EAGLES HEAD COACH NICK SIRIANNI

Postgame Press Conference
Thursday, August 15, 2024

Q: Mekhi Becton the starting right guard?

NS: Yeah, we still have some time to think through some things. We're going to have some really good physical practices next week, almost some operational things, different things like that. So we'll see. No reason to say anything one way or the other right now because we're still working through it. So we'll see.

Q: Is Steen's ankle the same one he had injured?

NS: I actually haven't got with the medical guys yet, so I don't know. I don't know how he's feeling yet. We'll get that information to you guys.

Q: Is Tanner outplaying Kenny?

NS: I thought they both did some good things today. I think, you know, Kenny was what, 11 of 13? Ball only hit the ground twice. He had some pressure on him. Tanner played well. I think he was 15 of 19 today, but made some good throws. I thought Will did some good things. I'm happy they're all on the roster right now. I really am. That's good room and they're all helping Jalen, helping each other, and I love that. So really is a good room. Like I said, the things that kind of stalled some of the drives in the first half today was some of the pressures we got. And we didn't run it great in that area either for some different reasons that we'll obviously look at and why. So no, I thought they both played a solid game tonight. Just some of the pressure that was on Kenny happened in that first half.

Q: Is it accurate to say that Kenny – that Tanner is doing more to make it more competitive than Kenny is doing less?

NS: Again, like I said, I think they're both doing a nice job. Yeah, Tanner made some really nice throws down the field today with some good anticipation. I'll have to look at the tape of what happened, but they both had good practices to this date. They both I thought played solid today. I'll have to watch the tape to see exactly what happened. Hard to say exactly – I don't remember any plays that I felt like Kenny made and I'm like, oh, man this was detrimental. Obviously you go back, or even with Tanner. I didn't have any of those notes down like that. I thought they both played well within the scheme and both did some nice things.

Q: Is that a competition or is Pickett the No. 2?

NS: You saw where they went in today. Kenny is No. 2 and Tanner is our No. 3, and I am really happy they're both on the roster.

Q: Tanner had a good preseason last year too, and in my opinion I thought he had a good camp. We don't get to see practice during regular season. How did he play –

NS: During camp?

Q: During regular season in practice?

NS: Yeah, he did some good things. Now, I think with Marcus [Mariota] last year, he was taking more of the reps but Tanner got some as well and you have developmental periods. Our job as coach is provide as much opportunity as we can for guys to develop that aren't getting reps in-game, and we'll continue to try to do that, continue to grow these guys in what they do. I thought Tanner did a nice job last year with the reps he got in practice developing himself. As you can see, he's having another nice training camp and preseason games.

Q: What factors into the decision not to play any of the offensive starters?

NS: You know, we had 89 plays against New England. It was a long, physical practice; good one-on-one reps also. I felt like we – when you play two days beforehand, like when you practice on Friday – take us to a the – you practice on Friday and play on Sunday. That Friday practice is short, fast. We like to say make sure we're paying attention there on Fridays, make sure we are completely locked in on Fridays. Focus Friday; some people call it Fast Friday. That's by design to make sure your guys are ready to go on Sunday. When you have that long of a practice, which is more like a Wednesday, even a longer Wednesday practice, and a really physical practice like it was, I thought it was a really physical practice. And because I think New England is a really physical team, that's not enough rest in my opinion to put those guys back out there. And they got enough work in that area. We'll do some things next week to simulate that again even though we're not practicing against anybody. See how that goes with whether we play them or not next week. That's what went into the decision to not play them.

As far as the defensive guys that played, Bryce the linebackers, Devyn and Zack and we just felt like they needed additional reps and we weren't planning on playing them long. I think they were all around 10, 12, 14 plays somewhere in there. You guys would know that better than I would. That was our plan, to get them that amount of reps? Just because they're new to the team, new to the system. Zack Baun, new to that position a little bit as well. So we really wanted to get them reps and that's why those particular guys played.

Q: In the case of McKee, he came out and went back in. What was the reason for that?

NS: We wanted to get Will some reps. He's done a nice job. Will has earned some reps. He's great for the room. He's a great pro. You can tell he's done this a long time. We wanted to give him an opportunity to go out there and play. Sometimes it's hard if you put a quarterback in and it's a two-minute drive and your first snaps are two-minute drives; those are tough situations sometimes. Or it's a four-minute drive. Like you don't know what the situation is. Our plan all along was to play Tanner the first two series in the second half, let Will go, and then put Tanner back in so we didn't put Will in a weird spot, right? And then Tanner could be in the flow of coming out of halftime and going. So that's what went into that. Again, I thought Will did a really nice job leading a drive down the field when we had been stalling out a little bit in certain areas, and he did a nice job competing passes and moving the ball and really pleased with how he played.

Q: What was your evaluation of Jalen in the joint practice?

NS: Yeah, I thought he was really on top of it. Really on top of his checks, really on top of some of the unique things that New England was doing, and I really liked his performance. A lot to be confident about with how he practiced on, what's today? On Tuesday, yeah.

Q: You mentioned Huff; did he show you anything from a run defense perspective tonight?

NS: Yeah, I think he's just going to continue to get better within our scheme. He's a good football player. It's just learning a new scheme, learning some different things that we're asking him to do, different techniques. Guys like that – and he works his butt off and he wants to be great, so guys like that are just going to keep getting better with the reps he gets, and that's why we wanted to get him reps tonight.

Q: The joint practices, how do you feel you came out of those?

NS: Yeah, we can talk later about what I think the right amount is, this and that. Have different feelings about it probably every time you go through it. You're like, maybe this is the perfect amount, this and that. I thought it was really good. Again, Coach Mayo and his staff, unbelievable hosts. We got good work in, good clean work in where you don't have to blow the whistle all the time with different fights or anything like that. And it was physical. It was a physical practice. I was a physical practice. So, man, I was really pleased and I would love to do this again. I said that to Coach Mayo after the game. I said let's do this again next year. I don't believe we play the NFC-AFC East next year. I said to him, let's do this again next year, because that was really good work, and so I'm big believer in the joint practices because you can really get good work against different teams, different schemes, different players, and so you're not going against the same person all the time. 89 plays is a good chunk of work.

Q: Year ago you said you were regretted not playing the starters in the preseason. That's what's going to happen here. What's different this year, putting in a new scheme offensively?

NS: You know, I don't remember – again, you're saying I said regret it? Do you have it like that? Whether I said – really what I probably should have said, if I didn't say this, is I would always reconsider, right? Always going to reconsider things. We'll see what happens next week as far as our plan to play anybody. But, again, if you think about when you play – like last week – I'm not going to get into all that, but I always reconsider. Everything is always on the table. Each year is a different year. For me to answer anything for next year and answering for this year last year wasn't smart on my behalf. Every year is a new set of the challenges and new circumstances. Every year everything is always on the table of what you want to do, what you think you need to do. The main goal is to get your guys ready to go week one, week two, week three, week four. I would say we've start these last two years pretty hot off the – starting 8-0 I believe in '22 and 5-0 last year before we lost. The main goal is to make sure we're winning that first game and we're ready for that first game and continue to build off that first game. You want to look as pretty as you possibly can, as clean as you possibly can that first game, because clean football is what helps you win that first game, but the main goal at the end of the day is to score more points than the other team.

Q: Is there a player or two that you feel has really improved from last year to this year?

NS: Yeah, you know, I will single somebody out. I think Fred Johnson is continuing to develop as a really solid football player. He's a big man, right? You see that, and it's hard to get around him. He just continues to put the work in that he needs to to put in to develop at his position. I'm really pleased with how Fred has worked and his toughness and just his ability to improve each day. You can see that, so I'm happy. You asked me for a guy, that's the guy I'll single out right there. Proud of Fred for all the work he's put in to get himself to where he is right now.

Kenny Pickett, QB

(On playing his second game in the offense)

"It was good, it was good and we rotated in a lot of guys tonight too, so we got to play with a bunch of different people and different groups were in there. We continued to work the operation, I don't think we were as clean as we would have liked to be. I think we were better and smoother at that point that we were in the first game, so it is something this week we are going to have to iron out for third game."

(On facing the pressure from the defense)

"I think they were moving guys around and I think they had their top guys in there for a while too, and that's a great opportunity for us. The twos and threes and a bunch of guys are trying to make this team and compete against the best they have. There was a lot good and definitely some bad that we can learn from, take what it is and move on."

(On the reason for the low yards per attempt on offense)

"We had some shots called that were covered up and I ended up checking it down and we got good gains there. Besides that, it's just taking the completions that are there and try and move the offense. Those big plays will come sooner or later, we just have to continue to throw them in practice. When we practiced on Tuesday, we got a couple down the field which was great, so it is just if they are there, we will take them and if not just continue to move the ball down the field."

(On the competition for the second QB job)

"I think it's just like I said, they are continuing to mix group ups and letting guys play with different groups. I am just taking it one day at a time and continue to play and put good tape out there and continue to play well and progress with the offense."

Tanner McKee, QB

(On what he thought the reason was for his effectiveness this week)

"I don't know. I was just trying to take what the defense gave us. I thought our guys did a great job of creating separation."

(On the seam throw to Joseph Ngata)

"It was max protection so I was hoping to have a decent amount of time. The guys did a great job of holding up. I didn't see the route but when I came to the sideline, all the guys were saying he had a nasty route. He had inside leverage and I'm excited to see it on film because he had a ton of separation and it made the throw easy on me. I'm excited to see what he did to create that much separation."

(On why he left the game then came back in)

"I'm not one hundred percent sure. Coach just told us that was going to be the game plan at the beginning of the game. They did a great job of communicating with it and I just rolled with the punches. I think it was just to give everybody an equal opportunity. I was just ready to roll whenever they call my name."

(On what he thinks he's better at this year)

"I feel like mentally I can see the defense a lot cleaner. I think that one of the biggest things going from college to the NFL is post-snap movement. I feel like they are always going to lie to your eyes pre-snap and so I feel like I am very comfortable seeing post-snap movement and being able to adjust off of that. I think that was a big growth point for me last year and I'm going to continue to grow on that."

(On if he thinks he's ready to be the number two quarterback)

"That's not my decision. I wish it was, but I'm just ready to go out and play whenever they call my name."

(On whether he was surprised when the team traded for Kenny Pickett)

"I think they do a great job of communicating and they told me they were going to get another quarterback and we were going to compete. Kenny's been a great teammate and we are going to continue to compete for the whole year."