Nick Sirianni addressed the media on Monday, almost 24 hours after a disastrous Week 17 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
Philadelphia is looking to get healthy over the next few weeks and will hopefully have Avonte Maddox, Lane Johnson, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson available for the NFC playoffs.
Backup quarterback Gardner Minshew was sacked six times on the afternoon and went 18-32 passing for 274 yards, one touchdown, and one interception that was returned for a touchdown in the loss.
Minshew looked out of sorts at times and made several costly errors while trying to bring Philadelphia back from a 13-0 first-half deficit.
Sirianni on Josh Sweat
Sirianni says Sweat is “day to day” and he’ll likely need to clear some protocols before returning in what should be a two-week rest if he misses Week 18 and the Wild Card round.
Sirianni on Robert Quinn
Quinn has missed the second half of the season after getting his knee scoped and the trading of a late-round draft pick to Chicago didn’t work out for Philadelphia.
Robert Quinn is elgible to return from IR this week. Nick Sirianni said Quinn is getting better, but did not say whether Quinn will return this week.
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) January 2, 2023
Sirianni on A.J. Brown
Nick Sirianni on A.J. Brown's route on the pick six: "I'll never question our effort." #Eagles
— Jeff McLane (@Jeff_McLane) January 2, 2023
Nick Sirianni on Gardner Minshew interception
The Eagles’ head coach took the blame for a poorly designed play that had no chance of success from the beginning.
The responsibility on that play, again, I’ll go back to [it’s] my own [responsibility]. We were in a three-by-one formation. We shifted the guy up to the line of scrimmage, on to the right side, putting us in a four-by-one. That’s a very recognizable formation. A good corner made a play, with a smart safety on the other side, with 32 and 23 over there. They recognized it. [Saints Head Coach] Dennis Allen is a good coach. He recognized it. They had made an adjustment. They made a play.
Sirianni on Jalen Hurts potentially being cleared
Hurts was close to returning in Week 17 after a two-week designation and the head coach is confident that his Pro Bowl quarterback is trending in the right direction.
Obviously, everything is taken into play as far as when he’s ready to come back. We’re going to want him, first and foremost, we are always going to want him to be healthy enough to not put himself at danger. That’s first and foremost. But then also so he can perform at a high level, as well.
When you’re talking about throwing the football with an injured shoulder, it’s a little different than some other injuries I guess to say. He has to be able to throw the ball down the field. He has to be able to throw it accurately. He has to be able to throw it with velocity so he can be effective as a quarterback.
Sirianni on C.J. Gardner-Johnson
Gardner Johnson has missed six weeks with a lacerated kidney and the Eagles’ secondary has struggled to play man-to-man with the versatile safety on injured reserve. Philadelphia will likely continue to be cautious with Gardner-Johnson and the playoffs look like a likely opportunity for his return.
Sirianni says Hurts and CJ Gardner-Johnson working hard to get better. But repeats what he said last week about CJGJ not being able to do a lot because needs to rest, but has ramped up last 2 weeks. #Eagles.
— Martin Frank (@Mfranknfl) January 2, 2023
