Injury Report: "(QB) Michael Vick has a quad contusion he might be able to do a couple of things today. We'll just see how he feels running a little bit, see how it goes here. (C) Jamaal Jackson, Jamaal will have surgery next week on Tuesday, Dr. Andrews will perform it and then we'll go from there with Jamaal. Those really are the only two things to report there."
Opening Remarks: "We look forward to the challenge of playing the Dallas Cowboys. Exciting venue here with going down to Dallas, their new stadium, NFC East Championship on the line, all of that stuff, that's all good. The bottom line is we've got to go through our preparation to take care of that. We know that they're a very good football team. Obviously they got after us the last time so we have to make sure that we prepare ourselves."
On how reassuring it is going into a big game with an experienced quarterback like QB Donovan McNabb:"I think that helps. There probably aren't enough words to describe it, I'm sure you'll find some good ones. You know what he's done? He's done a great job with the young guys and rallying those guys, teaching those guys, keeping them active in the game and a huge part of the game plan. He spreads it around to all of them and at the same time is still strong with the vets that are in there. He has done a nice job with his offensive line. He doesn't really care who is in there playing and he trusts that they're going to protect for him. He's done that all season. (Joking) I think I just wrote your article for you."
On whether these are the types of games that define a team and a coach: "I'm sure they probably do. It's exciting. It's an exciting time for the coach. I don't get caught up in what other people are saying or thinking, but I know this is why you coach and this is why you play this game—for opportunities like this. Every Sunday is exciting and this has even a little bit more spice on it. That's what it's all about."
On whether there was ever a coach or team that he envied in terms of their clutch performances: "I don't know. I guess maybe when I was younger and you look at the players, (former Steelers QB) Terry Bradshaw."
On what he admired about Bradshaw: "They won a lot of Super Bowls and he functioned well."
On whether S Quintin Demps will practice today: "He'll be out there, yeah."
On who will practice at right guard: "(G) Max (Jean-Gilles) will be in there."
On whether G/T Stacy Andrews is ready to play: "Stacy is ready. Max will be in there playing though."
On whether Demps will return kickoffs Sunday: "We'll see how he does here, not necessarily counting on that though."
On what Demps' MRI revealed: "It showed that he had a lingering ankle sprain."
On whether Jean-Gilles will play at right guard: "Yeah, Max is going to play."
On whether they will play crowd noise in practice: "Yeah, we'll work in the crowd noise. We won't do it today, but we'll work that in as the week goes on."
On whether the new stadium will play into the way he prepares the team this week:"No, I can't afford one of those so I can't prepare for that. No. You have to go play there. Bottom line, we're going down there to play the game."
On WR DeSean Jackson not having a ton of success in their last game against Dallas: "He plays the same speed every game, so I put that back on the coverages that they used against him and the things that we had in. We'll do a little better job there."
On the youth of this team affecting the way he treats them differently as compared to other teams he's coached: "You don't want to disrupt that energy that they have. You don't make it bigger than what it is. It's a game here. You don't want to let anything disrupt that and their play. There's going to be more media attention, we understand that. And there's going to be a couple of people in that stadium with some energy there, but that shouldn't disrupt their game."
On whether it can be good that the young players don't know this team's history in the playoffs: "I don't know. That's a loaded question. We've done pretty well in the playoffs so I don't mind them knowing that. I just want them to go play. You guys are making more out of this than what I do. I just (say), 'Go play. Go play the game. Do what got you here and let's go play.' It's that simple."
On whether he is surprised that such a young team has been able to function this well: "I think it comes back to your original question on Donovan. I think it's a tribute to him, the way he's helped bring these guys along. I think it's a tribute to the players for working hard and being coachable. And then, the coaches and the job that they've done with their patience at times and then, at the same time continuing to teach them and the plays that they've put in for them to utilize their talent. It's probably a little bit of a joint effort there. It really comes down, at the skill positions it comes down to the quarterback having trust in those and Donovan has worked extra hard with the young guys and has that trust in them."
On how RB Brian Westbrook has felt the last couple of days and where he will get more of a workload this week: "We'll see how it goes. We have some flexibility there with what we do. He went through the walkthrough this morning and he'll be out there at practice today. He feels pretty good. We'll just see how things go, take it day by day."
On CB Sheldon Brown not making the Pro Bowl:"Sheldon has had a Pro Bowl year. Sheldon ended up being a second alternate. I thought he should've been, if not a starter, at least making the roster for that. I'm not the one voting on it. I think he has had that kind of year. I think he's a heck of a player."
On what DeSean Jackson has meant to this team and on him being the first player to be selected to the Pro Bowl as both a receiver and a returner: "It's pretty impressive to be able to do both. I thought (former NFL CB/WR) Deion (Sanders) had not done it prior to them telling me that he was the first one. That's quite a tribute to the kid. He's done a great job. And then, to Tom and the personnel department for choosing to bring him here, that's a compliment to I think both parties there. I've said it before, this guy, he loves to play the game. I guess his peers appreciate that and respect that."
On T Jason Peters bouncing back against Dallas after getting beat several times in last week's game: "He's not happy any time that somebody might get the edge on him. At the same time, some of the sacks are, I know his name is on it, but it's not always his deal. He'll be fine this week."
On having some trouble in short yardage in the first game against Dallas: "I think we'll be alright. We got one and we missed one and we're going back to the drawing board. We're working on it. They'll go in tomorrow, steadying that as we go here."
On what is different about Dallas this year versus last year: "First of all they did a nice job in the draft, and those draft picks have improved and stepped in and had a major part, in particular on the defensive side with the corner and the outside linebacker, (Cowboys LB Anthony) Spencer. That solidified an already strong defensive unit. And then offensively, I think (Cowboys QB) Tony Romo is playing very good football. He's the obvious leader of that group. They're doing a nice job with special teams. They have a great special teams coach and they have good special teams players."
On the offensive line's biggest challenge this week now that they have new faces in the mix: "They've played together before, so I think they'll be alright. I'm not necessarily worried about the way they play, obviously they have a big challenge with the defensive line that they're playing, but I'm not worried about the continuity with them or any of that. They know each other and they've played together and that whole deal."
On how dangerous Romo is when he is playing as well as he is right now: "He is dangerous. He has great pocket presence. He moves around and he makes plays. That's what you see him do. You think you have him and then he kind of sneaks out of there and he keeps his eyes down the field and makes a lot of plays down the field. And his straight drop back game, I think he has improved. I think he has a better feel for what the defenses are doing, he's more patient, and he has good players around him."
