Michael Clay

And how does that factor into it? Um, as, uh, our friend Deniz Sem- Selman points out, like, the, the dirty balls here, you know? You...

I asked N- I asked Michael Clay about this, is that the, the kickoff returns that the Jags, uh, returned was when there was no holder.

They didn't have a, have good returns with a, uh, uh, with the holder.

Michael Clay says that they, they don't wanna kick it short there.

That's, that's, you know, your, your worry with the dirty ball is it gets to the 20-yard line.

And, and so, like, there's, there's just so many factors that are different here that I would've just taken the chance with my defense four-one play, but my guess is their pre-established rules.

So it's, like, y- you gotta invest in special teams.

You know, there are a lot of teams out there that think they're investing in special teams, but don't, and it's up to the special teams coordinator to take a bunch of different bodies from a dun- bunch of different places and create good units.

But the best special teams units in the league are the ones that are investing in it by signing players who are experienced in that phase.

And, and when that phase is clean, it helps your total operation, it helps you, you know, find that, that hidden yardage in the field position battle.

60% of the votes on the Athletics newsletter went with Miles Garrett, which I think is the right answer.

Um, also, I don't know, like, how much you can actually impact your special teams.

Like, they make a change at kicker, that's one of the biggest things that you can do, but it's not often that you make a huge change, like, you know, replace your special teams coordinator and it, and it makes a huge difference.

Like, at the end of the day, you head into the season with your roster, and it's not like great special teams coverage players are just available to go get.

No other Eagles head coach can say that.

But the boneheaded mistakes are very frustrating, and it isn't like, "Hey, I told the kicker to do this, he didn't do it." You flat out said to everybody that you told the kicker to put the ball in play, that you told Michael Clay of the special teams unit to put the ball in play.

That makes it that much worse.

You are an NFL head coach.

Vic Fangio ties to the tree with Ejero Evro.

as your D.C., and then Michael Clay as the special teams coordinator.

They also made a few changes down the line.

Howie Roseman, their G.M., Taking a look at the current depth charts for both teams, understanding who's up, who's down, where things sit right now.

So we'll begin to talk about the Panthers this week, preview them like we always do.

But today, let's talk about, for just the last time, last week, as the coordinator spoke on Tuesday, and for the first time, it was really important what Michael Clay had to say.

So we'll get into all that.

But first, don't take it out on the kids.

And in order to do that, they're gonna need a bunch of things to turn around, but they're also going to need to move on from that loss.

So for the final time, let's talk about it.

Michael Clay spoke to reporters on Tuesday and had a bunch of things to say about it.

So I'm gonna play a few of his answers in a row here, the opening kinda, uh, soliloquy.

You know, big topic has been jail, and we'll get back to that in just a moment.

But I want to play some audio for you of Michael Clay.

If you don't know, you probably do, but that's the Eagles special teams coordinator, and obviously it was an enormous special teams breakdown when the Eagles kicked off with eight seconds left in the game.

Let's listen to what he said about that final kick coverage.

You know, big topic has been Jalen.

We'll get back to that in just a moment, but I want to play some audio for you of Michael Clay.

If you don't know, you probably do, but that's the Eagles special teams coordinator, and obviously it was an enormous special teams breakdown, uh, when the Eagles kicked off with eight seconds left in the game.

Let's listen to what he said about that final kick coverage.

Injuries, uh, uh, it, it really sapped that group.

Michael Clay, the special teams coordinator, was literally preparing guys during the game to play different spots.

Uh, so I would've rather taken my chance with the defense on the field.

I don't think it's as much of a no-brainer as is, is it's being made to be.