New Eagles coach: Pederson the anti-Chip

INDIANAPOLIS - Four years ago, Andy Reid got fired by the Eagles and then hired by the Chiefs and immediately turned a 2-14 eyesore into an 11-5 playoff team.

From the outside looking in, it seemed so easy. But Doug Pederson, who followed Big Red to Kansas City as his offensive coordinator, said Wednesday that appearances can be deceiving.

"Our first year there with coach Reid, we tried to have some of that mentality where we're going to make the people there fit what we do,'' Pederson said at the NFL Scouting Combine. "That was a big mistake.

"We learned to listen to the Justin Houstons and the Tamba Halis and the Eric Berrys, and utilize their strengths and weaknesses to help our football team as a whole.

"You can't put yourself in a box. By no means do I want to put our roster in a box. As coaches, I want us thinking outside the box. I want us to challenge ourselves every week to - not necessarily reinvent the wheel - but utilize our talent and strengths to help us win games.''

We will find out soon enough just how good Pederson is at doing that. But with every interview he gives, one thing is becoming very clear: His way is going to be very, very different than Chip Kelly's way, both on and off the field.

Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to the anti-Chip.

Pederson has promised to listen to the leaders in the locker room the same way Reid learned to listen to them in KC. His door not only will always be open, but he'll greet them with a snifter of brandy and a cigar.

He is not going to be as rigid as Kelly with respect to positional prototypes. He wants players who can get the job done, regardless of their height, weight and 40 speed.

"I want guys who are athletic guys, smart guys,'' he said. "Especially up front. Bottom line is, can he help you win games?''

He is not going to take a one-size-fits-all approach to his running backs like Kelly did. Different strokes for different-sized folks. He's not going to use DeMarco Murray the same way he uses Ryan Mathews or Darren Sproles.

"The first thing I noticed was there were three different (types) of running backs on the roster,'' Pederson said. "And you can't take three different running backs and try to make them one running back.

"I'm not saying it's right or wrong (the way Kelly used them). But I just know that the different style of running that I'll bring will utilize all three (differently). You've got a downhill guy (Murray). You've got a slasher (Mathews). And you've got a great quick guy in Sproles who can create mismatches on defense, whether he's coming out of the backfield or lining up as a receiver.

"Three different guys, three different styles. Instead of using the same plays with (all three) guys, we're going to be under center. We're going to be in two-back. One-back. Empty (backfield). We're going to utilize their strengths to help the offense.''

Last year, the Chiefs lost their star running back, Jamaal Charles, five games into the season. They were 1-4 in those first five games, averaging just 109.8 rushing yards per game and 4.4 yards per carry.

In their next 11 games without Charles and with no-names Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West and Knile Davis sharing the ballcarrying load, they went 10-1 and averaged 135.9 rushing yards per game and 4.8 yards per carry.

"We had three different (type) guys,'' Pederson said. "Knile was a downhill guy. Charcandrick was more of a slasher. And Spencer was a little bit of both.

"Spencer and Charcandrick were a little better out of the backfield than Knile was. So, you just had to make a conscious effort what you were going to do that particular week. Utilize their strengths differently to help the good of the team.''

When Pederson was hired last month, he said he believed the Eagles were good enough to contend for the NFC East title and yes, even good enough to make a deep playoff run.

He stood by those words Wednesday, though he quickly acknowledged they need to use both free agency and the draft to plug some glaring holes.

"We're getting ready to start free agency and will have the opportunity to go out and find a few players that can help us right away, and we have nine picks in the draft,'' he said. "That will help us build that structure and add to what we already have.

"So, nothing has changed. I just think we can get better now moving forward.''

If they re-sign quarterback Sam Bradford, which is something both Pederson and executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman said Wednesday they want to see happen, then they can focus on shoring up their offensive line, among other things.

While the Eagles released 31-year-old linebacker DeMeco Ryans Wednesday, they won't be doing the same with their eight-time Pro Bowl left tackle, Jason Peters.

Despite his age (34), high cap number ($9.7 million) and the fact that he is coming off an injury-plagued season in which he didn't play particularly well, Pederson made it clear that Peters will be back next season and perhaps a few more after that.

"I think he can" still be an elite left tackle, the Eagles coach said. "I have the utmost confidence in Jason Peters. I think he's excited and ready to go come April 4 (the start of offseason workouts). I think he has several good years left.

"I still think you have to be smart with a guy like Jason Peters, as far as how you handle him during the course of the week to get him to Sunday. But I think he can continue to play at a high level.''

Pederson said his biggest challenge as the Eagles' head coach is going to be the same as any first-year head coach: getting his players to buy what he's selling.

"Can they look at you and say you're the leader they want to follow,'' he said. "I think that's the challenge going forward.

"I think having the experience of being in the locker room as a (former) player helps. Knowing some of the players on the team obviously helps. But the biggest challenge will be to sell your message and for them to buy in.''

If all goes well, no one will text him a video of Engelbert Humperdinck singing Please Release Me for a while.

pdomo@aol.com

@Pdomo Blog: philly.com/Eaglesblog