Shane Steichen

SHANE STEICHEN: Looking back at last week, I thought offensively, we moved the ball, did some good things. Ran it well. [QB] Jalen [Hurts] was efficient throwing it. Overall, good performance.

But the bottom line is we have to win the football game. We didn’t get that done. That’s the goal this week. Keep improving, getting better, and go win this week.

Q. How do you factor RB Jordan Howard’s production with RB Miles Sanders’ timeline considering he has been up twice? (Josh Tolentino)  

SHANE STEICHEN: Jordan is playing good football right now. When Miles comes back, we’ll cross that bridge when it gets there. But right now, we’re focused on Denver.

Q. That last drive the first half, you went heavy 13-personnel. What do you like about 13-personnel from your personnel standpoint? And what do you like about it as a play caller? (Mike Kaye)

SHANE STEICHEN: Well, I think sometimes when you’re looking at defenses, I think defenses are getting a lot better. I think in previous history, some defenses play two or three calls when you go in 13 personnel.

But I think defenses are getting a lot better and mixing up their defensive calls. It gives you balance, obviously. We ran the ball really well in that 13-personnel package and we moved it down to a 15, 16-play drive. It was efficient for us, and we’ll keep looking at it going forward.

Q. Why is WR Quez Watkins the receiver on the 13-personnel? (Dave Zangaro)

SHANE STEICHEN: We mix that up. It’s week to week. It could be Quez, [WR] DeVonta [Smith], it could be [WR Jalen] Reagor. Could be anyone.

Q. Is that mainly to occupy the safety? (Mike Kaye)

SHANE STEICHEN: Like I said, that’s week to week. It just depends.

Q. This was the first week we saw Quez Watkins with more snaps than WR DeVonta Smith. Was there a reason for that? (Jeff McLane)

SHANE STEICHEN: No. Not necessarily. That was probably because of the 13-personnel stuff he was in. So that drive was more there.

Q. How did TE Tyree Jackson do from the film study and what was the thought of – (Tim McManus)

SHANE STEICHEN: Yeah, Tyree did a good job. Obviously, that was his first time getting out there playing. He’s a big body for us. We like his athletic ability. So, we’ll keep looking at him moving forward.

Q. You have at least another week before you have to make a decision with Miles Sanders coming back. We don’t know when he’s going to be back. You do have a lot of talented running backs with different skill sets. What does that give you? You have four guys who can catch the ball, run the ball, block. (Reuben Frank)

SHANE STEICHEN: Yeah, no doubt. All those guys can play good football. And they’re good players. They are multiple and can do different things for us. We keep looking at that and it’s week to week with how we use them and stuff like that. So that’s good.

Q. When you look at the drive that tied the game, Jalen Hurts was really effective on that. When you have a young quarterback who makes that type of drive in a key situation, what do you learn about that young quarterback? (John McMullen)

SHANE STEICHEN: I mean, obviously, he’s a good player. He’s been in big moments and that was a big moment going down there. And, obviously, hitting that touchdown to DeVonta [Smith].

They were showing a blitz zero look and he got us into a play and hit DeVonta versus a blitz zero look. It was a big time play and a good drive by him.

Q. We have seen him have the understanding of when he does have to expose his body to a hit like he did on that one third down, is that a conversation with you guys or just something he brings to the table on his own? (Dave Zangaro)

SHANE STEICHEN: We do have those conversations, but he knows. He has played enough football, and in those moments, when we have to go get it, he went and got it. And that was a heck of a play by him. That was a big-time play by him on third down.

Q. Jalen Hurts seemed more focused after the game on two missed passes as opposed to the final drive? How do you reconcile the two between the way he played on that final drive and some of those passes? (Zach Berman)

SHANE STEICHEN: Yeah, I think as a competitor, he’s the ultimate competitor. Obviously, you have all this good stuff. But as a competitor, when you’re like, ‘Shoot, I could have hit those two,’ I mean, that’s the human nature, right?

You look at those two plays you could have hit, and that’s just his competitive nature. But he played good football.

Q. For you though, as one who needs to coach him and evaluate him, are you more focused on the fourth quarter there or the first half? (Zach Berman)

SHANE STEICHEN: No. I think, overall, as I said, he played really good football. You’re going to have two or three plays a game probably that you want back.

And he wants those back and we all want those back. That’s a part of the game and you have to move forward and continue to grow and get better.

Q. When you said Jalen Hurts checked when he saw the cover zero on the blitz, did he have a couple plays at the line? Did he change the play or just – (Jeff McLane)

SHANE STEICHEN: Yeah, no he got to it. And we threw that vertical route to DeVonta. It was a good play by him.

Q. For the first couple of weeks RB Kenny Gainwell saw a significant amount of snaps as the second running back. For the last couple of weeks, he hasn’t seen as much time. Where is he at in his development and what does he have to do to see more snaps on the field? (Chris Franklin)

SHANE STEICHEN: Kenny is improving every week. Obviously, he’s a rookie. He’s getting better every week.

[Eagles running backs/assistant head coach] Jemal [Singleton] is doing a heck of a job with those guys. [RB] Boston [Scott] is playing good. Jordan [Howard] is playing good. And Kenny, obviously, he scored a touchdown there, too. So, all those guys, it’s a committee and those guys are working hard to get better and keep playing good.

Q. When you look at DeVonta’s game on Sunday against the Chargers, what did he do better against the Chargers that he wasn’t doing in the previous couple of weeks? (Martin Frank)

SHANE STEICHEN: I don’t know if he did anything better. Obviously, he made a lot more plays. I mean, he had explosive plays.

He had the big chunk down the sidelines, and then right after that, we hit the deep crosser to him. And we hit the big touchdown to him.

Those are three explosive plays that got him over 100 yards. He’s a heck of a football player. He was drafted where he was for a reason. [Eagles Executive Vice President/General Manager] Howie [Roseman] did a heck of a job in seeing that in him. He’s a good player. We’re excited about him.

Q. You have gone up against Broncos Head Coach Vic Fangio a few times. What does his defense do well and what challenges do they bring? (Mike Kaye)

SHANE STEICHEN: They’re very sound. He’s been running his scheme for a long time. He gets those guys playing hard. If you look in the backend, [Broncos S Justin] Simmons and [Broncos S Kareem] Jackson, they’re two veteran safeties. They’ve played together for a while.

They’re physical. Simmons is a rangy guy, Jackson is a heavy hitter in the box. He fills the run really good. And upfront, they’re stout upfront. They’re playing good football on defense. It’s going to be a heck of a challenge for us, but we’re excited about it.

Q. It seems like DeVonta does a very good job of working back towards the ball. Is that something that’s innate? Have you guys stressed that with him and what does he do to make that — (Jeff McLane)

SHANE STEICHEN: Yeah, I think so. With his vertical speed getting in and out of his breaks, that’s something he does naturally, too.

But, obviously, it’s coach. [Eagles wide receivers coach] Aaron Moorehead does a heck of a job with him on a daily basis in the individual drills and then going over it with him week in and week out in the meetings and then carrying it over to the practice field and into the games.

Q. There was a play where T Jordan Mailata was lined up against Chargers OLB Joey Bosa and Jordan doubles down on the guy with the left guard and Bosa comes free with nobody in front of him right to Jalen Hurts. Was he expecting help from behind him? (Bo Wulf)

SHANE STEICHEN: Oh, that one there, they were in blitz zero. That was blitz zero. So, basically, we had to gap it down. We were hot there. And so they brought the house and Jalen made a miss. That’s really what that was.

Q. What have you guys seen from OL Landon Dickerson since he moved over to left guard? He’s had a lot of work there now. (Reuben Frank)  

SHANE STEICHEN: He’s getting better every week. He’s a physical football player. A big, powerful man inside. He is continuing to improve every week. Stout [Eagles run game coordinator/offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland] does a heck of a job with him. So, he’s getting better every week.

Q. On those third downs, when do you want Jalen Hurts to run it to the sticks and when do you want him to try to make a play with his arm? (Zach Berman)

SHANE STEICHEN: I think with any third down, you’re always trying to get it. You’re always trying to get it. So, obviously, if the pocket is clean and he can make the throw, make the throw.

And sometimes when he gets out and he scrambles, he’s going to try and go get it. He’s a physical football player and a competitor and he’s going to try to get the first down.

Q. Jalen’s recognition of what was coming on that touchdown throw to DeVonta, what does that say about his growth? (Tim McManus)

SHANE STEICHEN: He’s growing every day. Like I said, he’s continuing to improve. The last two weeks he’s played really good football and we got to keep him going in that direction. And he keeps working and the way he prepares every week, it shows up on game days.

Q. Do you have to make a cognizant effort, you guys have been heavy run the past few weeks gameplan wise when DeVonta gets some targets, Dallas Goedert, but Quez and Jalen Reagor not as much, do you have to be cognizant of keeping in the ear of the younger guys saying, ‘You’ll get your opportunity’? (John McMullen)

SHANE STEICHEN: Like I say every week, we have plays up for guys every week. Obviously, you don’t get all of them called, but we have a whole bunch of talented receivers that we’re trying to get the football to.

And sometimes it might be Dallas who might have 10 catches, DeVonta might have four catches, and then next week it might flip. So, it’s week to week.

Q. You said Jalen Hurts has played well these past two weeks. The volume has, obviously, been lower for him. Do you think that’s connected? Do you think he’s playing well when he’s not throwing as often? (Zach Berman)

SHANE STEICHEN: Not necessarily. I mean, does it help? Yeah, it does. But at the same time, he’s a good player. He can handle a lot on his plate and he’s continuing to improve. We are nine weeks into this thing and he’s continued to get better every week.