HEAD COACH ANDY REID
OPENING STATEMENT: “Alright, so the coaches are just coming back today from a few days off and we’re getting back into the swing of things right now. Players aren’t back until tomorrow, so I don’t have a lot of information for you there. We’re expecting everybody back, Josh (Simmons), included, if you’re going that direction that’s the information I have for you. I presume they got some workouts in their off time and will come back ready to go. With that, the time is yours.”
Q: What is the reintegration plan for Josh Simmons?
REID: “I think Pete (Sweeney) what we’ll do is see where we’re at here. We know we’ve got a good player (Jaylon Moore) in there now (and) we know what Josh (Simmons) is capable of and all of that. So we’ll just see where we’re at when they get back.”
Q: Do you expect Isiah Pacheco to practice this week and are there any updates on Jawaan Taylor?
REID: “We’ll have to see on (Isiah) Pacheco and (Jawaan) Taylor was feeling pretty good by the time he got back here and left. We’ll probably be okay there.”
Q: What was the decision to elevate Clyde Edwards-Helaire versus Elijah Mitchell?
REID: “We really like Elijah (Mitchell) obviously, or he wouldn’t be here. I think that makes a big statement there. Clyde (Edwards-Helaire) is – he knows all the protections, he knows all that. Not only does he know it, he’s done it. So, we’ve seen him do it so there’s a comfort there. Not that Elijah doesn’t - he’s a very sharp kid, but we’ve seen our guy do it. That was the only reason why.”
Q: How do you feel the team has handled Josh Simmons’ departure and now his return?
REID: “Players are always concerned about other players’ wellbeing that’s first of all. But on the other hand, they also move forward, and they don’t necessarily look back. They giddy up and go on what’s there today and let’s go and they go 100 miles an hour with that. I think it’s a blend of things, that they’re not dwelling on that, but they want to make sure he’s okay as a human being.”
Q: Was there anything different that you did for welcoming Josh Simmons back last week?
REID: “Not necessarily, no.”
Q: Did Josh Simmons get some workouts in last week?
REID: “Yeah, Sam (McDowell) I’m not going to – no, I’m not going to get into all of that. I’m not telling you yes or no that he (Josh Simmons) did. I know he has been working out for sure.”
Q: What is your evaluation of Jaylon Moore this season so far?
REID: “Yeah Sam (McDowell), Jaylon’s (Moore) done a nice job for us. Just asking him to jump in after the season has been going for a couple of months here, that’s a tough ask, especially against the d-lines we’re playing. He’s done a respectable job.”
Q: On the current playoff picture.
REID: “Well yeah, Soren (Petro) you know in this league every game is important. You got to stay focused on that and it doesn’t matter what you project or what has happened before you learn from your past and take care of what’s going on today. We’ll get the players back tomorrow and then we’re all in on (the) Denver (Broncos), so that’s kind of where we’re at. Is there an urgency? There should be an urgency every week. That’s how this league is, there’s too much parity in this league not to have urgency every week.”
Q: Does the team need to have more sense of urgency despite all the recent success?
REID: “That’s not how I feel. I feel like the guys have got good energy. We just need to clean a couple things up and we’ll be ok there.”
Q: Would you like to involve Xavier Worthy in the offense more?
REID: “Well we try to get them all involved the best we can. Some games you’re just going to have that where they’re taking somebody away and that’s how it goes. That’s how the coverage goes, that’s how the play call goes (and) so on. We’re not down on Xavier Worthy, we know he’s a good player and we like to get the ball in the good players’ hands the best way we can. It just hasn’t rolled that way.”
Q: Does Chris Jones need to take it up another level in the second half of the season?
REID: “I think we all need to do better, I would say that. Chris (Jones) is always striving to do better every day. That’s what has made him (Chris Jones) such a good player. Again, he’s the guy that they’re going to focus on and if you’re getting a double team, that’s who’s getting doubled. He’ll get his as we go forward, it’s just important that he stays consistent and keeps working hard.”
Q: What were the biggest takeaways from watching film through the first half of the season?