Eagles QB Tanner McKee (Post-Game Transcript)
On his performance today:
“First thoughts, my team needs me to be better. I need to be better. I am so much better, and I’m looking forward to learning everything and becoming the player that I know I am, the player that I can prove that I am. A lot of things obviously that were frustrating fall on me. A lot of things we’ve got to get fixed as an offense for sure.”
On what he was unhappy with:
“Yeah. I mean, even from the jump, just communication. Whether it was guys in the wrong spot, I’ve got to get them fixed or a missed call, I’ve got to get it fixed. That falls on the quarterback. That is nobody else’s responsibility but the quarterback’s. That’s on me. We had two drives that stalled just from miscommunications or things like that, that I’ve got to get fixed. I think I’ve got to settle down a little quicker. Obviously, those first two drives were some of those drives that stalled because of the miscommunication. So, I’ve got to go out and be ready to roll. I felt like I was just prepared and everything, but I’ve got to be able to make those adjustments on the fly.”
On the issues with the offense defending against the blitz:
“They had a lot of good packages. It’s tough to see without looking at the film. I feel like I’ll be able to answer that better once I see the film. But as far as me, there are some plays you just – as a quarterback, you have to lessen the damage on bad plays. Sometimes you can’t take a big sack, you’ve got to throw the ball away. Even if we have a miscommunication, and like I said, I take accountability for that, I need to get the ball out and live to see another day instead of taking a 10-yard sack or whatever it was. So, I can be better on that end. It’s a lot easier for [Eagles Offensive Coordinator] Sean [Mannion], a lot easier for our offense, a lot easier for me to play second-and-10 instead of second-and-18 or second-and-20, whatever that is.”
On the challenges that come from throwing 45 pass plays:
“I’m a quarterback. I am excited to execute the play that is called. I love to sling the ball around and so I know I can be better with things like that. Personally, I don’t see that as a terrible thing.”
On if any changes were made to fit his preferences:
“Yeah, I had a ton of meetings with [Eagles Offensive Coordinator] Sean [Mannion] and [Eagles Quarterbacks Coach] Parks [Frazier] and those guys before the game. I highlighted my favorite plays. We talk about them on the sidelines. We’re always in communication. I feel like that is a very positive thing with Sean. I would say yeah.”
On the opportunities to mold the offense to his strengths over the coming games:
“Yeah, I think that’s one thing that’s great about this offense, there’s a lot of words, there’s a lot of different formations, a lot of different things, a lot of different concepts that everything’s in. So I think we can mold it to my strengths and mold it to what we do well as an offense. We have a lot of really good playmakers. And so I think it’s just whatever our offense will do best this week versus whoever we’re playing.”
On how being the starter over the coming weeks will impact his routine:
“Yeah, I feel like I have a good preparation process. Obviously going to meet a little bit more with [Eagles Offensive Coordinator] Sean [Mannion] and [Eagles Quarterbacks Coach] Parks [Frazier] and [Eagles Head] Coach Nick [Sirianni] more than just doing it by myself, I guess. But yeah, I think stick to the process. Obviously stings a little more. There’s things that are more frustrating and you make a mistake or something like that. But obviously it’s another opportunity to learn, to grow, and to get better. I think that’s something that’s very positive about this team. We’re all we have, that’s all we need. And I think people underestimate how tight knit we really are.”
On the impact of the defense today:
“Right. I thought the defense played a heck of a game. It’s really hard to win in the NFL only putting up 14 points and obviously we put that on ourselves as an offense. I put that on myself as a quarterback, create more explosive plays and put more points on the board. And it’s hard to build your own momentum, but when we’re putting a drive together and we finish in the end zone, I mean that brings a lot of juice to the sideline and brings a lot of energy. So we just got to do that more often obviously as an offense.”
On the impact of chemistry and miscommunication on some of the failed pass plays:
“I’ll see it on the film. It could be the way that they’re playing. It could be me not putting a good ball out there. I don’t really know. We’ll have to see it on film.”
On how they will correct the offensive issues moving forward:
“Yeah, I think you’re going to have a couple of those just obviously with the new quarterback, but it is obviously on me to communicate that. That’s on nobody else. And so it sucks, but in a game those are great times to learn and say, ‘Hey, this is when I’m thinking this.’ Just having those conversations and getting more reps at it. But obviously it is my responsibility to make sure everyone’s on the same page.”
On what went wrong during the midfield offensive opportunity in the fourth quarter:
“Yeah, I think just hurting ourselves, playing backed up, which was tough. That one ball that was tipped was tough as well because we got the flag and then it got picked up. So yeah, I would say just shooting ourselves in the foot. I think that’s been a common thing that we need to fix and we’re dedicated to fixing it. We’re going to fix it and we’re excited for the next opportunity we have to fix it.”