Q. I just want to ask you about Monday night's game. Swift had the hot hand through three quarters. Switched to Kenny in the fourth. What led to that decision?
NICK SIRIANNI: We felt like in that scenario right there we were trying to pound it a little bit. We knew Kenny is good at that, being able to do that, protecting the football.
And De'Andre has done a good job of that as well. In this particular case we thought it was best for the team, and that's why we went that direction.
Q. Do it maybe preserving De'Andre over the course...
NICK SIRIANNI: Everything is in play. Everything is in play. Again, he had played good up to that point and we thought in that scenario we wanted Kenny in for that particular series.
Just went a really long time, right? Nine minutes we were able to bleed off the clock, so great job by the entire group of offense. Playcalling by Brian, the offensive line, what tremendous -- to have nine minutes run off the clock in a four-minute drill is pretty outstanding.
I believe Howie made me very aware that the last time nine minutes was run off a clock like that was when I was other on the other sideline in 2017 when it was the Chargers versus the Eagles at the -- I think it was a soccer stadium we were playing at.
But it was nice to be on the other side of that for sure. Great job by the O-line, by Kenny, by Jalen, big third down conversion by AJ and Jalen. Dallas had a couple catches in that.
So it was being able to run and pass in this scenario. Leaning more on the run, but good job by everybody.
Q. So you're not immune to switching running backs in a series, right?
NICK SIRIANNI: No.
Q. You just said the length of it played a factor. Did that...
NICK SIRIANNI: We are not, no. Definitely we'll have plays in and out of that where we'll have -- yeah, that third down might switch. A certain play you might switch.
But, yeah, so, again, in this scenario we thought Kenny was the guy to go with right there and that's why we decided to do that and it was a really good drive.
Q. You guys implemented the tush push, and I know so much has been made of it.
NICK SIRIANNI: Is that what we're calling it?
Q. I guess. Brotherly shove?
NICK SIRIANNI: Brotherly shove? I kind of like that. Who came up with that?
Q. I don't know. Found it online. Did you guys have any doubts about its legality, and do you have any idea of like...
NICK SIRIANNI: We knew the rules. Any time we put a play in that maybe not -- you know, that not a lot of people run, we'll definitely -- and that there could be anything within the rules, we'll always look into that.
So we knew the rules. That was completely legal and it's been a good play for us. Really good play for us, you know, because the guys make it go and make it work.
Q. With Jalen Carter his reps have been about 40% to 50% so far. How do you balance how productive he is with you have this rotation and sticking with it?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, good question, Roob. It is, it's a long season. Especially at that position you want to rotate guys to keep coming at the offense with waves. We're very fortunate that when you take one guy out, the other guy is a really good player, too.
Again, it is, it's a long season. We want to come at them this waves. Obviously Jalen is playing good football right now. We want him to get the snaps he's getting. I don't know exactly the percentages broken down, but I know he's getting quite a bit for the defensive tackles.
So they're all rotating, right?
But again, long season, and we want to come at them in waves, so that's -- you know, maybe does that move up as we continue? Yeah, it could.
But he's playing good football right now.
Q. What stood out about the red zone offense?
NICK SIRIANNI: You know, I felt like that it was on -- we had a penalty on one that bumped us back. The other ones I felt like we just got to put the players in better positions.
That's 100% me. I came out of that dragging myself through the mud there and some of the things we tried to do. We just got to help them be in better positions there, both in the passing game and run game. We'll spend extra time making sure we're doing what we need to do to fix that. We been really good in the red zone the last two years.
Obviously credit to the defense. They did a good job. But it's not up to our standard of where we want to be. I just felt like, again, just felt like that was my fault with the just not putting them in great spots to succeed.
And that game there could have -- obviously we left a lot of points out on the board. Again, Tampa has a really good defense, so credit to them.
But, yeah, I didn't love my coaching in that area.
Q. Nick, how do you think Cam has played?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, after every game we felt like he's played good, so three good games in a row. Just want to continue with that. He's fit in nicely. He's in between two pretty good players. That helps that transition.
You know, Jason is a great communicator. Being able to get him on the same page obviously being able to double team with Lane is huge as well.
Cam has done a nice job stepping into the starting role. He was a center in college and so even a little bit out of what he was used to. So obviously had a lot of time and he did a lot of work last year being the swing guy, being able to back up all spots on the interior.
But he's done a good job with his first three opportunities and we just got to keep it going.
Q. 12 personnel usage the last couple weeks. What have you liked about that grouping and what's working with it?
NICK SIRIANNI: Sometimes you go into a game, and like you said, you see an advantage that you can take of when you go into a game. We're confident. We're really confident when it's 11 personnel with the five skill guys on the field. We're confident when it's 12.
You may be taking a player off the field that you have a lot of confidence in, but you're replacing with a guy you've got a lot of confidence in.
So just with what the defense was giving us in those couple scenarios, or those couple games, was why we played a little bit more. And that will be forever changing, right? It's not, hey, we're playing 12 because -- again, confidence is built throughout every personnel group that we have. That's why we put it on the board in the first place.
But it was just a certain -- you know, a couple scenarios with what the defense was playing these last couple games.
Q. Why do you think you've faced a high percentage of blitzes through three games?
NICK SIRIANNI: You know, again, first it starts with the DNA of the defense, right? What's worked for them for many years with Coach Belichick, Flores, and Coach Bowles. Those are high pressure guys throughout the years.
So to me, that's a product of who you're playing at times, and that's what I felt like for the first three weeks.
Q. Nick, your philosophy on motion, we talked about it in the past. How much does that change with your personnel week to week, or do you have a general sense of that?
NICK SIRIANNI: That's a good question. I know you guys have asked that before, and my philosophy is we don't want to just motion to motion. We want to motion to create advantages or pick something up or mesh something together, right?
All those things can all be true and are why we would motion, and so I always understand that we're a little lower in the league. I think we're like 20-some-percent, which to me is more than what we have done.
But it's just the way the -- it's just we're not just going to do it just to do it. Some of that too is when you go no-huddle like we do at times, that that takes away some of the motion that you're going to do.
So there is a lot of different reasons for it. I think I've said to you guys in the past, like I don't want to be bottom half in the league in anything. Well, you know, when you think about a stat like that, you know, maybe I was -- I understand why we are there.
Again, it's our philosophy not to motion to motion. We can come out this week and motion all over the place, and we'll do that. It's just like -- I guess I think of it this way: If the best thing to do is to pass it 50 times to win, we'll do that. If the best thing is to run it 50 times to win, we'll do that. If the best thing is to motion on every single play -- that is a little extreme - but we'll do that as well.
Q. What's made De'Andre such a good fit with this offensive line in this system through three weeks?
NICK SIRIANNI: I just think he has -- obviously he's getting pushed from the offensive line up front. Our offensive line, we know how good and talented they are. They're just doing a phenomenal job. He's doing a great job seeing it and seeing where the holes are, seeing where the cutbacks are, seeing when it's not there and being able to bounce.
I think he's been able to do it. He can make you miss when you get out in the open field. He can jump over you, spin on you. So there is a lot of different ways he can create once it gets past that initial push.
But, again, offensive line has got a good push and he's been a able to create. That's a good recipe for your run game when you have both of those.
Q. You talk about connecting as a team. Curious about the impact of connecting with fans. We saw you postgame with fans up in the stands. How much have they played a role in the 20 wins in 21 tries in the regular season?
NICK SIRIANNI: Shoot, I mean, what an advantage. We have the best fans in the NFL. When you're playing a game in the NFL where the parity is so tight, that makes a huge difference. Everything makes a huge difference, especially the crowd noise. Especially the deflating of the opposing team when you come out and they're getting booed going through starting lineups.
Trust me, I heard that, what was going on there, and so that's a huge advantage. It's not a good feeling when you're on the other side. You know, obviously I wanted to tell them how much I appreciated them. I wish I -- I tried to go -- I mean, I climbed up the stairs to go into the stands and the gate was there so I couldn't go up in there.
I would loved to have high fived every one of them, because they made a big difference in that game just right from the beginning.
And so we love our fans. We'll be happy to be back to Lincoln Financial this week, but huge advantage, especially -- it's a huge advantage as it is, and especially with the parity being what it is in the NFL.
Q. How excited were you to see Covey have that kind of a game?
NICK SIRIANNI: That was great. Reliable. Really explosive. You know, he did what we've seen over and over again in practice since he's got here. He's been -- I don't know, Bob, you would know this. I don't know where he was in the NFL. I think top 10 in punt return last year. I know he's up there. Might be No. 1 this year I think someone said as far as punt return.
So we know we got maybe a hidden gem that not everybody fully appreciates. Shoot, we sure do. He is a locker room favorite here. Like these guys love Britain Covey. He's tough, works his butt off, great personality.
So like, yes, the 50-whatever-yard return got the sideline excited, but it's the connection that our players have and our coaches have to Britain Covey the person, that even made that maybe look a little bit even more uptick.
He put one on the ground last week which he was upset about, so it was a great redemption there. I'm so glad he's our punt returner. Man, he is a great, great punt returner. You saw that in college. And he's a great teammate.
Shoot, man, I can't say enough good things about the player and about the person. I appreciate you asking that question.
Q. (Indiscernible.) What is the coaching point on that area?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, it depends on the rush, to be honest with you. I respect your question and I don't want to get into too much there. I just don't want to give away too much there.
But I'll just say that it depends on the rush. I thought Jalen did a nice job based off what he saw in the Tampa game of hanging in there and ripping it. What an unbelievable throw.
It was a little wobbly, but got right to where it needed to get to perfectly, and that's all that matters.
Q. Sydney Brown has played like eight snaps and Mike Evans is a Hall of Famer. What goes into a young kid like that not backing down, not being in awe, kind of the moment being too big for him?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, Mike Evans is outstanding. I would agree with what you said right there. He has done it for a long, long time consistently. I got a ton of respect for that dude. So I agree with what you said there.
It shows you a little bit who Sydney is, that he's not overwhelmed by the moment, the opponent, knowing the moment was big and so was the opponent.
And so he just stuck to who he is and he's confident in himself. We're confident in him. It was a heck of a play that saved us I think it was a -- we end up saying those are four-point plays. Great play by him.
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