Nick Sirianni

Q. Do you have any updates on T/G Jack Driscoll, RB Miles Sanders, C Jason Kelce, and if Driscoll is out for a while, do you see G Brandon Brooks returning any time soon? And also, is RB Jordan Howard looking likely for Sunday? I can recap any of those names if needed. (Jimmy Kempski)

COACH SIRIANNI: [T/G] Jack Driscoll suffered a high ankle sprain. He’s going to be headed to IR, unfortunately. As far as [G] Brandon Brooks, I won’t have an update for you guys on Brandon Brooks until after the bye. He is still progressing and so I’m just not going to have any updates until after that.

[RB] Miles [Sanders] came back in, had a couple carries. I’ll have more information on Miles on Wednesday, but he’s headed in the right direction.

[RB] Jordan Howard headed in the right direction. We’ll know more Wednesday. Who else did you ask about?

[C Jason] Kelce just showed his grit and his drive and his toughness and came back in and played, and so, again, we’ll have more information about him on Wednesday, as well. I know he’s sore today, but obviously he came back in and willed himself to play yesterday.

Q. How is QB Jalen Hurts’ ankle? (Howard Eskin)

COACH SIRIANNI: Again, we’ll have more information – I hate to keep saying this to you guys, but he’s sore right now. Going to have more information for you on Wednesday. Not putting any time restrictions on him or anything like that. Again, we’ll see how he’s doing as the week goes. But, yeah, he was sore yesterday.

Q. This isn’t really a Jalen Hurts question as much as a general passing game question. Where do you think you guys are with the passing game in general, covering, play calling, quarterback, receivers, just the whole operation? And do you feel like, when you need to, you can win games leaning on the passing game? (Reuben Frank)

COACH SIRIANNI: My message to the pass group guys today in film was, ‘Hey, it wasn’t good enough in this group yesterday.’ That starts with me putting them in positions to succeed, and obviously always – the guy who touches the ball every time is the quarterback; him executing at a high level, and then to the receivers, tight ends, and running backs.

So, not good enough. We’re not where we want to be in that part of our game. We’re working like crazy to get better at it. I think what you’ve seen is our play-action game has been able to be successful, but when teams know we’re dropping back and when we’re dropping back to pass, that’s where we’ve struggled in the third and longer scenarios.

So, that’s an emphasis that we know we got to get better at because we know if we want to win the games we need to win, and that really just starts here with the next game here against the Jets, we’re going to have to – when we need to pass the ball, we’re going to have to succeed at doing so.

That starts with the drop-back passing game is where we need to get better.

Q. When Jason Kelce left the game, did you ever consider moving OL Landon Dickerson over to center? And what were your thoughts on C/G Nate Herbig when he came in and played both center and guard? (Chris Franklin)

COACH SIRIANNI: Again, any time you have a couple penalties, you’re going to want those plays back. And it’s going to ding your grade a little bit as far as how we grade the player as coaches.

[C/G] Nate [Herbig] did a lot of good things. I thought he played an above-average game, and if he didn’t have those two holding calls, I think he played a good game. We’re confident in Nate being the backup center. A lot of things go into that, too, of who the backup is at different spots.

If you cross-train – I’m not saying [OL] Landon [Dickerson] can’t be the backup center, but if he’s focusing on being the backup center, he’s not putting all his thought process into being the starting guard, which he’s playing at a really high level.

I thought the offensive line played well yesterday, and Landon played really well, and he just continues to get better. And so that’s the decisions you have to make.

We feel comfortable with Nate being the backup center, we feel comfortable with Nate being the backup guard and I thought he went in and did some good things. Again, the holding penalties you want back and we got to teach him the right technique to use on those plays. But, again, feel confident in Nate and his abilities, and think he did – I know those plays count and the penalties count, so that’s why the grade was what it was – but other than those couple plays I thought he did his job and did a good job.

Q. Can you give some insight into where WR Jalen Reagor is developmentally, and any context you can provide and how that fits given his age and experience level? (Tim McManus)

COACH SIRIANNI: I do believe that [WR] Jalen [Reagor] is working himself – he does work extremely hard in practice to get himself better. When he had those opportunities yesterday – he’s going to want – we all wanted him to make that play. Nobody wants him to make that play more than himself, either.

He did make a couple nice plays – made a nice catch on a pass that was a little bit behind him, and then he made a nice catch at the end of the first half to put us down there in scoring range, just obviously didn’t execute to finish that off.

But what you want out of every player, not just Jalen, right, you want out of every player: consistency. I think what we saw yesterday is that he wasn’t consistent throughout the game. He knows that, we have already talked to him about that.

And so, consistency is when you’re making those next steps in your development. So, he’s shown he has play making ability, he shows that he can make some big-time plays, we just want to see that more consistent.

Q. Just looking for some clarity on the last play of the game. Jalen Hurts was looking to his left. Was Jalen Reagor or WR DeVonta Smith his first read, or was that just a read based upon the look of the defense? (Jeff McLane)

COACH SIRIANNI: Yeah, we ran a shallow cross play where [WR] DeVonta [Smith] was the first read in that play. As a matter of fact, on that play, too, it’s DeVonta is 1A and then you could say [TE] Dallas [Goedert] is 1B. The defense that they played eliminated the 1B read of Dallas and put it onto DeVonta.

We didn’t do a great job executing the route discipline out of that play with DeVonta and [WR] Quez [Watkins], but it turned into a scramble, and we got an open look. Jalen made a good throw. Like I said, want to just be able to finish that play off. Again, no one wants to make that play more than Jalen [Reagor].

It never comes down to one play. We put ourselves in that position where it came down to the last play, where I know all the eyes were on him and all the criticism will be on him, but this is an ultimate team game, and there are a lot of other things led to that coming down to the last play.

So, we all want plays back. Coaches, players, everybody wants plays back. It never comes down to just one play.

Q. Just a follow up. You’re saying DeVonta’s route, is that why Jalen Hurts didn’t throw to him? It looked like he was open. (Jeff McLane)

COACH SIRIANNI: You got to give them [the Giants] credit, too. They did a good job taking the – of undercutting the shallow route that we ran. 24 [Giants CB James Bradberry] put himself in a good position there.

We fine tune every detail of it, so you’re going to want it to be a little cleaner on both him and Quez Watkins’ part. But the game is rarely perfect. You always want everything to be perfect and clean.

There are definitely things that we can learn from that play.

Q. To kind of further that, but from a larger perspective, the lack of targets overall for DeVonta and TE Dallas Goedert. When you looked at the film, was that the Giants taking things away? Did Jalen Hurts not get the ball out quick enough when they were the first progressions? What did you see from that perspective? (John McMullen)

COACH SIRIANNI: Definitely when you put the ball in the air you definitely always want it to start with 88 [Dallas Goedert] and 6 [DeVonta Smith]. That’s definitely been our priority. Again, that doesn’t always mean it’s going to happen that way. You can’t just tell the quarterback to force feed it there no matter what.

So, what you do as coaches is you look at the coverages, you look at the defenses that the team is playing, and try to devise a plan to make sure the first and second reads are going there based off the coverages they’re playing.

Now, they definitely can switch it up and there were a couple things they did late in that game that did switch it up. We wanted to get some other guys some touches as well.

That doesn’t mean everything doesn’t run through 6 and 88, but you still want to get 18 [WR Jalen Reagor] some touches here and there and 16 [WR Quez Watkins] some touches here and there and 14 [RB Kenneth Gainwell] some touches here and there. Again, you want to be a balanced offense.

But everything we do starts with those guys. I’ll take responsibility for them not getting the touches that they needed yesterday, because that’s my job to see everything and adjust as the team is playing us.

Again, it wasn’t — they kind of did some different things near the end of the game that they had shown, but any time you don’t get the ball to those guys the way you want to, I’ll always take the blame on that first.

Q. You said you guys tend to struggle when teams know you’re dropping back to pass. Why do you think that is? Obviously if you’re dropping back to pass it’s probably third and long, so I get that. Why do you think that is, and what can you do to improve with Jalen Hurts in those situations? (Martin Frank)

COACH SIRIANNI: The third and long, I mean, the scenarios, you’re right. I mean, second and long, third and long, there is no rule that says you have to drop back and pass every time. It obviously is more of a passing down scenario third and long, and then obviously second and long as well.

We just have to clean up that area. Again, it starts with me putting the guys in position to make plays against the defenses they’re running and getting the ball to our playmakers.

So, I’ll always — any time we’re struggling in a scenario I’ll always take the hit and put it on me, because I just got to do a better job putting the guys in position.

Listen, we may have a play on the call sheet that we think might work really well, but if our players don’t execute it and can’t execute it for whatever reason, then we got to look ourselves in the mirror as coaches, and then we’ll hold the players accountable for their part.

But passing game, again, is not where we want it to be. I take a lot pride in that. I’ve been on a lot of teams that have been very successful passing the football, and so no one is taking that harder than me and it’s my job to get that fixed.

Q. Following up on the first question, what you said about Jalen Hurts’ ankle, you said he’s sore and you’ll see how he feels Wednesday. Is there a risk he might not be able to play Sunday? (Zach Berman)

COACH SIRIANNI: I’m not there, Zach, yet. Again, don’t want to put a timetable on anything. I’m hopeful. Jalen is hopeful that he’ll play. Again, you got to see how these things go, as you guys well know. We’ll see how the rehab goes the next two days and have more of an update for you on Wednesday.

Q. Then just quick confirmation, with T/G Jack Driscoll going on IR, that means he’s done for the year because it’s his second time, correct? (Zach Berman)

COACH SIRIANNI: That’s right, Zach.

Q. Who’s the right guard now, at least for the next few weeks? (Zach Berman)

COACH SIRIANNI: We don’t have to make that decision today. We have some good options, I think. Again, tribute to [Eagles Executive Vice President/General Manager] Howie [Roseman] and his staff that we’ve got good options and depth at the offensive line, and have been able to handle — I think if you look at the beginning of the year and you say you’re going to be without your two guards, a lot of people would have been really worried with how the run game or the protection might have gone, and we kind of see where we are right here.

That’s just a huge tribute to Howie and his staff of getting the depth there. I feel good about the depth we have right now with [G] Sua [Opeta] and with [G] Nate [Herbig], and even with some of the guys on the practice squad. We’ll see how that goes, Zach, and kind of practice through that and see through that, but I am confident in those guys stepping in and being able to make plays.

Q. Obviously this late in the season with five games to play every loss is magnified, every win is magnified as you push towards the playoffs. Can a loss like yesterday help light a fire under this team at this point? (Jamie Apody)

COACH SIRIANNI: I think we have a fire lit under us. There is no doubt. I think this is a hungry team that wants to do well, that craves to do well, and works their tail off to play well every week.

So, you never want to have a loss, but our mindset is no matter what the circumstance was the week before, work your tail off this week to put yourself in position to win this week.

And I really believe that the guys here have won a lot — a lot of veteran guys have won a lot of football games, and they know the best teams they have been on have practiced well. I believe that we practice well. We practice hard, we practice physical, we practice at great tempo with great detail.

That’s a tribute to the guys we have on this team and the way we want this thing led. So that is our only mindset is how do we win this game? I think when you get into the mode where you’re doing the math of, all right, well if this team wins — who plays tonight, Washington and Seattle? I could care less who wins that game.

All I care about is how we get ourselves ready to win this game. I think when you’re in that mindset, if you get into the mindset of what are the things we have to do to make the playoffs, it doesn’t matter unless you take care of your own business.

That loss hurt yesterday. We don’t need any extra motivation because I think this team, like I said, is motivated enough through its own internal determination. We’re going to do everything we can to get back on track and win this football game against the Jets this week.

Q. Have you given any consideration to the possibility of benching Jalen Reagor, even if it’s just one game? (Dave Zangaro)

COACH SIRIANNI: No. Again, we’re trying to put the guys — we go out there and we’re seeing who gives us the best chance to win. We played all five wideouts yesterday. [WR] Greg [Ward] played seven plays, [WR] J.J. [Arcega-Whiteside] played fifteen plays, then obviously the guys that started started.

So, I’m comfortable with the roles they’re in right now. I have not thought about that and not thought through that because I don’t think that’s in the best interest of the team because I think Jalen Reagor gives us the best chance to win.