Nick Sirianni

Q. I didn’t see C Cam Jurgens get any reps at left guard in training camp. I was wondering if this past week was the first time he got meaningful reps at the position, and then what’s it say about his willingness to attack that challenge on such short notice going against a good defensive tackle group in the Titans? (Eliot Shorr-Parks)

Nick Sirianni: I think it says a lot. We’ve got a lot of guys that will sacrifice for the team. Obviously, we have to do whatever we think we need to do to help us win each and every football game and it sure helps having great teammates. I think this team’s full of them. We spend an awful lot of time on that and an awful lot of time praising that when we see it. It says a lot about him.

There are different opportunities within walkthrough, within some different things where you can get some work, but a majority of his time was spent at center, him being the starting center. So, that was new for him. He’s done it in the past. Obviously, it was right guard, but he’s done that in the past. Not a ton of reps. Yeah, not a ton of reps there. I don’t know if I have a count for you or if any at all, but he sure got a lot of reps this week at it and thought he came out against a really good defensive front and played a solid game.

Q. Obviously we know how important the running game is to what you guys want to do on offense. Right now, what do you attribute the slow start to and what do you look toward to make changes or give you confidence that things can turn around there? (Jeff Neiburg)

Nick Sirianni: In the run game, like everything in football, it takes just collaboration from every piece. From coaching to playing. It’s not just on the backs or the O line. I think when the run game’s going really well, people tend to say, ‘Hey, the backs and the O line are doing really well.’ Well, it takes everybody. That is true, and then it also takes the tight ends, and it takes the quarterback and it takes the wide receivers. So, it is a full team effort and coaches as well, and we have to be better as a whole there. We’re going to continue to work like crazy to get to that portion. We’ve found ways to win the first two games, but we know we’re capable of being better in the run game.

I think there’s elements of it being close, too. There’s some things of [it] being close, but when you’re close and you’re on the verge of creating some explosives, when you get the looks that — they’re going to junk it up enough that when you get the looks that are really good looks, you’ve got to make them pay when they’re in that. And we’re close. We are close. But it goes back to when you’re close, it’s never just one thing. It’s the entire group working as a whole. We have to be committed to it still and keep grinding away at it, but we know we have room to improve there in our run game.

Q. There was a report about RB Saquon Barkley getting an MRI today. Just what’s his status at this point? (Brooks Kubena)

Nick Sirianni: It’s still early in the day. Still early in the day where we are right now. I’ll get with those guys later today. As far as where everything is, especially us having a long week, they were off today. Everything got started a little bit later. So, we’ll see as the week progresses.

Q. I know obviously a relatively small sample size at this point, but the negative plays through two games, 18 of them, what do you attribute that to most? (Dave Zangaro)

Nick Sirianni: Some of those are coming in the run game, some of those are coming off penalties, some of those are coming off of — I think we had three sacks yesterday. Two of them were right at the line of scrimmage off of a scramble. A lot of things go into it. When there’s a scramble on a play, [QB] Jalen [Hurts] can throw it away. When there’s a scramble on a play, maybe something broke down up front. When there’s a scramble on a play, maybe somebody didn’t get open, maybe Jalen saw a lane somewhere. So, there’s so many different things that attribute to it and it’s hard to say it’s just one thing. Every play, we evaluate. Every play, we look at. Every play, we have a reason why it was successful or why it wasn’t successful. We’re going through that every single time.

Like I said, it’s something different, but we have to — Negative plays, you always want to stay on track. It’s hard to move the ball forward. Let’s say you get a kickoff at the 30-yard line, and you’ve got to go 70 yards. Well, it’s hard to go those 70 yards if you’re moving backwards. Regardless of if it’s a sack, a negative run, a penalty, even a drop pass that doesn’t move it forward at all, a missed throw, whatever it may be; It’s hard to go the length of the field when you’re moving backwards. That’s always going to be a point of emphasis of what we need to do.

We’re always looking at that and having our answers for different things. Maybe it’s something that the defense did that we need to be better prepared for. Like I said, it’s so many different things, but we’re looking through all those things.

Q. We’re seeing QB Jalen Hurts throw more to the middle of field, hit more backside routes, deeper into his reads. What do you attribute that to at this stage in his career? (Jeff McLane)

Nick Sirianni: Jalen’s commitment to continuing to get better. Won so many games, has been so productive, and he still is the first one to [ask], ‘What can I do better and how can I give us even a better chance to win?’ I think it speaks volumes to Jalen and his preparation and the things he works on and how he is just always, always, always searching to get better.

I think also the more quarterbacks seen in this league and the more defenses they’ve seen, obviously that’s reps, too. You have no choice but to get better when you have the amount of reps there and they continue to accumulate there of, ‘Hey, I’ve seen this. I know my front side route’s not going to look right there. I’m going to give my eyes to that. Then I’m going to work myself back through the progression.’ I think that’s just his diligence of getting better and reps of being a six-year starter now in the NFL.

Q. How much of that is related to the new scheme? (Jeff McLane)

Nick Sirianni: Again, there’s different things that we’re doing backside and there’s some similarities of things that we’re doing backside. I would say some of it, sure, yeah, is that. But like I said, there’s certain backside routes that are brand new to what we’re doing right now and then some that are carryover.

Q. Wanted to get your thoughts on where the tight end room is right now. You guys like to do 12 a lot, and right now TE Dallas Goedert, we don’t know his status with the knee, but he’s really your only receiving tight end. Are you okay with the room? Do you feel like you need a second viable receiver out of that group? (Reuben Frank)

Nick Sirianni: We’ll see where Dallas is. Still waiting [to hear] back on some information. We’ll see where he is by the end of the day here. But I love the room. I love where we are in that room. Obviously, we had an injury yesterday with Dallas. [TE] Eli [Stowers] is out right now. We’re a little banged up there, as you guys know, but I like the pieces that we have there, and we’ll see where we are with Dallas. I don’t want to go anywhere yet until we figure out some things there.

I know this: [Executive Vice President/General Manager] Howie [Roseman] will do everything he can possibly do to help this roster in every situation. I’m so appreciative to have a partner [in] Howie of who I have there, and I know he’ll do everything he can do if we are without Dallas, but we’ll see where we are. Sometimes it feels like when a position gets banged up a little bit, you see it in waves in certain groups. We’ll see where we are a little later today.

Q. You mentioned a little bit in the running game and how everything works together. It’s never one thing, but I am curious because RB Tank Bigsby got an opportunity after RB Saquon Barkley got banged up, the evaluation of him having some effective runs early. Maybe not the numbers you’d want, but just curious what you saw from the film. (John McMullen)

Nick Sirianni: As always, Tank’s going to play extremely hard and have some dirty runs in there because he runs so hard. I think about that one that’s down near the goal line where he keeps his feet driving and gets us all the way down to the three and then caps it off [with] the touchdown. Obviously, a great sequence there for Tank. Tank made a tackle on special teams yesterday on punt that was pretty awesome to see. Tank’s a guy that constantly — he’s such a good teammate and he’s constantly doing the little things he needs to do to help the team win. It’s great to see him be rewarded with a touchdown yesterday and a couple nice runs. You knew he would be ready to go. I thought he played solidly.

Like anybody, everyone’s going to want some things back from the game. There are things to work on, but I thought he played solidly and did some nice things to help us win and did some nice things for us on special teams as well. But that’s the type of teammate he is and he’s constantly working. He’s just a great teammate.

Q. I acknowledge this might be more of an Executive Vice President/General Manager Howie Roseman question, but we’re talking to you. What was the thinking behind keeping the open roster spot during the past two weeks going into the games and throughout the week last week? And do you anticipate getting up to 53 this week? (Zach Berman)

Nick Sirianni: We’ll see. We’ll see. Again, Howie does a great job with the roster and everything that he does. We’ll see where we are by the end of the week. I don’t mean to pass by your question. It probably is more of a Howie question, but I’ve got so much trust and faith in him, just like I know he has trust and faith in me. Like I said, great partner to have in this thing.

Q. How about keeping that spot open during the past two weeks? (Zach Berman)

Nick Sirianni: We’ll see. We’ll see where we are at the end of this.