Press Pass | HC Doug Pederson Meets With the Media

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

What's your message to the fans after a performance like this and a one in five close to the season?

Doug Pederson (0:06)

Yeah, it's just disappointing. It's disappointing the way we finished our season.

Obviously, it's definitely not good enough. You know, things start with me, and I got to make sure that, you know, I'm holding myself accountable and I'm doing all I can to, you know, help our football team win on and off the football field, but just not good enough.

SPEAKER_1 (0:28)

What, in terms of run defense, were there some things today that you can pinpoint that led to Henry and Spears having such good days?

Doug Pederson (0:35)

I mean, not until I really dive into the tape, but, you know, obviously, we had missed tackles again and some of the same self-inflicted, you know, gap integrity rules, things like that, I would venture to say would show up today. But, you know, until we really dive into the tape, it's hard to, you know, fully comment on that.

SPEAKER_1 (0:57)

The misses Trevor had, was that lack of practice time, you think, for the last few weeks, or anything that you can figure out?

Doug Pederson (1:02)

I mean, it could be, you know, it could be.

But, you know, those are obviously plays that he knows that he can make. And just unfortunate at the end, we were just, you know, a couple inches away from either scoring or catching that deep ball at the end. But, you know, it's all something we have to process now moving forward.

SPEAKER_1 (1:25)

The sequence on goal line, third one, the throw and then the sneak. Are you hopeful that next year, like, you guys can generate more of a push? It seems like short yardage was an issue all year.

Doug Pederson (1:36)

Yeah, those are all things that we'll have to take a look at this spring.

Yeah, you know, at that point, you know, where it was in the game, the three points really didn't matter. You were going to need a touchdown at some point. So you get the touchdown, the two point right there, and you're back in the game.

I mean, me personally, it's just I'm frustrated. I'm disappointed. I'm mad, angry. You know, my heart hurts, obviously, for the players, coaches involved. They've worked their tails off. But, you know, today's game was sort of our season in a nutshell, really. The mistakes, the penalties, the turnovers, missed tackles, and those are all things that hurt us down the stretch.

I think it's the disappointment, honestly. I know we're a good football team, you know. I see it during the week and how the guys prepare. And I got to look at why it doesn't show up on game day. And those are all things that I'll take a look at, you know, in the coming weeks.

Because they seemed to find it last year. Yeah, I think that's accurate. But, you know, the thing is, you know, you can't sit around and wait for a spark. You got to be the spark, right? That's either me being it or Josh being it or Trevor being it or something, and, you know, and then your team, you know, catches fire. And those are all, that's all part of learning how to win, learning how to do things right, you know, repeatedly, week in and week out. And it's a long season, and I know there's going to be, there's going to be losses during the year. I mean, you're going to lose a game, you're going to lose a player, you know, to injury and things like that. But it doesn't change, you know, your attitude and your mentality towards trying to win games.

SPEAKER_3 (4:01)

What put into the, and I apologize if you, I don't know, Trevor stretching the arm out further, do you feel like because of his length that he could get there even though it was a full yard to go?

Doug Pederson (4:14)

Yeah, I mean, you know, Trevor's trying to make a play. Obviously had success in the past on it.

You know, just came up inches short, but you know, can't fault him for trying to make a play.

SPEAKER_3 (4:28)

Was that the call to play from the get go, or is it something that he went to at the line because he saw something?

Doug Pederson (4:33)

He saw something. It wasn't the actual play call, but he saw something there, and he had an opportunity to sneak it, and you know, with his length, usually that works.

Gosh, I don't think there was one single issue. I think there was multiple issues. I look at, you know, we talked a lot all season, you know, execution, you know, third down red zone.