Opening Remarks: "That last game we did really good things and then we did some real bad things, you saw the game. So we've got quite a few corrections to hammer out and we've done that and we'll continue to correct, and teach and correct. It was a heck of a game for the guys who were in there at the end, a couple of drives to win the game, so that was good. We'll open up to questions."
On how important it was for the ones to finish the way they did in terms of having some success: "I think some of that is overrated a little bit. It's always good for confidence, there's no substitute for confidence. So that's a good thing. I do think it's just a little bit overrated in the preseason, just with my experience throughout many years."
On whether he is happy with where the team is at right now in terms of still needing to teach and correct things: "It's normal for the newer-type players and the veterans when they make a major mistake that's not good. However, the retention from your past sometimes is not quite where you want it. Really every year you've got to start over. You just have to, you've got to start from square one and teach these things exactly the way that you want them performed and mostly guys are pretty sharp that way and retention is high. We've had a few more mistakes this preseason than I would've hoped however, we'll be fine."
On whether he would be comfortable with WR Jeremy Maclin starting if need be: "We'll see. We've got another preseason game and it appears that he may get some time there so, that will be important. Every practice and every repetition that Jeremy gets because of his situation coming into camp late—now he's done a great job of catching up—but every rep and every game is important for his progression. He's done well up to this point. Personally, I have great confidence in him and I'm usually the last one to feel that way and I'm talking with the rest of the players so, I would think that the rest of the players have good confidence in his play."
On any concerns he may have about WR Kevin Curtis staying healthy: "No. He's a little nicked up right now, I think he'll be healthy come league games, the regular season."
On cutting wide receivers: "I don't want to get too deep into that because the thing that these players are doing is they're competing at a high level and our receivers really have performed this preseason and in practices, games and practices. There are some battles going on but the last thing you want them to do is start counting numbers and slotting themselves. You don't want to do that, you want to do the very best you can and let the chips fall and that's what they're doing right now. But, there are some battles still going on now for the receiver spot."
On whether Kevin Curtis is still working his way back into things post-injury: "Yeah that's right."
On how long he thinks it will be until Kevin Curtis is ready to go: "If he's healthy, he'll be fine. (Wide receivers coach) David (Culley) does a great job with the preparation of the receivers so I don't have any concerns with Kevin, he's a veteran—you know we talked about the carryover and the retention—he's got all that. So, it's just simple. If he's healthy he'll play at a high level."
On the competition for the third running back position between RB Lorenzo Booker and RB Eldra Buckley: "It's a battle. And they're both quite different as you see. There's a battle. Special teams may end up having some effect on that situation I would think. Both of them have played well. Lorenzo really has had a fine camp and then Buckley has done well. They're two different type of athletes and so some of that will come into play as well."
On whether Buckley has played well enough to make this team: "Oh Eldra will play in this league I would think, yes. I don't think there's any question about that. He's a fine football player and a heck of a special teams player."
On whether the Wildcat formation has disturbed the rhythm of the offense: "It was new. Listen, I understand the rhythm and all of that. But, one play here and there is not going to disrupt the rhythm, it won't happen. So, we'll continue to do that and (QB) Michael (Vick) will help us in some of these situations."
On QB Donovan McNabb's conversation with him during the game: "Well I didn't see that. We did have a quick discussion about that. We all do our jobs; that's it. I understand, but that's secondary. You are not going to let one or two plays throw us out of the rhythm and that's at every position. I mean these guys come off the field, you know receivers like to get into a little rhythm too and they're in and out. Backs, go in and out. We change personnel groups virtually every play, we change personnel group six times in the first six plays, there were different personnel groups, so we're doing that constantly. But, there it is, that's my thoughts about that."
On how last year he cut down personnel groups for the sake of establishing more of an offensive rhythm: "Who told you that? Did I say that, it was so long ago. We probably cut just a little bit because we were good at certain things. When you're going into a game you certainly want to do what you do best and you want to shut down an opponent's strengths and attack their weakness and the best way to do that is what we're going to do. And your strengths are probably the most important out of all of those really. You have to play to your strengths."
On whether establishing a rhythm is different for a quarterback compared to other offensive players: "I understand all of that. I understand the rhythm and all those types of things. It's not going to disrupt our rhythm. It won't."
On how T Jason Peters played in the game against the Jaguars: "Pretty good, there were a couple of things there, and you saw it, there were a couple things. The cadence, so we've got to get that straightened out and I think we're real close to getting that thing straightened out. And then there was an assignment deal there, and that's just things are happening fast with different calls and so it's got to happen fast. Up front, there are a lot of things that happen and they happen very quickly and they happen by big, strong, powerful men. So we've got to be just perfect with all of our calls and adjustments and schemes, and they happen fast, they happen sometimes right before the snap when the defense is stagnant. So, a couple of things to work on out there and otherwise, he played at a really high level."
On whether he envisions using Vick in the same way in the future, switching him in and out with McNabb from play to play: "I set that up on purpose that way for this game. I wanted to get him a certain amount of snaps early in the game to get him going. It had been a long day for Michael that day, as you know, so I wanted to get that thing done early in the game. Every game will be different. I explained just the basic thought process, so there will be games where we may very well use him situationally. There will be games where we won't use him quite as much and there will be games where that's just a part of us. It will change just a little bit game to game by game plan, like it does with all of our players."
On whether he sees it changing play-to-play or series-to-series: "It could either or, it will just depend on that next game plan. We'll do whatever we think is the best thing that will help us win the game, it's just that simple. I'll put him in at any point in the game and any situation if it's been game planned."
On what makes him confident that rhythm won't be an issue in the future when Vick is able to play with the starters again: "That's not an issue there. We did, it was my responsibility with the personnel groups, a little snafu, and I'll get that ironed out. But, I've got great confidence in his throwing ability and his ability to help our football team on offense, it's that simple."
On having T/G Shawn Andrews back and how that changes things for preparing the offensive line: "Well hopefully all of the fellows will be healthy. (G) Todd (Herremans) is a week-to-week situation right now it appears. It's good to have Shawn back, he looked good in the few snaps that he's taken here yesterday and today. He's a fine football player, I think one of the very best, so that's always a plus there."
On whether certain members of the starting offensive line will play Thursday: "That's a good thought. It's a good thought and I certainly would like to give them a little more time together, there's no question about that. That's been the thing, the one thing throughout training camp is that the fellows up front haven't had much time together at all as a unit. And, it's so important offensively. It's the most important things, everything we do starts up front. They have to play well together as a unit and so, that's been the only concern throughout training camp. I would expect them, starting with the first ballgame to play at a high level and I would expect that unit to get better over the first several weeks of the season as well."
On the players he could see playing at back up tight end and the third guard position: "Well the third guard spot, that's a little deep there because you try to put your best five on the field that can help you win that particular game, you take into account matchups. We've got several guys that can be starters there that are in backup roles right now. And then several of them can play multiple positions, and so I think we're in pretty good shape there, that way. The back up tight end, there's great competition there, we've got a new man in very recently, and we'll see how he does. There's some great competition at that spot as well. I think we know a couple of them inside and out and then there are a couple fellows that are playing for us right now that we need to learn just a little bit more about. So this week will be important and this game here will be important as well for that evaluation."
On who could be put on the starting offensive line: "You've got several other guys, some of them are playing center now. You've got tackles that can play, we've got one man hurt right now with Todd that could play guard or tackle. There are really multiple, multiple combinations that you could use moving one man inside and one man outside, or putting a tackle inside or a guard outside. So there are many scenarios there."
