Pederson Compares Eagles To Raiders: 'Putting Pieces Together'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Before the 2014 season, the Oakland Raiders drafted quarterback Derek Carr in the second round and defensive end Khalil Mack with the fifth overall pick. That season, they won three games and fired their head coach, bringing in Jack Del Rio.
In 2015, they drafted wide receiver Amari Cooper with the fourth pick and went 7-9. Now, they're 9-2 in first place in the AFC West.
The Eagles, with first-year head coach Doug Pederson and rookie quarterback Carson Wentz, hope they can match the Raiders' success.
Listen: Doug Pederson on the 94WIP Morning Show
"I came from a division where the Oakland Raiders went out and drafted Derek Carr and some young receivers and young defensive guys," Pederson, who spent three seasons as the Kansas City Chiefs' offensive coordinator, told Angelo Cataldi and the 94WIP Morning Show on Wednesday. "And they struggled their first couple of years. I bet you back then they were saying, 'Hey we're heading in the right direction.' They're building something special, and that's what I see here in Philadelphia."
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Pederson was scrutinized for saying the Eagles are "heading in the right direction" following the team's 27-13 loss to the Packers on Monday, their sixth loss in eight weeks. Philadelphia sports fans are all too familiar with rebuilding, thanks to the Sixers and their process.
"I'm all about wins and losses," Pederson clarified. "My sole purpose is to win football games and I don't want anybody to misinterpret what I'm saying because my job depends on winning football games. That's the bottom line.
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"But I look at the youth we have, the guys we've drafted, the guys we've brought in here. Obviously the Carson Wentz on offense, Wendell [Smallwood]. Big V [Halapoulivaati Vaitai] when he playing in there. Now Isaac [Seumalo] is getting a chance to play and Jalen Mills on defense, and some of these young guys -- Destiny [Vaeao] -- and some of these guys that we brought in here. And I see them getting valuable game reps."
Carr is fifth in the NFL with 3,115 passing yards to go along with 22 touchdown to just five interceptions. Cooper is sixth in the league with 922 receiving yards on 66 catches (t-5th) and Mack has 9.0 sacks, tied for sixth most.
Pederson hopes his young guys can eventually get to that level.
"Yeah and you talk to coaches and they hate to use the word rebuild," Pederson said. "Because you feel like you can win every game and you're in every game. And really, to be quite honest with you, we've had great opportunities this year to win some of these close games. I think to some extent yeah, you're in the process of putting pieces together and trying to find out who is going to be a part of the future of the Philadelphia Eagles.
"I'm encouraged about not only the remainder of the season, but the future. When I say we're headed in the right direction, that's what I mean."
