Doug Pederson

Q. Wanted to talk to you about that fourth and four play with a little over eight minutes to go. It was a two-score game at the time. So first, why did you decide to go for it, and then what did you see on the particular play? It looked like QB Carson Wentz and TE Dallas Goedert weren’t on the same page. (John McMullen)

DOUG PEDERSON: My mind-set there was we have to stay as aggressive as possible on offense. We had to try to make a play, get something going. And from my vantage point it just looked like Carson and Dallas were not synced up. It was a play we had used in the third quarter. They connected on it, and it appeared that Dallas turned inside, Carson threw it outside where Dallas was on the first time we called the play. So just a matter of those two guys being on the same page.

But as far as the decision to go, we had to make every effort to stay and really get us into this game and just wanted to stay as aggressive as possible.

Q. There was a four-game stretch this season where WR Travis Fulgham was the leading receiver in the NFL. Since the bye, it doesn’t seem like he’s been a big part of the game plan. What have you seen from WR Alshon Jeffery that had him on the field more than Fulgham tonight? (Bo Wulf)

DOUG PEDERSON: Well, I think, Travis he’s still a part of the offense and he knows he’s got to continue to work hard each week and play well. And Alshon is improving and getting healthier. We have to be able to use both of those guys, they are two big targets for Carson. We’ve just got to continue to work and make sure that both guys are ready to go.

Q. Was the plan coming in tonight to use QB Jalen Hurts more and if so, why didn’t that happen? (Dave Zangaro)

DOUG PEDERSON: Not necessarily. The plan was to use him when we could. The way the game started, we just didn’t have many opportunities, too many three and outs. I don’t think we got a first down until the second quarter. We just didn’t — we failed to execute. It just wasn’t in the cards, I guess, so to speak, early in the football game.

But no more, no less than what we would use him each week.

Q. Can you explain the rotation between Jalen Hurts and Carson Wentz? It feels like maybe it would be a challenge for either one of those guys to find some consistency when one is in for one play and then the other and vice versa? (Kristen Rodgers)

DOUG PEDERSON: Yeah, it is a challenge for quarterbacks to do that, but from an offensive perspective, if we can have a little change of pace there with Jalen and mix things up, whether we’re running it or throwing it. I thought the guys tonight, for the few plays that Jalen was in, they handled it well. It’s just something we’ll continue to work on.

But yeah, it can be a little bit difficult, for either one of the quarterbacks unless they can get multiple snaps, but that just didn’t happen. We were too many three and outs.

Q. I know defense isn’t more your side, but what was defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz’s plan against Seahawks WR DK Metcalf, and what did you think of what he did versus CB Darius Slay? (Jeff McLane)

DOUG PEDERSON: Well, DK is a great, big target, good receiver. D-Slay matched up with him all night long and battled and made some plays, and DK made some plays.

So, I thought overall, he did some good things. Played tough. That’s a tough receiver to defend, and I thought D-Slay did some good things.

Q. When WR Jalen Reagor was coming out, you guys selected him and put an emphasis on speed. Why do you think you haven’t been able to utilize that speed more in your play calling or at least with completions down the field this season? (Mike Kaye)

DOUG PEDERSON: Some of it could be scheme. Some of it could be Jalen still learning and understanding what is asked of him. He continues to improve each week and we still find ways to try to get him in space and we did that a couple times tonight. That’s the thing, there’s also a lot of speed on defense. I think sometimes people forget that. We do our part as coaches to try to find ways, creative ways to do that. We did it with him with a little reverse tonight, and we did a couple receiver screens, or a receiver screen to him. He had one critical mistake on a red zone play that we were going to throw him a screen and he made a mistake there. We’ve just got to keep working and battle through it.

Q. You seemed to suggest that the lack of offensive rhythm was why Jalen Hurts wasn’t involved early, but can’t that be a reason to play Jalen Hurts more? (Zach Berman)

DOUG PEDERSON: No.

Q. And why not? (Zach Berman)

DOUG PEDERSON: Because it’s not about one guy. We had breakdowns across the board, and it doesn’t really matter who is back there; the mistakes were still going to be made. Something we’ve got to fix.

Q. When you did have Jalen Hurts in there the first time, you took Carson off the field and I was curious as to what kind of advantage you think that gives you without Carson being on the field and also, when you put him back in, the next time, Carson was on the field and that was like a hand off to RB Miles Sanders, just kind of like the difference between Carson being on and off the field when Hurts is in the game? (Martin Frank)

DOUG PEDERSON: Listen, when Jalen’s been on the field with Carson, defenses have been playing it a certain way. And as we have evaluated those two together, putting Jalen on the field by himself presents a little bit different picture for the defense. That’s why we did it tonight, but I think we can still get some mileage out of using both quarterbacks, and then also Jalen as a quarterback by himself.

Q. RB Miles Sanders had five carries in the first half. Obviously, you were going up against the worst pass defense in the league. Was that part of the fact of why he wasn’t running as much in the first half is that you were trying to attack that defense or is it what they were giving you? (Rob Maaddi)

DOUG PEDERSON: I just think they got after us a little bit in the run game and got on some edges. We missed their safety a couple of times. And we had to make some adjustments. But we knew probably going into this game that we were at least going to have to put the ball in the air to give ourselves a chance. It’s a good rush defense and it’s a good front, and they did a nice job.

Q. You mentioned earlier, you didn’t have your first down until the second quarter. I think there was less than five minutes to go. It’s not the first time that’s happened this year. I think it was the Ravens, as well, the first down came late. Why do you think — can you put a finger on why that hasn’t been fixed and why this team continues to struggle to score in the first half or even pick up first downs? (Ed Kracz)

DOUG PEDERSON: I think it just comes down to, offensively, we’ve battled with a lot of injury, a lot of different moving parts up front with the offensive line. Guys in and out. It’s just we haven’t had the consistency and continuity you would like week-in and week-out. You look at offenses around the league that have stayed together and have stayed healthy, there’s continuity and consistency there, and we just haven’t had that this season. That’s something that we don’t make excuses for; it’s where we are, and we have to get better.

Q. That played into what I was going to ask but I’ll ask it a slightly different way. In week 12, why are guys not on the same page? Obviously, Dallas Goedert and Carson Wentz have played together a lot. How do these mistakes keep happening? (Les Bowen)

DOUG PEDERSON: I mean, it just comes down to each guy just doing his job and not doing too much. Sometimes when you get in these situations, you try to do too much. It’s just a matter of not chasing plays but making the plays when they come to you. We’re going to continue to work, and we’re not going to make excuses for anything. We’ve got another ballgame here in a couple of days, and we’ve got to get some of this corrected and move on.