The Philadelphia Eagles’ coordinators took to the microphone earlier Tuesday afternoon to discuss the team’s performance after the 15-12 win over the New Orleans Saints. Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio, Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore, and Special Teams Coordinator Michael Clay broke down what they saw and what the team needs to work on for their upcoming battles against Tampa Bay.
Vic Fangio
A man of few words, the longtime defensive coordinator was pleased with how his defense played and was able to stymy the potent Saints’ offense that put up 91 points through their first two games of the season.
What clicked this week vs. last week?
Fangio: “Thought our players played very well from start to finish. Their offense was pretty prolifc running and throwing to the year. Thought our guy had a good mindset to go in there and play good. Knew they had good defense to and if we needed to win it would be a low-scoring game, so all the credit goes to our guys.”
Is playing Milton Williams on outside sustainable and what went into that?
Fangio: “Just to get a bigger body and present a different front. We’ve played that in the past, not here, but in other places. It’s a front we will mix in when we feel we need it.”
Brandon Graham is 36. I don’t know how 36-year-olds are supposed to play, but what have you seen from him, but has his production and his snap count being so high for a guy his age sustainable?
Fangio: “I think so. If you’re in the 30’s and spread out at a time and not 12 in a row. Snap count is one thing, but how are they coming is more important. He’s playing good. I don’t see him playing tired. Playing at that age is good and rare, but I don’t know why we can’t expect more rare.
On his retirement tour and what your expectations were heading into the season?
Fangio: “Personally, I didn’t have expectations one way or another, but as training camp wore on, I started telling him you’re not on the tour and you are going to play and he’s been good.”
What’s the plan for Bryce Huff?
Fangio: “Same as it has been before. He’s going to get mixed in with the other four guys.
How would you describe what CJ (Gardner-Johnson) brings to the team?
Fangio: “He has his rare personality as we know. He has to be careful he doesn’t let it go to get a penalty. But he brings a lot of enthusiasm and energy to his play.
What did Denver do to get to Baker Mayfield seven times?
Fangio: “They rushed good. They got out to a lead. A pretty substantial lead in the first half and kind of got them more into a throwing mode and things kind of snowballed.“
The first two weeks, tackling was an issue, this week you had three missed tackles. What if anything, did you clean up this week?
Fangio: “Better front play. Backs weren’t running through holes getting into the secondary where it’s harder to tackle.”
What did you think changed with Jalen (Carter) if anything versus the first two performances?
Fangio: “This past game was his best by far and hopefully that will set the trend moving forward. Not sure what it triggered it other than the D-line unit didn’t play well in the previous game.”
What goes into Reed Blankenship’s ability to be a ballhawk?
Fangio: “He has good hands, both picks are carbon copies. Really can make tough catches. Two of his picks have been carbon copies where they were tough catches. He has a good feel for the game and when he is in position to make a play he will, but the ability to catch the football is really number one.”
Zack Baun had really good first game, little bit of dip and comes back. How do you get consistency from a guy still learning that position?
Fangio: “He’s a quick learner and doesn’t usually make same mistake twice. Has very high football IQ which is critical for being an ILB. We will be able to continue to use his versatility and I’m sure going against his old team had him revved up a little bit more.”
Kellen Moore
How were Tyler Steen and Fred Johnson able to pick up the stunts the Saints were running so quickly? How did you think Tyler and Fred played?
Moore: Those guys played phenomenal. Huge example of next man up game…especially at O-Line…they were able to pop in and play ball…never know when number is going to be called and where Fred got thrown into RT where he normally plays left, that was huge. They create a lot of stress and for those
guys to communicate at that high level with little exposure together, shows how much time Tyler and Fred put in together in practice and the film room to be ready.”
When Nick comes to you and says he wants to call a play on 4th and 1 how does that happen?
Moore: “It’s a collaborative effort. Constantly talking about these situations and what plays to play. Short yardage plays, when is the right time to call one. Stout is heavily involved in the run game. It’s a big team effort, in those situations we talked a lot about them. Guys in the box, you trust their eyes on certain looks when you are using tempo and trying to identify a certain defensive look. We talk a lot about those situations. Sometimes Nick will have a say Stout will have a say. It’s a collaborative effort.”
How does the hierarchy change when other coordinators are making suggestions and Nick is the head coach?
Moore: “It’s no different than any other place I’ve been they are all trying to get the calls in as fast as possible. Play situational football and making decisions at a critical time very quickly. We all lean on each other, and we have an excellent process here. It’s been a fun process because of how much
work we put in during the week for those situations.”
Possibility of not having your top three wide receivers Sunday, talk about where Paris, Jahan and Johnny is and what you have at that spot.
Moore: “Those guys ran a few plays they never ran necessarily other than watching the other guys watch them. Cool example of playing adjustment football. Those guys probably ran a few plays they never necessarily ran before. To be able to hop in there and jump in different positions where they haven’t lined up in was great. Towards the end, Jahan with handling those mesh play and execute at high level. Earlier in the game that was Smitty and then later it was Jahan. We feel very confident in those guys and give them a few more days to adjust and develop and get ready for a gameplan we feel very fortunate to have those guys.”
How challenging is it to gameplan with guys who are lower on the depth chart with little time?
Moore: – “Have to understand the circumstances who may or may not be available for a game. Aaron (Moorehead) does excellent job with that group. We have good foundation of how gameplan is going, but they have great understanding that it’s a big picture group based on who we will have available.
To have guys like Paris (Campbell) and Jahan (Dotson) who have played a lot of football and with Johnny (Wilson) who we are so fired up to have, we are confident moving forward with them.”
Talked before season how important to sort out pressure looks. Expected teams to throw a lot at you. How do you feel how you guys have handled that and what’s it like to go against a Todd Bowles defense?
Moore: “Always one of biggest challenges in the week with the pressure plans. Put players on top of it could be a challenge. Looking to make the adjustments every week. We will use different tools in our toolbox and our guys have done a great job in first few weeks, but no means perfect, but utilizing different tools, handling different things and evolving. Todd is one of the best in the league at bringing pressure, stressing your protections and trying to break your rules. It’s going to be a fun week making the adjustments to make sure we handle it.”
On Jalen Hurts able to move out to his left instead of always scrambling to his right side.
Moore: “Jalen has done a phenomenal job building confidence and working on moving to the left. Naturally as a righty you’re going to go to your right when you’re off schedule. He’s continuing to build confidence in that. He’s done a great job with that and did that in the game finding a couple guys and
not scrambling and staying in the pocket.”
What’s the teaching moment on both ends on the interception in the endzone?
Moore: “Challenging situation, trying to throw an in breaker across the safeties face – perfect world you do that and make a play, but thought the DB made an excellent play. It was really close. We did it against Atlanta and scored and there’s confidence in that play. Just have to keep growing and building on it.”
Prepping for Buccaneers:
Moore: “They had pressure plan associated with stopping the run and put a lot of stress on the protection plan. Might be some new components he will pull out this week. Todd (Bowles) has done an excellent job. Every time I’ve gone against him elsewhere, it’s always a different flavor of his defense. Need to stay committed and adjust. Not whether if he won or lost, it’s a matter of a different flavor. Have to go a good job understanding out answers, using the tools we have and understanding the adjustments we may or may not need to take.”
Michael Clay
What did you see on the block punt?
Clay: “Never want one regardless of situation. They crept in, but always falls on me to have perfect technique and fundamentals to deter any block punts. We just lacked our fundamentals and can’t have that happen in game like that where defense has been playing so well. It falls on my shoulders and we
will get it corrected.”
On DeJean’s performance once Britain Covey left with injury.
Clay: He did a great job at Iowa. He’s fundamentally sound and can track it very well of the punter’s foot. Being thrown in there he didn’t blink, was able to make the fair catch, make some people miss to get the ball from the 9 to the 15 to give offense a little more breathing room. We will get whoever we need to be ready to fill that role and get his confidence up if he gets the opportunity.”
DeJean as punt returner moving forward and what he needs to do to improve?
Clay: “Always different when you get these cats from college to NFL. There’s more of a spread open with the rolling punts, ball on the ground more in college. In the NFL you see the speed more. Have to be learning the nuances now and sitting with Covey in every meeting. Covey had little bit of learning curve coming out of Utah. Seeing that hey, these guys run quicker, have to maintain confidence they had in college. Number one rule is to get the ball to the offense, defense got the ball, so ensure we catch it cleanly and don’t give it up.”
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
