Philadelphia Eagles Media Conference

Sunday, October 2, 2022

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Coach Nick Sirianni

Postgame Press Conference


Eagles 29, Jaguars, 21

NICK SIRIANNI: About the only time you're probably ever going to see a Sirianni in 90s number right there.

This is Miles.

Fire away. Got to be nice to me now. My son is a here.

Q. What went into the decision to go for it on fourth down late in the game instead of kicking that field goal?

NICK SIRIANNI: You know, we just had to do what we felt was best in that particular moment with the weather and everything.

Yeah, I don't want to get into anything else really there. We just felt like that was our best option in that particular case.

Q. What was the feeling on the sidelines when you guys were down 14-nothing? How do you feel? Obviously they responded, but what did you feel in the moment?

NICK SIRIANNI: Felt like we have -- like we've talked about adversity, right? Have we faced a lot of adversity? Not really. In three games, we probably had -- we had a battle up in Detroit, but have we faced a lot adversity? Not really.

So it was a great opportunity to say, Hey, we have talked about this. We've discussed this. You guys, you players, the reason you're here is because you're built to be able to handle adversity. Not every game is gonna be pretty. It's going to be muddy sometimes. It was muddy right there, and our guys just buckled down.

Defense I thought was playing well. Yeah, they let up a long drive, but it was 14-nothing because we spotted -- I don't wanted to spot them -- they made a really good play. I don't want to say we spotted them seven. They made a really good play, got good pressure on.

They made a good play and finished it for a touchdown, and so being down 14-nothing, it's a long game, like it's a long season. What a good example there of like, okay, hey, we're 4-0 right now. Just got to play the next play and got to play the next game, and you got to do the same thing in the midst of a game, not just week to week.

Q. As far as the other Miles, what was working for Miles Sanders today?

NICK SIRIANNI: Miles Sanders is our No. 1 back. There ain't no question about it. (Laughter.)

Q. The plan, was it to run as much as you did, or did the conditions factor into that?

NICK SIRIANNI: Hey, we'll do whatever we need to do to win the football game. Of course conditions are going to play into that. We look at everything. We take everything into account.

We were running the ball really well. I think that second quarter our offensive line was rolling, and that's a good defensive line. I've known that going back to my Indy days. That's a really good defensive line.

But our offensive line, I'll take them over anybody in this league. I love that group. They're gritty, grimy, tough, physical. We had to play some guys today, and you can see what good job that Coach Stout does of developing guys and getting guys ready to play that might not play.

And Jack Driscoll Colorado, Sua, those guys stepped in and did a really nice job. And I told you this, nine sacks you get a game ball defensive line. 200 yards rushing, you get a game ball offensive line. If I had eight game balls I would've thrown them out, but Greg didn't have them ready for me quite yet.

Q. In the final two minutes of the first half, this season all four games you've scored. You scored five times, twice against the Vikings, 26 points total. What is it about those drives that has been so successful?

NICK SIRIANNI: Quarterback play. Playing really good and really poised in that scenario. We spend a ton of time talking about situational football. A ton.

And that's a tribute to the coaches I've been around in the past of how important situational football is and the amount of time you spend on it. You emphasize things and you get things, but make no mistake about it. Our players are doing a good job executing it.

Shane and Kevin Patullo does a great job of -- Kevin does all the kind of scouting report for it and getting us ready for it and kind of putting together thoughts and we talk through it.

Shane does a great job calling in that scenario. What an unbelievable opportunity I have to be able to say, Shane and Kevin, you guys are rolling right here. You got it. Let me handle clock management with our guys upstairs and we just go.

And so that's us being able to do that, and then our players, we got really good players executing, right? Our offensive line protects their butt off in those scenarios. Shane calls it the right way as far as going for run and then going to pass and this and that.

Jalen is in complete control. AJ, Dallas, Devonta, Quez are in in that scenario. Kenny Gainwell is our protection back and scout back in that area. So it's just really good operation by the entire unit, players first, coaches after that.

Q. Each week a different part of your offense (indiscernible.) How good is it for you as a coach to know that whatever the game situation is, that you can have confidence that you can win?

NICK SIRIANNI: I think that's what it is right there, confidence, right? So some of the fourth down calls right here I was able to have confidence in our team to go for it, confidence in our offensive line, confidence in our backs, confidence in our receivers if we were throwing it or running it, right? Confidence in our defense that if we didn't convert it they'd make a stop.

So I think you said it right there, confidence. It's great when you're able to win different ways, right? It's great when you're -- do you ever want to get in a 14-nothing hole? It's like, Hey, we haven't been in a 14-nothing hole, let's get into it. That not our thought process, but it was great to be able to win different ways and it's great to be able to win on different units and lean on different units. Great job by those guy today.

Q. The environment, what does to tell you about the quarterback? You saw Trevor turn it over five times; obviously really difficult weather. What does that say about Jalen Hurts?

NICK SIRIANNI: He knows how important it is to take care of the football and he can do it. He can go out there and execute and take care od the football, so it's huge, because that's such a key. It's such a key to winning and losing games.

I think that even elevates when it's messy outside. It was great that he was able to execute under the conditions that we were in. It was messy out there. It was really messy. I know Howie talked to me after the game, was like, did it get worse during the game? I'm like, yeah. It got a lot worse.

It got messy and the ball got a little bit wet, but our players with communicating with us what they think. To have guys like Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson, Isaac, those guys are able to communicate with you and tell you what's working, feel what's working, how the defense is playing, that's huge.

Q. You use t-shirts to send messages. (Indiscernible.)

NICK SIRIANNI: You know, I grew up going -- one of my best memories growing up is being able to do the things I was able to do on the football field as a little kid. Whether that's pretending I'm Marcus Allen and jumping over the pile and setting the dummies up and jumping over the pile and taking a hand off or if it was giving a player a water battle, you know. I looked up to certain guys there. Obviously I looked up to Mike Sirianni and Jay Sirianni. That was the starting quarterback and starting wide receiver.

I looked up to Pete Connelly, who was the starting fullback and halfback. I looked up to John Briggs, who is my brother's best friend and his receiver. To be able to hand them a water bottle and say -- you know, and so I have so many vivid memories about that.

I just feel bad for the kids that they don't -- they didn't feel safe, maybe don't feel safe going there. So my heart goes out to them and my thoughts and prayers go out to them, and hopefully they feel safe going back and playing a game that can help take us out of bad situations, not put us in bad situations.

Q. What were your interactions with Doug like?

NICK SIRIANNI: I have so much respect for Coach Pederson. First of all, first and foremost, I've heard he's one of the best people in this game. From multiple outlets, people in this building, people that have played for him, people that I know that have coached with him, that he's a top notch person.

Obviously you see what he's doing with his football team. He's got this football team -- that's a tough team. That's a good football team. He's got them confident and believing.

So interactions with him are just I like to tell -- when I feel like a guy is a really good coach and has a really good team, I like to tell him. Best compliment I can give is, Hey, your team is really well coached. I like to pay that compliment to guys that I believe that about.

There is no doubt in my mind that the Jacksonville Jaguars are really well coached and in good hands with Doug Pederson.

Q. Haason Reddick's, you've been telling us to wait for it. How incredible was it?

NICK SIRIANNI: You know what's great about Haason, and Howie was just talking to me about this. He's a guy that has been able to force a lot of fumbles. Not only get to the quarterback, but force a lot of fumbles.

You know, we talk so much about creating turnovers and how you create turnovers. There is definitely things we can do as coaches to take it to another level. Make no mistake, it's about the players creating the turnovers, and good players know how to create turnovers.

Haason, man, I said to him and Shaun Bradley and Kyzir White after the game, Hey, there is nothing like winning in Philly. Because they know about that. They know about -- especially Haason and Shaun playing here at Temple. They're quick to tell me at Temple they had college game day here. Ain't nothing like winning in Philly, and I'm glad we got some Philly guys here that we're winning with.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
125403-3-1041 2022-10-02 21:24:00 GMT

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