Eagles QB Tanner McKee (Post-Game Transcript)
On the offensive performance:
“Obviously, the first reaction is frustrating just because no matter how you perform, you always just want to get one in the win column, and so immediately, it stings for a little bit. Always. People always say, ‘Let it sting for 24 hours and then move on.’ So, it’s definitely hurting a little bit right now. Then, we’re just going to go watch some film and have a lot of really good things to learn from. Me specifically, just dumb mistakes or different things that we can learn from. The good thing is it’s never going to happen again. The bad thing is you got to learn from it by losing, unfortunately. So, if we can move on and not make those same mistakes again, then it’ll be worth it.”
On if there was a theme of being flushed out to the right and throwing it up:
“No, I would say just kind of what I felt in the pocket, or yeah.”
On what happened with the interception:
“In the red zone? Yeah, just me trying to force it. Felt like I tried to get too much back in one play. Yeah, so I saw the coverage, I knew what it was, knew it was going to be a tight throw, and tried to fit a really tight ball in. Just dumb trying to force it. Obviously, that was one of the big things that I can learn from, so yeah. Was there a miscommunication on the routes on that bike? No, not necessarily. Yeah, that was just me.”
On why there was a stall on the last drive:
“I don’t know. [I have to watch the film] and see. Yeah, sorry, I don’t have an answer right now.”
On what happened on the fourth-down play:
“Yeah, I mean, they called a good defense, threw the ball a little high, got to let [Eagles TE] Kylen [Granson] go make a play on that. So yeah, had a chance, but I got to give him a better ball.”
On the focus of spreading the ball around at the completion:
“Yeah, I kind of have a philosophy that the defense is going to tell you where to throw the ball, and so there are some times where we call them peer progressions where you go through your first read all the way to your fourth read, if there is one. Then, we have to split the field reads, matchup reads, where it’s kind of mirrored on both sides. You take your best matchup versus leverage or rotation, whatever it is. But generally speaking, I’d say yeah, I just try to take what the defense gives me.”
On how play-calling changed when players began to get injured:
“I mean, those guys battled, especially those big guys up front. Thought they did a great job just running the ball, protection, everything. It’s not easy. Those guys had a good package. [Commanders LB] Bobby [Wagner] and [Commanders LB] Frankie [Luvu] are great blitzers with disguising different things and they had good guys up front that were good players. So, I thought the guys did a good job stepping up, especially those guys that don’t get a ton of reps throughout the season. You have [Eagles WR] DeVonta [Smith] pretty quick off the field. I guess what was the kind of claim going in there and how [Eagles WR] DeVonta [Smith] was for some of those plays? Kind of like we were saying before, sometimes it’s a peer progression and sometimes he’s the first read. If he’s open, you take it, and then sometimes if it’s a mirrored read, he’s obviously a really good player and most of the time a really good matchup. So, if it’s even remotely open, you’re going to try to go give him the ball and he’s going to make those 50/50 balls more like 80/20 balls.”
On what this performance could lead him to in the future:
“For me and the team, just that we’re always going to fight, we have a lot of things to learn, obviously. But just feel like I’m learning and growing as a player. Sometimes it’s growing pains, not necessarily just results. So definitely a lot of things to learn from. Obviously hate losing but just move on and take those lessons for the rest of my career, to the next game, to the next opportunity.”
On how he thinks he has grown:
“Yeah, just another year under my belt, seeing defenses, seeing different things. I just say I feel a little bit more comfortable just being out there, having things kind of happen naturally. So, yeah.”
On how the operation went between him and Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo:
“Yeah, it was great. Me and [Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo], we have a good relationship. So just sitting in his office talking about plays that we both like, why we both like them, and just being on the sidelines saying, ‘Hey, when we’re doing uptempo offense, what do I want to hear? What do I have to relay to the guys?’ Then different reminders that he wants to give or whatever it is, and so we were going back and forth with communication. He’s a great communicator and we were doing that.”
On the moving parts between him and Eagles C Drew Kendall:
“How did that work? Yeah, I mean, that’s a tough job, especially for a young center to come in and play against a team like that and not have a ton of reps, especially at center. So, I thought he did an awesome job just with the points, changing things, and adjustments. He’s a really good player. He’s a really smart player and you can put a lot of trust in your center when you trust him to get to the right guy, make the right point, dummy calls, whatever it is. He was on point, so I thought [Eagles C] Drew [Kendall] played really well.”
On why it was a higher rate of under center plays:
“Yeah, I mean, I feel comfortable being under center. I like it. I’m really open to doing whatever we need to, so if that’s what [Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo] wants, that’s what we felt. That we needed to either run the ball, or have play-action, or whatever it is. I definitely feel comfortable and am able to do that.”