Nick Sirianni talks Eagles’ RBs and WRs, preparing for the Lions game

The Eagles’ head coach also gave some injury updates heading into their Week 8 matchup.

Eagles’ head coach Nick Sirianni spoke to reporters on Friday and talked a bit about the running back room with Miles Sanders on IR, how they’re preparing for the Lions, and what he’s seeing from the young wide receivers.

Javon Hargrave, Ryan Kerrigan and Landon Dickerson will be active on Sunday, and Anthony Harris is doubtful at this time. They still have 24 hours to see how things go for both K’Von Wallace and Tyree Jackson, so they are still sorting through that.

Here’s what else the head coach had to say:

On the RB group

With Miles Sanders going on IR on Friday, Sirianni said that they’ll just rely on the guys they have — Kenneth Gainwell, Boston Scott, and Jordan Howard — and go from there. He noted they still have some decisions to make, and haven’t yet figured out if they’ll activate Howard for Sunday’s game, yet, but he has practiced with the starters this week.

“I just see a guy who comes to work everyday and does his job everyday, and prepares our defense. The last month or so, he’s been preparing our defense to get ready to play, and working on his craft as a running back. And that’s what pros do. They come to work everyday and they do what’s required of them, and more — even more because he’s continuing to work even more out there, and they’re ready when their number is called.”

On preparing for the Lions

It was pointed out that Detroit, who is 0-7, is a team that is playing desperate football right now, and that includes a lot of different looks, trick plays, and things not typically seen. Sirianni said that they don’t necessarily have to match that kind of game plan, but they do have to be prepared to see different things when they play the Lions on Sunday. He explained that you’re always going to watch your opponents film as you prepare, but once teams run a specific trick play, they don’t often run it again, or don’t run it again the same way, because it’s no longer unexpected.

“I just see a team that is fighting. An offense that is fighting, and is capable of making plays. The quarterbacks made a lot of plays in his career, and the offensive line is fighting. I know they got some young guys on there, but you don’t see them playing like young guys, where they’re just getting guys run through them at all times. They’re playing like they’re coached well, and I know they are.”

On the growth of the Eagles WRs

Sirianni was asked specifically about the three wide receivers Jalen Reagor, DeVonta Smith and Quez Watkins:

“I’ve seen them grow. I’ve seen them grow, and they continue to make plays. I know there’s the philosophy that there’s only one football, and there’s three guys to get the ball to in one room, but we’re going everything we can do to get them the football. We have other good playmakers, as well. But, it’s a rarity — again, I don’t want to say rarity, because I don’t want to put anybody down on anything. But, it’s a rarity that you have three guys that you’re like, we gotta try and game plan for. We gotta try and get them the football. Sometimes in a room, you’re like, we’re going to try and game plan for this guy and the other guys are just going to get their touches as they come. We want to get these guys touches because they’re all explosive playmakers, and you don’t think that way as a coach unless they give you a reason to think that way. So, obviously they’re talented, they’ve given us a reason to want to get them the football, but also they’re developing.”