saw in the game is a lot of what we're going to do. You saw the Sams out there a decent amount, and got some other things for them. But we saw them get lined up and strike blocks and then drop a little bit in pass coverage which is what they will be doing.
Q. Have you figured out exactly what that role is going to look like? I know you said you were playing around with it.
JONATHAN GANNON: Yeah, we are starting to define a little bit of each guy, what he can do, what are his really good skills in that position and what the skills that each one of those guys have to improve on. But I think it's starting to define itself as far as, hey, this is what we are trying to get done with this call; here is what you need it do to function and play productive football for us.
Q. How do you say the safety spot opposite Anthony, that competition?
JONATHAN GANNON: Yeah, they are all doing a really good job. That's a really good group of safeties from however many we have, they are all doing a really good job. I think they can all play winning football right now. Obviously Rodney, too, when we get him back in the mix, it will be good to see but they are all doing a good job.
Q. Going back to Patrick Johnson for a second, there was a projection when you guys took him in the draft that he can play as an NFL linebacker, what have you seen --
JONATHAN GANNON: Yeah, it goes back to with the scouts do a really good job, I think the collaborative effort that I talked about, we kind of defined what we're looking for with those outside guys and in college, a lot of tape like we talked about, everyone's brand of ball is different. So what we saw from him, we felt like he did a lot of the things in college that we're asking him to do, and then there are a couple things, hey, we need to see this guy play in space, cover down on receivers and he's doing a good job.
Q. The big play, hurry-up interception in the end zone, in your mind, what makes a good pass coverage linebacker?
JONATHAN GANNON: Being where they are supposed to be. That's the first thing I think. Processing very quickly because it happens fast, those spots, you know, the closer you are to the ball, the less reaction time you have. So those guys are kind of that second line. So there's not a lot of room for indecision with decisions that they are making. But I would think that processing and really a feel of, hey, this is your coverage responsibility, here is the formation, here is what's going on in front of you, here is where you need to be or here is where you need to get on.
Q. When you were coaching in different schemes and systems, what was your process for deciding what you wanted to look like -- coverages or looks? Did you keep a notebook. How did that lead up to how you're shaping this defense?
JONATHAN GANNON: You know, that's a long -- a lot of books. I've got a couple books that I keep notes in but what you see are Eagles doing right now, the 2021 Philadelphia Eagles, that was the vision.
Q. Did you see the angle on the Barnett hit??
JONATHAN GANNON: I did, I saw it was bang-bang. I thought he did a good job of pulling off of him. I know it's unfortunate the guy went down. We talked about it. Nick did a really good job, Coach Sirianni last night with the team, here are our expectations and here is how we are going to practice. We had a meeting with the Patriots coaches, here are our expectations, how we are keeping guys up. It was unfortunate. It was bang-bang; I don't think the quarterback even saw him.
Q. Is he ahead of where you thought he would be?
JONATHAN GANNON: He is doing a good job, and he and awful our rookies, they get baptized by fire so to speak. They are out there and we're doing a lot with those guys and making some mistakes. The key thing with those, especially the younger guys is just try to get better and not make the same mistake twice. We are putting a lot on his plate and he's handling it well.
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