Latest / Inside the Birds: A Philadelphia Eagles Podcast / The DiCecco Daily: Key Eagles Backups Speak About Their Opportunities Vs. Commanders

Transcript

The DiCecco Daily: Key Eagles Backups Speak About Their Opportunities Vs. Commanders · Inside the Birds: A Philadelphia Eagles Podcast

• 0:10
  Speaker 1: Hey, what's up? Everybody? Welcome into another edition of to
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: Checho Daily. Andrew decheco here, Eagles beat reporter for Inside
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: the Birds dot Com, and the Detroit Lions took care
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: of business Sunday, beating the Chicago Bears and Eagles win
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: over the Commanders would have given the Eagles the number
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: two seed, ensuring home games the first two rounds of
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: the NFL playoffs, but the team and head coach Nick
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: Siriani has no regrets of the decision to rescue players,
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: nor do they particularly care who or when they play.
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: Their only focus is playing Eagles football, playing together and
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: maximizing the opportunity in front of them. The host of
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: the San Francisco forty nine Ers Sunday at four point
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: thirty in the opening round of the postseason. On the
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: health piece, just because a player isn't listed on the
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: injury report doesn't mean they aren't battling through pain to
• 0:58
  Speaker 1: some extent. Case in point the offensive line, which represents
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: the key to postseason success, where right tackle Lane Johnson
• 1:06
  Speaker 1: will be returning from a foot injury, left tackle Jordanilatta
• 1:09
  Speaker 1: has been banged up, and left guard Landon Dickerson and
• 1:12
  Speaker 1: center Cam Jurgens haven't been at full strength all season.
• 1:17
  Speaker 1: On defense, Linebacker Zach Bawn, safety Reed Blanket Ship, and
• 1:22
  Speaker 1: defensive back Cooper Dejen each eclipse one thousand snaps, while
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: outside linebacker Jalen Phillips played in seventeen games this season.
• 1:30
  Speaker 1: Deprived of a bye week, Phillips himself was ruled out
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: with an ankle injury, while Jalen Carter hip, Dallas Goddard knee,
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: Nikobe Dean hamstring, and Marcus EPP's concussion. All starters were
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: also ruled out ahead of Sunday's game. But let's take
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: a look at the positives to come from this game,
• 1:50
  Speaker 1: which I understand is difficult to stomach if you're an
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: Eagles fan listening for starters. This game was the first
• 1:56
  Speaker 1: time fifth round pick Drew Kendall had undertaken a significant
• 1:59
  Speaker 1: offense role. The rookie center came into Sunday's game having
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: locked twenty five snaps and started the first game of
• 2:06
  Speaker 1: his career against the Commanders. Needless to say, with what
• 2:11
  Speaker 1: was potentially riding on this game, it was a big
• 2:14
  Speaker 1: spot for Kendall, who would be at the controls of
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: the offensive line and would have to work in concert
• 2:19
  Speaker 1: with quarterback Tanner McKee, easing some of the pressure perhaps
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: was that Kendall would be aligning alongside veteran Brett Toath,
• 2:26
  Speaker 1: who started at left guard. As I've written this season,
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: Toth and Kendall have struck up a close friendship, with
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: Toth lauding Kendall's businesslike approach of coming to work every
• 2:36
  Speaker 1: day and accepting his role in servicing the starters, a
• 2:40
  Speaker 1: job description that, as Toth explained, includes holding the bag
• 2:44
  Speaker 1: during individuals and understanding how the opposing defense is playing
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: on a given week, on a given day. During open
• 2:50
  Speaker 1: locker room, it's common to see Tooth conversing with Kendall
• 2:54
  Speaker 1: and other younger A linemen, like practice squatters Jake Majors
• 2:57
  Speaker 1: and Holland Pierce, imparting the wisdom gained over seven NFL seasons.
• 3:01
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean it's good. You know, we played a
• 3:03
  Speaker 2: lot in the preseason together obviously, so you know, just
• 3:07
  Speaker 2: over the season we've kind of built that connection. We
• 3:10
  Speaker 2: talk football a lot, so we kind of see the
• 3:12
  Speaker 2: game very similarly.
• 3:14
  Speaker 3: If that makes it easy.
• 3:15
  Speaker 1: When you lock the Tooth, who came up through the
• 3:17
  Speaker 1: rich ancestry of the Eagles offensive line under the likes
• 3:20
  Speaker 1: of Jason Kelcey, Jason Peters, Brandon Brooks, and Isaac saamalu
• 3:25
  Speaker 1: Is paying it forward and on Sunday, that chemistry had
• 3:29
  Speaker 1: an impact. The inherent connection amongst teammates is hardly uncommon
• 3:33
  Speaker 1: with the Eagles, as evidence in the preseason when starters
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: are seen cheering on and coaching up teammates. Sunday was
• 3:40
  Speaker 1: no exception, as the brotherhood of the Eagles offensive line
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: was there for Kendall in his first start, offering him
• 3:46
  Speaker 1: instant feedback once he reached the sideline.
• 3:48
  Speaker 4: Yeah, they definitely were.
• 3:49
  Speaker 2: I mean I was coming off, like, what do you
• 3:51
  Speaker 2: guys see I mean, they've played them so many times.
• 3:53
  Speaker 2: You know, they've got a lot of history together, So
• 3:55
  Speaker 2: what do you see out there? Anything that I need
• 3:57
  Speaker 2: to do or anything that I'm missing? Just constant communication
• 4:01
  Speaker 2: they're giving me like, hey, good job, look out for this,
• 4:04
  Speaker 2: blah blah blah.
• 4:04
  Speaker 4: Butter they were very helpful all game.
• 4:08
  Speaker 1: Kendall's father, Pete, also played center. He played for the Seahawks, Cardinals, Jets,
• 4:14
  Speaker 1: and Redskins, making one hundred and eighty eight career starts.
• 4:18
  Speaker 1: The nineteen ninety six first round pick was an attendance
• 4:21
  Speaker 1: Sunday to watch his son play, and Drew said he
• 4:23
  Speaker 1: was about to catch up with him and suspected he'd
• 4:26
  Speaker 1: be a bit hard on him. But Kendall also shared
• 4:29
  Speaker 1: his father's advice leading up to the biggest moment as
• 4:31
  Speaker 1: a rookie.
• 4:32
  Speaker 3: I talked to him.
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: He was like, you know, you're going to be nervous,
• 4:35
  Speaker 2: but once that first play, like you just you get
• 4:38
  Speaker 2: hit one time, or you go hit someone one time,
• 4:40
  Speaker 2: and then it's just like you just played football at
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: that point.
• 4:42
  Speaker 3: So just get through that first snap and then get ready.
• 4:45
  Speaker 5: To play well.
• 4:46
  Speaker 1: Kendall's rookie season was mostly devoted to development. He joined
• 4:49
  Speaker 1: a crowded house at his position and didn't quite settle
• 4:52
  Speaker 1: into a game day role as a reserve, appearing in
• 4:55
  Speaker 1: just seven games this season, but Kendall approaches practice and
• 4:59
  Speaker 1: meetings like a pro, doing his part to ensure daily
• 5:02
  Speaker 1: development and improvement while also servicing the starters in practice.
• 5:07
  Speaker 1: It was a departure after a college career in which
• 5:10
  Speaker 1: he started thirty seven games at Boston College, but with
• 5:13
  Speaker 1: the regular season concluded, Kendall looked back fondly on his
• 5:16
  Speaker 1: first season.
• 5:18
  Speaker 3: You know, obviously a lot of ups and downs throughout
• 5:19
  Speaker 3: a rookie year.
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: You know, come in and obviously you want to play,
• 5:23
  Speaker 2: but that doesn't happen all the time, you know. I
• 5:27
  Speaker 2: kind of just took it upon myself to learn and
• 5:29
  Speaker 2: take it slow, take it day by day.
• 5:30
  Speaker 5: Learn.
• 5:30
  Speaker 2: I mean, we've got great players here through Can and
• 5:33
  Speaker 2: Landing and just all the guys just learning from them,
• 5:36
  Speaker 2: So you know that that's kind of been my biggest thing.
• 5:39
  Speaker 1: Still frustrated the Eagles elected to rest prominent players, listen
• 5:43
  Speaker 1: to wide receiver Britton Covey explained Nick Siriotti's messaging to
• 5:46
  Speaker 1: the team, Well.
• 5:47
  Speaker 5: I think you know, he repeated that he wanted to
• 5:50
  Speaker 5: get what was guaranteed, and what was guaranteed was rest,
• 5:53
  Speaker 5: and the two seat wasn't guaranteed if but rest was guaranteed,
• 5:56
  Speaker 5: and it's the same thing where it's either way you're
• 5:58
  Speaker 5: gonna have to go through the best team in the
• 6:01
  Speaker 5: playoff run.
• 6:02
  Speaker 3: So I think he just wanted.
• 6:04
  Speaker 5: That guaranteed rest for the guys and had confidence that
• 6:09
  Speaker 5: us backups can get done and so sad that he
• 6:11
  Speaker 5: didn't do that, that's tough to swallow.
• 6:15
  Speaker 1: Speaking of Covey, the Eagles pump returner, offensive opportunities have
• 6:19
  Speaker 1: been hard to come by a wide receiver by trade.
• 6:22
  Speaker 1: The fourth year pros confidence has never wavered when it
• 6:25
  Speaker 1: comes to viewing himself as a slot receiver, but he's
• 6:28
  Speaker 1: embraced his role, intent on helping the Eagles any way
• 6:31
  Speaker 1: he can. On Sunday, Covey was targeted four times, bringing
• 6:35
  Speaker 1: in two receptions for twenty yards. On a team with
• 6:39
  Speaker 1: so much star power and mouse to feed, it isn't
• 6:42
  Speaker 1: realistic to expect an offensive role for Covey, but the
• 6:46
  Speaker 1: Eagles lack for a manufactured touch player, and given Kuvey's
• 6:49
  Speaker 1: ability in space and his short area quickness, it's easy
• 6:52
  Speaker 1: to envision him being a player the Eagles could manage
• 6:55
  Speaker 1: to afford a touch or to a game, especially when
• 6:57
  Speaker 1: the offense is stuck in neutral. There are plenty of
• 7:00
  Speaker 1: circumstances that make that unrealistic, but on Sunday, Covey made
• 7:04
  Speaker 1: the most of his opportunities, putting on tape his ability
• 7:07
  Speaker 1: to generate productive plays with the ball in his hands.
• 7:11
  Speaker 5: I mean, I loved it. I've always wanted to be
• 7:12
  Speaker 5: involved in the offense as a gadget guy. I think
• 7:15
  Speaker 5: it's really good to have a threat like that, just
• 7:20
  Speaker 5: kind of for unique gadget type plays. And you know,
• 7:25
  Speaker 5: I think I've told you this before. I never have
• 7:27
  Speaker 5: shame about telling people I'm DeVante Smith's backup, but if
• 7:31
  Speaker 5: it came down to it, I really do believe I
• 7:33
  Speaker 5: could be a starting slot receiver. So yeah, I'm at
• 7:36
  Speaker 5: peace about it. I'll being DeVante Smith's backup as long
• 7:39
  Speaker 5: as he's heer and I'm here.
• 7:41
  Speaker 1: Then there was the underwhelming play of the cornerbacks, specifically Keiley,
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: Ringo and Jacory and Bennett. For Bennett, it was the
• 7:48
  Speaker 1: most defensive snaps he's played all season, the most since
• 7:51
  Speaker 1: the Rams game, where he played a previous season high
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: of twelve snaps. How does someone in Bennett's position, after
• 7:58
  Speaker 1: weeks of being an afterthought about staying ready, I'm type present.
• 8:02
  Speaker 6: I am like, that's how to get my confidence by
• 8:04
  Speaker 6: my preparation. So I prepared each of the other week
• 8:06
  Speaker 6: like I'm starting on playing, you know what I'm saying.
• 8:08
  Speaker 6: So preparation isn't gonna be different. You know, my mom
• 8:11
  Speaker 6: says will be there.
• 8:12
  Speaker 7: So I guess yeah, like like you know, you'll gotta get.
• 8:19
  Speaker 5: Rid of stay ridy.
• 8:19
  Speaker 1: So the Eagles run defense proved sturdy enough, prompting the
• 8:23
  Speaker 1: Commanders to test the Eagles through the air. Thirty nine
• 8:26
  Speaker 1: year old quarterback Josh Johnson zeroed in on Bennett and
• 8:28
  Speaker 1: Ringo and found success moving the ball via aerial attack.
• 8:33
  Speaker 1: Both players were charged with penalties, with Bennett drawing two
• 8:36
  Speaker 1: in the end zone. It was likely Bennett's loan opportunity
• 8:40
  Speaker 1: to showcase to the Eagles and the rest of the
• 8:42
  Speaker 1: league not to forget about him, but the twenty five
• 8:45
  Speaker 1: year old was handsy and seemed to panic when the
• 8:46
  Speaker 1: ball was headed his way. He spoke about his performance
• 8:50
  Speaker 1: after the game.
• 8:51
  Speaker 7: Cool, you know what I'm saying, Like, had some tight covers,
• 8:54
  Speaker 7: but not co pennies. But I just kind of up
• 8:56
  Speaker 7: way I played the game. We try to regressive, don't
• 8:59
  Speaker 7: try to make on the word now, and it is
• 9:02
  Speaker 7: what it is. But I feel like a place on
• 9:04
  Speaker 7: it left it. I don't know feel and that's all
• 9:06
  Speaker 7: I'm gonna do.
• 9:08
  Speaker 4: Hey, it's that time of the year that everyone's trying
• 9:11
  Speaker 4: to clean up their habits and that includes me. Honestly,
• 9:14
  Speaker 4: having one less drink is never felt easier. Instead of
• 9:17
  Speaker 4: pouring a cocktail, I just reach for souls out of
• 9:20
  Speaker 4: office drinks. It's the same relaxing vibe, but zero alcohol,
• 9:25
  Speaker 4: zero hangover. I still wake up feeling like a functional adult.
• 9:28
  Speaker 4: I can get to the gym, I can do whatever
• 9:30
  Speaker 4: I have to do throughout the day without feeling worn
• 9:33
  Speaker 4: down or dragged down.
• 9:34
  Speaker 8: That alcohol can make you feel Soul. What I appreciate
• 9:37
  Speaker 8: about them is it makes feeling good simple with their
• 9:40
  Speaker 8: delicious HEMP drived, CBD and THC products with precise dosing,
• 9:45
  Speaker 8: clean ingredients and formulations designed for predictable feel good effects.
• 9:49
  Speaker 8: Soul is the alcohol alternative that puts you in control
• 9:53
  Speaker 8: of your mood. You gotta try their best selling out
• 9:56
  Speaker 8: of office gummies that deliver a customizable calm buzz. All right,
• 10:01
  Speaker 8: so give yourself the gift of a healthier unwind. Right now,
• 10:05
  Speaker 8: Soul is offering our audience thirty percent off their entire order.
• 10:09
  Speaker 8: Go to getsoul dot com and use the code birds
• 10:12
  Speaker 8: brds that's Getsold dot Com promo code birds for thirty
• 10:17
  Speaker 8: percent off.
• 10:18
  Speaker 3: Hey, it's Jeff Mosher. Quick question for you.
• 10:20
  Speaker 9: If you could stop somebody from breaking into your home
• 10:23
  Speaker 9: before they got inside, why wouldn't you? That's why I've
• 10:26
  Speaker 9: got Simply Safe, the best home alarm system. So much
• 10:29
  Speaker 9: better than those old school systems that go after somebody
• 10:32
  Speaker 9: that's already in your place when it's way too late.
• 10:36
  Speaker 9: Simply Safe is different, proactive, and you get a double
• 10:39
  Speaker 9: layer of defense that stops crimes before they start. They've
• 10:43
  Speaker 9: got AI powered cameras that spot potential threats outside.
• 10:46
  Speaker 3: And then live agents step in.
• 10:48
  Speaker 9: They talk to the person through the camera to let
• 10:50
  Speaker 9: them know they're on video, and police will be dispatched
• 10:53
  Speaker 9: if they don't leave.
• 10:55
  Speaker 3: You can get Simply Safe with no long term contracts
• 10:57
  Speaker 3: or hidden fees, and you can cancel at any time.
• 11:00
  Speaker 3: They were named the best home security systems by US
• 11:03
  Speaker 3: News and World Report for five years running.
• 11:06
  Speaker 9: This is why I feel so safe when my wife
• 11:09
  Speaker 9: and children are at home, because I have simply Safe.
• 11:12
  Speaker 9: It is simply the best option out there for home
• 11:15
  Speaker 9: alarm systems, and this month only take fifty percent off
• 11:19
  Speaker 9: any new system. This is one of the best prices
• 11:21
  Speaker 9: you'll see ever for simply Safe. Don't miss it.
• 11:24
  Speaker 3: Hit simply Safe dot com slash birds again. That's simply
• 11:28
  Speaker 3: Safe dot com slash birds and lock in your discount.
• 11:31
  Speaker 3: There's no safe like simply Safe.
• 11:33
  Speaker 9: Hey, Philly fans, game day is stressful enough parking, traffic,
• 11:38
  Speaker 9: long lines, We've all been there, But when it comes
• 11:40
  Speaker 9: to your cannabis, Camden Apothecary makes it easy. This is
• 11:45
  Speaker 9: the dispensary for sports fans, just minutes outside of Philly,
• 11:49
  Speaker 9: with plenty of free parking.
• 11:51
  Speaker 3: You'll be in and out.
• 11:52
  Speaker 9: Fast, no hassle, no waiting, and they don't just care
• 11:55
  Speaker 9: about convenience. Camden Apothecary is all about the guest experience.
• 12:00
  Speaker 9: Their staff makes sure you feel taken care of every
• 12:03
  Speaker 9: time you walk in. Plus, they carry only the best
• 12:06
  Speaker 9: quality cannabis at the fairest prices, so whether you're stocking
• 12:11
  Speaker 9: up for the tailgate, the watch party, or celebrating a
• 12:14
  Speaker 9: big win, you know you're getting the good stuff without overpaying.
• 12:18
  Speaker 9: They even show love to the community with specials for fans, students,
• 12:23
  Speaker 9: service members, and healthcare pros. Cammed in Apothecary top quality cannabis,
• 12:28
  Speaker 9: great prices, and an experience made for Philly fans twenty
• 12:32
  Speaker 9: one and up.
• 12:33
  Speaker 1: With that, the book is closed. On week eighteen, the
• 12:36
  Speaker 1: stage is set for the first round, with the San
• 12:38
  Speaker 1: Francisco forty nine ers traveling to Philly for a four
• 12:41
  Speaker 1: to twenty five kickoff Sunday at the link. Be sure
• 12:44
  Speaker 1: to stay tuned in to Inside the Birds and Inside
• 12:47
  Speaker 1: the Birds dot com all week for all your playoff coverage.
• 12:50
  Speaker 1: And that'll do it for this edition of The Checko
• 12:53
  Speaker 1: Daily and I will catch you all on the next one.
• 13:01
  Speaker 9: Oh I don't