Q. Hey Nick, weird one to start off with, but seemed like in the beginning of the game, in addition to late, you guys were taking the play clock down a little bit on offense. Curious if that was an intentional thing to limit the possessions in the game?
NICK SIRIANNI: No, not at all. Our goal is to score as many points as possible. You're not going to see us try to run any clock. I think that's just a coincidence. I didn't notice that. Kudos to you for noticing that.
But it wasn't anything we were trying to do deliberately. Sometimes checks have things to do with that, the way the personnel -- changing personnel early on in the game.
You're not going to see us, though, play that -- with the type of offense that we have, you will not see us play that type of game very often, if ever.
Q. Thank you. Appreciate the clarification.
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah.
Q. Coach, Sua Opeta, can you talk about him and how he's been doing? Has he exceeded your expectations?
NICK SIRIANNI: I'm sorry, I didn't hear the name.
Q. Sua Opeta.
NICK SIRIANNI: He's played great. Yeah, he's played great. Done a really nice job. Like I said, we had a lot of -- we have a lot of confidence in him dating back multiple years because of the way he's stepped in and played for us.
We've won big games with him. Then he's came in and replacement of Cam and we've done a nice job on offense, so he's a big part of that. You win up front, and our guys up front have done a nice job.
And obviously our depth is good. Tribute to Howie and his staff forgetting the right guys in here, and lots of respect for Sua. He's tough, strong. Really strong. Has fit in nicely in between Lane and Jason.
Q. I was talking about the sneak last night. You mentioned that it's first and nine for us. You have that sort of advantage. You talk with Beau about the clock. Generally don't do that. Is that something blanket you're not risk adversive, if it's fourth and one you're going to go for it, or you -- don't want to go that blanket statement?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, I think it's a matter of the game. There is a lot of different scenarios that play out in the game that you might not be -- do we have confidence in it? Of course we do. We have confidence in it. Obviously you saw that yesterday, that we were successful on two fourth downs on a critical drive because we have confidence in it. And we have confidence in the players.
And so but that doesn't mean every situation you do that, with closing your eyes and doing that. I think the game, the way the game is going, the score of the game, the possessions left in the game, there are so many things. That's why I think it's funny sometimes when I watch television, when I'm watching a game on TV and it's like, the coach should 1000% go for this because the analytical numbers say that he should.
Well, there are so many different variables, right? So many different variables. Like the percentage of success is based off the big picture, but that big picture, like you don't just go up there and say, hey, here is third down. Call these plays. You break it down a lot of different way. You break it down into third down this section, third down that this section, third down this section, third down when you got to have it, third down when you're in the red zone, third down in two minute.
Like there is a lot of variables in that. Well, there is a lot of variables in when you're making decisions on going for it on fourth down as well. That's why I chuckle to myself sometimes when I see that. Whether it's the win probability -- because I watched the TV copy yesterday. I always watch that because there is good things to teach.
So the win probability from yesterday or whether it's like the coach should 1000% go for this right here because this is what the numbers say. The game is not played that way. There are so many different variables that go to it.
So I answered your question in a sense. I got a ton of confidence in the play, but every game scenario is a little different. What I do game A may be different than what we do game B, right? And so my job is to put the guys in the best possible position to succeed, whether that's with the design of the play or the decision to go for it on fourth down in different scenarios.
I'm constantly thinking about how we're putting our guys in position to succeed and our team in position to win the football game.
Q. What's the update on Jalen Hurts' knee? And did he need any additional evaluation or testing this morning on it?
NICK SIRIANNI: Seemed like he was in good spirits and good today. You know, we'll see later in the week of how he's feeling and everything. I know that he battled through being uncomfortable yesterday. He can answer some of those questions as far as how he felt and all those different things.
I just know this guy is tough as nails and is going to go everything he can do to help our football team win. He knows to help our football team win he has to be on the field, and, you know, just credit to him for him playing one of his better games this season through some discomfort that he had yesterday.
Q. I have one for you, and I'm sorry to put you in this position, but a report just came out this Eagles are trading for Kevin Byard. Any information you can help us with on that?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, not right now.
Q. Okay.
NICK SIRIANNI: You read it. So I obviously want to get with everybody and talk before I say anything here.
Q. That's fair.
NICK SIRIANNI: You got to ask that question. I respect that.
Q. Appreciate it. The cameras caught you walking off the field in the tunnel screaming, stop doubting the Eagles. Do you feel that your team has been doubted, and why do you feel that way, if so?
NICK SIRIANNI: You know, I think we kind of went into that game an underdog. Again, you try to block out all noise that is being talked about you, whether that's good or whether that's bad.
I think just the nature of this business now, I don't think it's realistic that you can completely block it out. Look, I mean, I'm going to talk to you today, I'm going to talk to you guys on Wednesday, Friday, talk to the production meeting on Saturday, talk to you all again on Sunday.
So Bob has to get me prepared for whatever is being said, not just by our local media and guys, but also the national media. And then it's unrealistic for our players not to be on social media. That's part of the who they are. So we do have to hear it. I just think that, yes, you have to block it out. It's about being mentally tough and being able to block things out, whether good things are being talked about you or bad things.
But if you want to use it as your motivation, somebody doubting us is good motivation for you and not a distraction for you, use it, by all means, right? You feel that. Have we felt like we played to our standard? No, but we also know that we are continuing to grow.
I think you're seeing that. You know, different aspects are growing each week. That was just an emotional thing because I do believe that from what we've heard out there that there has been some doubt. That's okay. That's okay.
We've given reason to doubt at times this season, as you guys know. And so, you know, last night was a good win for us. Any time you win in the National Football League is big, especially against a really good team like we played last night.
I just got a lot of respect for -- I know those coaches are outstanding, they got outstanding players. So that was a good win for the Eagles.
I think we were feeling like the underdog. You know what? Sometimes I feel like we play better when we feel like the underdog. Whether that's noise that we hear and we use it as motivation or noise that we make up, you know, like whatever we need to do, we'll look for any edge we can get.
I think that the big thing is that our guys wanted to play a physical game because that's what our identity is, and I think we did that.
Q. Speaking of a different kind of noise, Dolphins took a number of pre-snap penalties on offense, defense, and special teams. From your perspective on the sideline, what was the atmosphere like in the stadium, and how did crowd noise play a role in your favor?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, big time. Great question. I think it was just loud and it's hard to operate. You know, the game has so much parity in it and it's so hard to win. Every little advantage you can have you want to be able to take advantage of.
I definitely think those things are a huge help. Our crowd was rowdy. You knew it would be yesterday. You knew it would be loud, energetic. I felt that, how cool that was that we were on Sunday Night Football.
I remember looking at AJ and Dallas run out for starting lineups, I'm like, man, this is pretty cool. It's going to be a loud atmosphere tonight, and it really played into it. Our crowd helped contribute to that win with the noise they created.
Shoot, I think they had a -- I want to say they had delay of game first play of the game. Is that accurate? Then there was another one coming off a break. When you're coming off break you don't see may pre -- snap penalties. What I mean is like first and ten of the drive, first play of the drive.
Tribute to our crowd of how loud it was. I'm assuming that while we're in here game planning today I'm going to hear the noise across the street for the Phillies game as well. I know that will be a rowdy atmosphere as well. You got to love Philadelphia sports and being a part of it, and the crowd that goes with it and our fans.
Q. I'm going pivot from my original question. With the news coming down, what do you think about your secondary, especially the safety position, coming into this weekend? What did you see on tape from this last weekend? What do you know Kevin Byard to begin with?
NICK SIRIANNI: I thought our guys played good last night. Thought they played -- obviously to be able to go against the opponent that we went against yesterday, the type of offense we went against yesterday, obviously you'll want some plays back here and there, but to hold that opponent down, starts with the guys up front on the defensive line.
But then it's the guys matching the routes on the back end to make the quarterback hold it just a tick longer. I thought we did a really nice job of that. Obviously haven't been able to talk to our players or anything about that so I'm going to hold off on anything there. I will be happy to answer any questions about the scenario on Wednesday.
Out of respect for the guys on our team and before we talk to anybody, obviously hold on that question.
Q. I know you won't answer this one super well either, but Reed Blankenship, Lane Johnson, all the other injury guys, any updates there?
NICK SIRIANNI: You know, they were in today. We're hopeful. We're hopeful. I didn't hear the second person.
Q. Reed.
NICK SIRIANNI: Reed and who?
Q. Lane. How did Lane come out?
NICK SIRIANNI: Lane played outstanding. When Lane is on the field we're a different football team. He played outstanding. E's tough as they come. Lane is tough as they come. We're hopeful about Reed, but obviously never put any timetable on anything.
When his body is ready to go he'll play. I know how tough he is. Shoot, he wanted to be out there this week. If it was up to Reed he would've played this week.
So we'll see with him. Obviously we're hopeful. We would love to get him back as soon as possible because we know how important he is for our defense.
Q. What has led to the improvement of your run defense so much this year?
NICK SIRIANNI: You know, I just think the physicality of that group has been outstanding. Jordan Davis is playing at a high level. Someone sent me something of what Lane said. I think somebody asked -- was that you sent that to me?
Oh.
I think they asked -- maybe it was you, Dave, because it sounded like the question was exactly the same. He said, have you ever tried to block Jordan Davis? He's a big man, and, man, he's fun to be around. What a great pro. He works hard every day to be where he needs to be physically, and great person to be around, connecting with his teammates.
You know, knows how much fun football is and enjoys being around football and I love that. And then how big time of a player he is.
I'll start by saying Jordan because he's such a big guy and what Lane said the other day, but look at all those guys.
You look at Milton, you look at Fletch and Fletcher is playing at such a high level.
Jalen Carter is playing at a high level. And, oh, and we got Marlon and Street (phonetic) coming off the bench.
That's a wave of guys that stay fresh throughout the game because of the rotation we're able to have. Coach Rocker has done an unbelievable job.
Then we have the guys on the edge that can set the edge. Haason Reddick, when you watched him set the edge yesterday against a team that's been doing a really good job getting the ball to the edge, that was really noticeable.
Josh Sweat, he was our player the game on defense. How the he played such an outstanding game. He was player of the game for or defense yesterday.
Then BG and Derek Barnett. Watch a couple of the plays, how he sets the edge on the guy slice blocking him from one side to the other on the split zone. I mean, he's as tough as they come.
Nolan. I mean, you want to know why we play the run well? Because we have those guys right there that I'm talking about. Defensive coaches have done a good job putting them in position to make plays, and we been getting knock-back and being highly physical and violent at the point of attack, and it's been really noticeable.
It's been awesome to watch just how physical we have been and that's what's stopping the run right now.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports