Peters voices his principles in mid-season pep talk

PHILADELPHIA >> Every so often Eagles offensive tackle Jason Peters reminds you how much fun pro football is for the guys who love to play the game.

The big guy showed he hasn’t lost an ounce of his enthusiasm during a lengthy chat after practice Wednesday. Writers were buzzing about how refreshing it was to be part of the unexpected interview hours after it ended. Talking freely with a legend sure beat the alternative in this difficult season.

Peters was candid regardless of the topic, whether it was the arrogance of the Dallas Cowboys, the challenges Lane Johnson faces playing through an MCL injury or Doug Pederson’s greatest asset as a head coach.

In the case of Pederson, it’s not really the X’s and O’s, the fourth-down gambles or the two-point tries that set him apart from past Eagles coaches. Peters says it’s the personality, unwavering loyalty and the way he communicates it.

“He stays steady,” Peters said. “Same guy every day. Same guy at practice. Same guy on game day. He’s just steady. He doesn’t ever change. That’s Doug. That’s how he’s kept the ship afloat so far. You got a wife? You want her to be up and down, do you? No, you want her to be steady.”

Only a 36-year-old veteran comfortable in his own skin would have the confidence to

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THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE Jason Peters says he’s determined to shake off the nagging injuries he has at age 36 and start leading the Eagles’ offensive line to the kind of performances expected of it.