Q. Hey, Nick, how's it going?
NICK SIRIANNI: Hey, Roob.
Q. You guys have ten plays, scrimmage plays of 40 yards or so, which is well more than any other teams. And they've come in different ways, short passes, gone for big plays, deep balls, runs. I want to ask kind of what those plays mean to the offense and to have that at your disposal to hit those fairly regularly?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, you know, we talk a lot about explosive plays. You know, our definition of explosive plays is 40 is majorly explosive. Our definition with explosive plays is, hey, you get explosive plays, it creates points, right?
And vice versa on defense.
Like I said, I was going here, the definition of our explosive plays are 20, give or take. And I won't get into all our specifics there. But give or take around there. So it create one that's double that puts your chances of scoring up even more.
Want to constantly be able to create those. We have the players to be able to create those. Yeah, the guys have done a good job of hitting -- Jalen yesterday, I don't know, I think the one to AJ was probably 43 yesterday. But what a great throw by Jalen. Great route by AJ. Couple by Saquon yesterday.
When you're able to hit those and be explosive, it gives you a better chance to score points.
Q. Pigging backing off that a little bit, you guys had zero turnover worthy plays the last two weeks, but you do still have some big plays down the field. How do you go about coaching a player to make sure they're cautious with the ball and thinking about it while not suppressing their ability to take some chances and make big plays?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah. You know, you try to think through all those different things as far as how you carry the ball, because I think you're talking about two different things. Like I think there is the part of it where the quarterback, the quarterback has a very specific job there, and then the ball carrier on top of that.
So the ball carrier you just harp on the way the ball is carried. There is a lot of elements to that, whether you're going through the line of scrimmage or you just caught the ball and you're tucking it, whether you're on the sideline, in traffic, whether you're making a move, all those different things.
You just try to reenact those things and put them in those positions as often as you possibly can. That's what you're trying to do in practice, simulate the game as much as you possibly can. That's what we try to do there, and we talk about it a lot.
I think what you're talking more about, Elliott, applies to Jalen.
Q. Uh-huh.
NICK SIRIANNI: Hey, you got to be able to take care of the football while still being explosive. That's why the quarterback is who he is, how important he is to the football team.
Because it does, it takes -- hey, we got to be able to take receivers that are open downfield while not wanting to force it. I think that's just the repetitions of the different plays that he sees versus all the different looks that he can get.
So you want to take what they give you. Sometimes that's more risk than other times, but I think that's just playing the quarterback position. It's constantly taking what they give you. Do they open things up down the field.
As far as the next part goes, how you're protecting the ball when you're carrying it. I think that's just different. How you have the ball when you're taking care of it, when you're carrying it, and how you have to go through reads and stuff like that.
I think that's what you're talking about.
Q. In this game you guys doubled, almost doubled the amount of under center snaps you had and ran on all but one. Was a factor there; about six yards per carry. A, why was that to work in this specific game plan? B, were there things that were revealed that you think might help the offense going forward?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, every game plan requires different action, you know, based off the defense that you're playing. You still want to stay true to who you are and the things that you do well and the things that are part of your offense and mesh with your offense well.
But then every game plan calls for a little bit different, so I think -- I can't tell you the last time we came you have came out of a game and we only threw it 14 times.
Again, it's not only the game plan but also the flow of the game and the way the game is going. We had a lot of four-minute snaps yesterday, meaning we were running -- I think at the end of the game we were run, run, run, threw it a couple times. But all these things play into it.
That's just the way a game plays out.
Q. Now that you've had Quinyon and Cooper in the starting lineup for two games together, what have you taken away most from their play and also what you've seen from them behind the scenes all year?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, I think I see two guys that love the game of football and are willing to do everything they can to get better at it. Highly competitive guys. Very serious about football. Good teammates. Work really hard.
All those things that you see out of these guys on a daily basis. It's good to have their youth and energy on the field. They've put together some good games in a row. Coop obviously just starting to become our starter at the nickel position; two good games in a row.
Quinyon has been good throughout the time he's been here. He's not fazed by anything. I think he just goes out and competes and plays his game. He's had a lot of production on the football.
I think those are looking like two really, really good draft picks, you know, that's really helping our defense grow.
Q. Just want to ask, I know these backups prepare every week like they're going to start. What did you see when Tyler Steen stepped in yesterday from him, and then kind of secondly, on the offensive line, who is Fred Johnson's primary backup or key swing tackle? Kinnard or is it game by game?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, again, I feel like we have good depth there to have different options.
You know, Coach Stout does a good job of rotating the guides at different spots. So I feel like we have good options there with our depth with Jordan out and Fred starting on the offensive line.
You know, been a lot of guys. Mehki has done it. So could be a lot of different answers there. And that's a good thing that you have options.
As far as Tyler Steen goes, when he stepped in, you know, in the middle of that game when Mehki went down, I thought he played a really good game. You know, there was a long one you have run by Saquon that him and Lane are having a combination block with 97; 97 obviously is a phenomenal football player.
And they combo him, Lawrence, to the linebacker and Steen just has this perfect timing of when to get off onto the linebacker and then leave Lane with Dexter Lawrence in the crease.
And so that takes a lot of work together. That takes a lot of timing together. A lot of practice time together to really fit that block properly.
And so just couldn't say enough the guys and their work ethic, their faith in each other. I definitely see that within the offensive line. Hey, this guy is down; I got faith in the next guy. They constantly talk about it, and it's awesome when it shows up on tape like that.
Q. I understand that the defensive snaps are down and something to do with matching personnel. Jordan Davis only played 12 snaps. Joe-Mo played probably almost double that. Is that a change in how you guys are using Jordan? Do you think that he can be a three-down guy?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, I think that's just the flow of that game of how that kind of played out. There are in some more must-pass scenarios. Jordan definitely can be a three-down guy. He has strengths definitely in the run game is one of his biggest strengths.
There was a play yesterday where he kind of pushes the center back into the play. Brandon Graham does a good job holding the edge of a slice blocker on the edge and they kind of blow up the run.
Got a lot of faith in Jordan and he's done a great job taking care of his body and being in great shape. So we know that he can play more plays than he did, but it was just the way the game played out yesterday with some of the more known pass. And Morrell (phonetic) has been doing a good job in those scenarios. That's kind of his specialty, is being able to rush the passer.
It's done a good job of it. Thinking back to the high ball he forced in the New Orleans's game on a critical third down, and he's had some since the then that put our faith high in him as well.
Again, how it played out and got faith in both those guys to perform on both sides there as far as the run and the pass.
Q. Two quick ones. Anything behind the sweatshirt? Ever any danger I guess. And just your general philosophy. When you see games like that and people talk about identity or formula, is that a real thing to you? Do you search for stuff like that?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, you know, as far as that goes, identity, you do have something you'll hang your hat on and I think that's always your core values. Your identity is always adjusting, changing, figuring out as the year goes.
Changes a little bit based off who you're playing. I know because we really take pride in our identity being our core values, being a team, playing with great detail, playing with toughness, being accountable.
And like scheme stuff is constantly adjusting. Sometimes the identity in the game is to run it as much as we did yesterday. Sometimes the identity is to pass it a bunch, right?
So I think that's just constantly changing, and adjusting.
As far as the sweatshirt, this was a gift from Coach Singleton. I like the sweatshirt.
Q. I know you kind of were asked yesterday about Jalen not having any turnovers the last two games. I was wondering if you think that's a product of him not forcing stuff as much and trusting his guys? On the other hand he did throw those two deep balls to AJ Brown in kind of critical situations. What do you make of the fact that he is -- he hasn't had the turnovers and is he playing differently or is AJ just being back a big part of that, too?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, you know, again, Jalen plays the hardest position in sports in my opinion. These guys are coming down there trying to kill and you has to make split decisions on where to go with the football based on a defense trying to deceive you what they're playing.
Then have to be accurate with the throw on top of that. While somebody is right in the hip of the receiver at times. And sometimes they're open by a bunch, too.
So, again, it takes a ton of reps. It takes a ton of study. Jalen has done so much of that to -- and he knows how important it is to take care of the football. He also knows how important it is to win the explosive play battle.
So that's not something, hey -- that's what we talk about each week. Let's win the explosive play battle and let's win the turnover battle. A lot of that falls on his shoulders of being able to push the ball when it needs to be pushed.
Sometimes you get explosive plays, you know, yesterday where we have a check down to Kenny Gainwell. Wasn't an explosive, but darn close of a 12-yard gain because Kenny got the ball in space and was able to make a guy miss.
I think he's been playing good football, you know, taking care of the ball. Of this two-game win streak, he's touching the ball every play, so he's a big part of that and big reason why.
Q. You guys the last three years are 71% on fourth down. Best percentage in the league. You weren't so successful your first year. What does that do for an offense's confidence when you have that success rate?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, I mean being shoot, you saw yesterday, that led to 21 points. If you didn't have that confidence in the guys, then that is potentially nine points, right? Or you punt on one of them because you're a little bit out of range.
So I think that's huge. Like it's, again, you're constantly thinking about how you score touchdowns, how you score touchdowns, how you score touchdowns, and you're pissed when you got to kick a field goal.
That extra down gives you a lot to be able to do that. You got to have faith in the guys to be able to do that. You know, it's been a big key to our success the last couple years, is that success on fourth down turning three-point plays -- turning three points into seven points.
The fourth and three on the 43 yesterday, with AJ and Jalen just protection was really good. Jalen took a little bit of hip and put a perfect throw onto AJ who ran a perfect route.
That's huge. There was that fourth and two I believe it was at the nine yard line or whatever. They dropped eight; Jalen was patient, and then went and made an unbelievable play.
Again, when you can extend drives and give yourselves a chance to score seven as opposed to three, all these games are tight, so those make a big difference.
All the credit goes to our guys because of how they go out there and succeed, how they go out there and prepare and handle it.
Q. I know that he want asked to do a ton necessarily. Only had to throw one pass. In the snaps that Kenny got are you able to learn anything meaningful about the way he runs the offense if he is called into action down the road?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, you know, I think you learn that as practice goes. You know, we were in kind of a different mode with the way the score was and where we were. We were in a different mode.
So, yeah, any time you go in there and you are able to get snaps in a game, you're analyzing how he's making checks different, like that.
To say we were running or offense would be -- obviously you know that wasn't the case. So it's a tough spot for a quarterback to be in. Hey, we're going to run it on third down. I don't think any quarterback likes to hear that.
But we get our confidence in Kenny through practice, preparation, through pre-season, through all the different things. We get to see him every day, and was really good in practice last week getting our defense ready to play in this game.
Q. Yesterday was Sydney Brown's first comeback since early January. As someone who had a front row seat to his rehab, what was it like as his coach getting to see him get out there and what kind of energy did he bring to practice and ultimately in the game yesterday getting back into the swing of things?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, I think everybody gets excited about Sydney and his effort and his love for this game that he plays with. There was a play yesterday on the tackle has as the gunner, they kind of come out to double team him and he gets a shot on the vice, the guy that's coming over on the vice, and has great block destruction on his way to making a great tackle in open field in space.
That's the type of thing we've become accustomed to over the year plus we've been with Sydney. Really enjoy the big play ability. Explosive play ability. I think everybody, I saw how hard he worked to get back. That guy, he just attacked his off-season trying to get himself back ready to play football.
You know, the way he attacked it in the rehab, in the training room, but also just the mental reps he would get. Every time you would watch him he was always getting mental reps, always behind the play, always just taking steps to simulate that he was in there.
That guy prepared for this moment. Now I'm happy he's back. You know, I think it would be sweet if he gets a cool hit on his brother this week in this game. So happy that he's back and playing for us again because we know what a spark he can be and the energy that he brings to the team.
Q. What takeaways did you have from the third down cutaways today? Then also on the three third and shorts, do you go into those knowing you'll go for it on fourth down?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, depends on the situation of the game, Zach. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. You're always trying to play the scenario. Sometimes that calls for kicking the field goal no matter what; sometimes this calls for going for it in this scenarios.
So that's to our advantage as an offense that the defenses don't always know when we're doing that and not doing that because it's different each drive, each play, each game situation.
The first part of that question, Zach? I'm sorry.
Q. The third downs, what stood out when you watched them back today?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, you know, obviously we got to be more efficient on third down. You know, we kind of count some of those third downs if you convert on fourth down because you're playing, like you said, to set it up as a win.
But we have to be more efficient on the third downs and there are a lot of different reasons why. Starts with us. Do we put them in positions to succeed? Did they execute? It's always going to go in that order.
Some thoughts we had after we looked at it, some different thoughts of protection, some different thoughts of route concepts, one-on-ones, you know, that we'll experiment with as we continue to move forward.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports