Doug Pederson Thought Matt Pryor Played Well Despite Allowing Four Sacks

The Eagles coach said some of the blame is on rookie QB Jalen Hurts not understanding the quick-game timing

Doug Pederson thought Matt Pryor played well.

Those four sacks the Eagles’ right tackle surrendered in Arizona on Sunday?

Not Pryor’s fault.

Pederson laid the blame for at least some of them – no idea which ones – at the feet of rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts.

“The quarterback, Jalen, needs to know on a three-step drop for instance the ball has to come out of his hand because of the technique and aggressiveness that we ask our offensive line to do,” said Pederson on Monday afternoon. “As a quarterback, you just know that, and you have to get the ball out of your hand. That happened to us (Sunday) on a couple of those sacks on quick-game timing. 

"Those are things we continue to have conversations and keep practicing with our guys. That’s where Jalen can improve, just understand that about the protection scheme and the style and how we’re teaching certain things.”

Pederson said Pryor will play Sunday in Dallas.

And, oh by the way, so will Hurts.

Pederson, for whatever reason, continues to keep the possibility of musical chairs at quarterback as an option. The coach refuses to say Hurts will start in the aftermath of his first two starts, choosing to wait until Monday to make the grand announcement, and even on Monday he said that Hurts is just the starter for “this week.”

As for Pryor lining up at right tackle again after what the film seemed to indicate was a below-average outing against the Cardinals, well, there just aren’t many options after him, unless anyone might think of Brett Toth or Prince Tega Wanogho, the only rookie in this year’s 10-member draft class, not to see the field this season.

“Overall, I thought (Pryor) stepped in and did some good things for us,” said Pederson. “We asked a lot of him this year to play guard, to play tackle, and bounce back and forth. We’ll work again this week and get him prepared for Dallas.”

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