Andy Reid, Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook and Brian Dawkins all got plenty of questions about the upcoming game against the Cowboys and other questions about former Eagle Terrell Owens.
Head Coach Andy Reid Press Conference
10/31/07
Opening Remarks:
“Those players that will not practice are [CB] Lito Sheppard with a knee strain and [T] Jon Runyan. We’ll see with [CB] Will James. He’s got plantar fasciitis. We’ll see how that loosens up. Lito and Will did go through the walkthrough.”
Injuries:
“We look forward to the challenge of playing the Dallas Cowboys, right now with the best record in the NFC. They are very worthy of that. They’ve played tremendous football. Again, we look forward to the challenge of playing them at Lincoln Financial Field.”
On whether this is the same knee Sheppard injured earlier this season:
“Yes.”
On whether Sheppard’s injury occurred during the game:
“Yes.”
On whether he’s concerned about FS Brian Dawkins playing since he hasn’t played in the last five games:
“We’ll see how he does during this week’s practice here. With the way [S Quintin Mikell] Q’s come on, Dawk doesn’t have to take every snap out there. We can ease him back in and get him back to game speed and the hitting part.”
On whether having Dawkins on the field is an emotional lift for the team:
“Well, sure. He’s one of the team leaders and he’s pretty revved up to play. He brings that energy to the football team and we look forward to getting him back out there.”
On whether Dawkins is a substitution for Mikell or if they will be on the field at the same time:
“I’m not saying they’re going to being on the field at the same time. Q would be the guy that spots Dawk.”
On how much of a setback Sheppard’s injury is for him:
“He’s got a little bit of swelling in there. We’ll see how he does. Again, he went through the walkthrough out here and moved around okay. I think it’s something that he’ll be alright with. He’ll get some treatment there and we’ll see how he does.”
On what strikes his attention about Dallas when he watches the film:
“Well, they play fast, both sides of the football. They are executing very well right now, both offensively and defensively, and, for that matter, on special teams. They are very consistent there. They’ve got good football players and they are playing well.”
On what message they were sending when they cut LB Matt McCoy:
“It just gives [LB] Akeem [Jordan] an opportunity to move up and work with the first group here.”
On how much Cowboys QB Tony Romo has improved since last year:
“I think he has improved. I thought he was good last year and I think he’s taken another step forward this year. He’s a good football player. It looks like he enjoys playing the game and he’s got very good vision in the field.”
On how hard it was to let McCoy go, being a second round draft pick in 2005:
“Well, you do what you think is right for the football team. You can’t worry about all that stuff. That’s how this thing goes. I think we have a good football player in Akeem, give him an opportunity to work in there. Matt did a great job for us for a couple years. He’ll have an opportunity, I’m sure here, to hook on with somebody else.”
On how hard it will be to take away snaps from Mikell because he has played so well:
“He’s going to play in the game, so he’s going to have opportunities. He has played well. He’ll continue to be in there and have an opportunity to play well. We’re fortunate enough to have a few guys back there that can play.”
On whether playing the Cowboys is still special even after he’s been here for nine years:
“It’s exciting. I think everybody feels it, coaches included, players, fans, media. I think everybody feels it. And, likewise, I think [the Cowboys] feel it. It lends itself to being a great atmosphere for a football game. And, with your question about nine years, yes. It’s no different than it was that first year. Man, this is exciting.”
On how the team views taking on Cowboys WR Terrell Owens:
“I don’t think it’s much of an issue other than he’s a good football player and we’ve got to make sure we take care of him on the football field and study how he plays, and so on. But, the other part of that I don’t think is an issue.”
On where the offense is now:
“We’re getting better as we go here. I think we’re a little bit better in the red zone. We still have places to improve, the red zone being one of them. But, we are improving. That’s what I’m looking for right now.”
On why they scored more points in the first half:
“Well, we’ve talked about it and we’ve tried to address that. We’ll see how it goes here as we move on. We’d like to do a better job in the second half, at least in the last couple games here, where we can be more effective in the second half.”
On whether Dallas is more effective defensively with the new head coach Wade Phillips:
“Well, they are still running a 3-4. The base defense is the same. They are moving around a little bit more and blitzing more than what they did. They are doing a nice job of it. [Former Cowboys head coach] Coach [Bill] Parcells did a great job of bringing in the people and kind of introducing the defense to them. The guys are another year older and Wade’s just added his blitz package in there and they’ve been very effective with it.”
On whether coaches need to make more adjustments or whether players need to execute better to become a better second-half offense:
“I think it starts with the coaches. We’ve all got to do a little better job there. Then, execution could be better. I don’t think it’s one particular thing.”
On where the corner situation stands if Sheppard and James are hurt:
“I think they’ll be alright.”
On whether it is coincidental that the receivers are playing better as QB Donovan McNabb is playing better:
“They are working well right now. That’s one phase of the game that is getting better week in and week out here. I don’t think it’s coincidental. If you look at the history of the injury that Don had, he’s come back a lot quicker than most. He’s doing a heck of a job, I think, of managing everything and leading this offense.”
QB Donovan McNabb Press Conference
10-31-07
On why the offense plays better in the second half of games:
“I haven’t really focused on that. I think, for any offense, you want to continue to be consistent on both sides. In the first half of games, you’re trying to establish that tempo to see what the defense is going to present to you. Maybe we’ve been successful at it because we recognize what we’re seeing in the second half, coming out there changing things around. They’re trying to eliminate us from making the big play, and that’s why we’ve been able to check it down to the backs, get the tight ends involved, or run the ball more effectively. There are a lot of ways to look into that, but I think that probably is the answer to it- we’ve had a lot of success in the first half of games because of our approach to it, knowing that the team is going to adjust to what we’re doing. We have to adjust as well, and be able to pick up as many yards by running [the ball], running screens, or checking it down to the guys to make plays for us.”
On whether the team needs to develop a killer instinct:
“I think we have that killer instinct. We throw the ball when teams expect us to run the ball; we run the ball when teams expect us to throw the ball. I wouldn’t say that we don’t have that killer instinct. I think we definitely have established that the last couple of years where, if we have a team down, to continue to step on their throat. [Offensive coordinator] Marty [Mornhinweg] has presented that to us, and we enjoy it. I like the fact that, if it’s third-and-two, to try and get a big play, look downfield. If there’s nothing there, then check it down to get the first, and go right back at it again.”
On how the first 15 scripted plays are utilized:
“They change because you know what the defense is giving you. You can script 15 plays to run, but if you know it’s not the right time to run those particular plays in order, you go back to the gameplan and come up with plays you feel are best suited for that situation. Sometimes when people hear about the first 15 plays, they automatically think you’re just running those 15 plays in order. You run one play, then the next play may go on second down, then you go to your third down plays. The next series you may run a play that’s on the gameplan, but not on the first 15. Then, you go back into it. I know a lot of games we play, you don’t go through your first 15 plays probably until the middle of the fourth quarter. It’s just situational, and you have to know what you can run at that particular time.”
On whether he expects the atmosphere during the game on Sunday to be similar to last season’s matchup at home against the Cowboys:
“I do. This is a game in which both teams are coming into it with something to prove. You can look at our side of it- this gives us an opportunity to take another step in our division, as well as being 4-4. For them, a lot of people have talked about who they’ve played. They’re coming off of a bye and they want to continue to show what they’re capable of. With our fans and everybody who will be watching the game, they’ll be excited because it’s a big rivalry. It’s a big game in which, you look on the schedule, a lot of people circled it. We have to go out, do our jobs, be able to execute, and try to come out with a win.”
On whether he wants to outperform Cowboys QB Tony Romo:
“You look to be the better quarterback every week, and when you’re the better quarterback, that means you win. It’s not me competing against Tony Romo. I only compete against the defense of the Dallas Cowboys. I think Tony has done a wonderful job this year. He’s been rewarded pretty nicely; I’m excited for him. Again, we can’t worry about that at this particular point. The only thing we can focus on is just going out and trying to play well as a team, and coming out with a win.”
On whether he’s concerned about being too emotional for the game:
“I don’t think so because, for us, we need to be emotional. This isn’t a game where we feel we can just walk right into. With the situation we’re in, we need to come in with a little attitude, a little bit more aggressiveness, and I think we had that last week. It’s something in which I try to start in practice by getting the guys loose and fired up, trying to pump everybody up, everybody else gets involved. With this particular team, if everybody’s loose, laughing, joking, making plays out there, pushing each other, come Sunday, it feels like it’s back out at practice again. We can’t get caught up in how big this game is, everybody talking about it on the outside, the Dallas Cowboys and their record and our record, because when we step in between those white lines, it doesn’t matter what your record is. We do what we need to do to come out with this win. We put ourselves in great position.”
On whether he feels more comfortable taking chances by throwing into coverage:
“I don’t think that I’m doing anything differently than what I’ve been doing. You’re not going to force any balls downfield and put the receiver in a bad situation which will lead to the team being in a bad situation, [I] just try to be smart with the ball. I think our receivers have done an excellent job. Just in the past couple of weeks, we’ve spent time together throwing after practice trying to build that bond and trust that, [if] I put the ball there, I have confidence you’ll bring it down. [WR] Kevin [Curtis] made a great catch last week; [WR] Reggie [Brown] made some great catches. If we continue to build that trust and confidence in each other, hopefully we’ll continue on with what we’ve been doing.”
On his relationship with Cowboys WR Terrell Owens:
“A lot of it is blown out of proportion. While he was here, we had a great year and a half together. Although we know what happened in 2005 during the offseason, it just didn’t work out, I guess, and nothing to the fact where I keep looking back to [it as if] what it could’ve been. It could’ve been great, but there’s no need to harp on it. We talked about different issues at the party at the Super Bowl, and left it at that. So, it’s nothing in which we’ve stayed in contact with each other and have communicated; we were able to hash out some things and move on.”
On whether this Eagles team can develop a swagger like the 2004 Eagles team:
“We did have a different swagger in 2004. To get it back, I don’t know. One [factor] probably would be, that everybody trusts in each other to go out, do their job, and make plays. For everybody to have confidence in each other stepping out on the field, I think at that particular time, it was kind of a who’s who, as to who was going to score, who’s going to make that big play on both sides of the ball. I think we have to get back to that. It’s not one particular player. I think everybody began to just feed off of each other. We have to be able to do that at this point.”
On whether he feels more confident in his mobility:
“I’ve always said, it’s not about my mobility, it’s just [about] making plays. I feel like it’s getting better. I feel like my knee is progressing. It’s not about moving and running and things of that nature, it’s just going out and being able to execute the play. I can sit in the pocket and make the play. If I have to avoid a rush, I feel confident that I can do that with a little speed. The injury is still there. It’s not like it didn’t happen. It’s not like we’re two years away, we’re only 11 months away. At this particular point, it’s about improving, and for this team to continue to improve.”
On whether he’d prefer to have one go-to wide receiver or a group of wide receivers to spread the ball to:
“I don’t know. I enjoy playing with the guys that I’ve had. I never had a Pro Bowl receiver before T.O., either. I spread the ball around, and I spread the ball around when T.O. was here, too. Everybody played their part and had a great season. I think [former Eagles WR] Todd Pinkston was in the top echelon of plays over 20-yards, or something. He had six or seven touchdowns that year; he had a great Super Bowl. [WR] Greg Lewis had a great season that year, [as did TE] L.J. Smith, [RB] Brian Westbrook, the list goes on. So, if we have a guy here, a Pro Bowl receiver that people pay attention to, it does wonders for everyone else. But again, playing without a Pro Bowl receiver, we’ve been effective, as well.”
On how significant trust is in getting the team on the same page:
“It’s important for us to be successful for everybody to be on the same page. Everybody has to trust each other and be confident that the guy next to him is going to do his job. That’s the way it has to be. I didn’t know about the Matt McCoy situation- [him being released]- until today. It’s just something in which, when you step out on the white lines, everybody has to feel confident that that guy’s going to do their job, and we’re going to be able to win this game.”
On how close this team is to getting on a role:
“I feel like we can do that now. I felt like we were going to do that against the Bears, but obviously it didn’t happen in the end. I feel like we’ve been getting better and better each week. It’s important that we begin to understand the things that can happen for us if we go out and do our job, but I feel like the time is now. The time is now for us to get on this win streak and get ourselves in position.”
On whether the team is working towards gaining each other’s trust or if they are already at that point:
“We’re there.”
RB Brian Westbrook Press Conference
10-31-07
On how he feels after going up against the Vikings defensive tackles:
“I was a little bit sore, but happy that we got a win. They had some big guys up in there. It was tough sledding for a little bit there.”
On how the Cowboys rank compared to the Colts and Patriots:
“I think they’re a very good team. They’ve been playing very good football this season. The Patriots and the Colts are terrific teams, as well. When you look at [the Cowboys] defense, and I primarily look at their defense, I see a defense that has big-play capability, that can force a turnover, that can stop the run, stop the pass. It’s going to be a tough game for us, a tough matchup for us, but we’re up for the challenge and we’re ready to go out and play.”
On whether he thinks the Cowboys are an elite team:
“I think so, yes.”
On where he thinks the Eagles are compared to the Cowboys:
“We’re a team on the rise. We still have work to do. We’re still continuing to work. We’re going along the process. This will be a big step in our process, this week. [We’re] trying to get two games in a row, trying to win back to back and move on.”
On how difficult it is to put together back-to-back performances:
“It’s very hard. You want to win every week. That’s not only putting wins back to back, but you want to try to win every week. That’s our main goal, and that’s not going to be anything different this week. We’re going to go out and work hard during practice and try to put together a great gameplan and play a good game on Sunday night.”
On why they haven’t been able to score many second-half points:
“Those guys are getting paid too. They make adjustments at halftime, as well. As an offense, we have to find a way to adjust to the things they’re adjusting to. Maybe we haven’t done the best job with that so far, but that’s one of the things that we’re going to continue to work on. The players have to make plays. Every team is going to make an adjustment. As a player, you have to adjust on the run, as well. It comes down to us making the plays out there on the field.”
On whether he thinks they have to be able to score in the 2nd half to be successful:
“You want to be consistent. You want to score in the first half as well as the second half. For us to go out and be consistently as good in the second half as we’ve been, at times, in the first half, we definitely have to make some adjustments and try to roll with the things the other team is doing.”
On the excitement of playing against the Cowboys:
“I’m definitely looking forward to playing Dallas. They’re a division foe, they’re a rival game for us. We’re playing one of the better teams in the NFL. It’s definitely exciting for me, as well as my teammates. We’re definitely looking forward to this game. We want to go out and show that we can put two wins together back to back. We want to go out and play hard and we want to win the game.”
On whether he finds it easier to go up against a 3-4 defense:
“Different defenses do different things. Some people with the 3-4, they run a lot of blitzes, some teams don’t. This defense, they do a good job of getting their key guys, their outside linebackers on the tackles. Hopefully, we’ll be able to present some matchup problems with our running backs and our tight ends on some of their linebackers. The problem with their team, for us, is that they have safeties that can cover and they also have linebackers who are very athletic and can cover, too. We’ve got to try to take advantage of them whenever we can.”
On the emotional advantage of having FS Brian Dawkins back:
“If Brian plays, he’s the heart and soul of our defense, and the heart and soul of this team. When he’s out on that field, this team is able to go to another level, just by his presence and the play that he brings. When and if he gets back out there, as a team, we’re definitely going to be excited. The defense needs him, and we’ll be excited for him to get back out there. His presence will have an effect on the game.”
On the frustration of having an up-and-down season:
“It’s frustrating to see sparks and see flashes of the things that we can potentially do, and then go out maybe the next game and not do those things. We’ve had those points where we played Detroit, we had a pretty good game and we were able to show some things we were able to do. The next week we didn’t quite do the things we wanted to do. For us, it’s important that we have some consistency; that the players continue to come out and play every game and not have their heads too big, so that the next week they don’t go out and work hard enough in practice and not prepare themselves for the next game. It’s important for us to have that consistency, because the coaches know what they’re going to get out of the players every week.”
On why he thinks they haven’t been able to maintain consistency:
“I don’t know. We’ve been playing some pretty good teams; we just haven’t had it. Sometimes, during the season, it’s one of those things where you grow and get older during the season, and you learn to have more consistency. We just haven’t had it thus far this season.”
On what it takes to get swagger:
“It takes us [stringing] good offensive performances together. Like I was saying, you can’t have it one week and then the next week you don’t have it. You have to have your playmakers, the guys that you consistently count on, playing well every single week, and putting together a good offensive performance every single week. Then you begin to have that swagger, that confidence that you see teams like New England and Indianapolis have. They know that their players are going to come every week and they know they can put up points.”
On whether they had swagger in 2006:
“Any time you have your playmakers on the field and healthy, you get that feeling that you can get things done. That’s something that we’re trying to achieve this year, where we can put some good performances back to back, so we can get that confidence in each other. [Knowing that] he’s going to be here on this play, he’s going to be here on that play, and we know what that player can do when he gets the ball in his hands.”
On the difference between swagger and attitude:
“Swagger is more of a thing where you are confident in yourself and you know what is going to happen. Your attitude, for me anyway, is more of something that you go about. You’re thinking positively about something, already. Swagger, you just know it’s going to happen already, just because you know the people around you.”
FS Brian Dawkins Press Conference
10-31-07
On how important it is for him to be back:
“From the way everything has panned out for us, this is a pretty [big game]. Every game is big, because of what we’ve done, or what we didn’t do. Everything is on the line right now because of where they are, how they are playing, and them coming into our house, it’s a pretty good one.”
On whether he targeted this game for his return:
“I put targets on different days. I put targets on last week, every week, trying to feel what my body was telling me. I just had to be patient and stay consistent on my treatments, which we were, and just hope. Realistically, you had to look at every week as something that could happen, but in all likelihood wasn’t good in those other weeks.”
On when he felt completely comfortable to return:
“I don’t know if it was a specific day that I can remember that it came up and everything felt like it needed to feel for me to get out there. The one thing we kept testing was my strength. When my strength got back equal, then everything else kind of calmed down and felt good, actually.”
On whether he will be able to play the game the same way he always has:
“That’s the plan. Like I said previously, I don’t want to get into a game and be at all tentative about doing what I do and playing the game that I play. I only know how to play one way; that’s how I’ve always played the game. If I’m on the field playing any way other than that, then I’m not helping this team win.”
On when he got the clearance to go ahead and play:
“[Head athletic trainer] Rick [Burkholder] and the doctors, we talked this past week and this past weekend. From everything that was happening, about the strength and how I was feeling, he gave me the clearance to do a little more and to go out and test it out a little bit more. This week, he gave me the clearance to basically play, if everything stays the way it’s feeling right now, and even improve from here.”
On whether he is concerned that he has missed a lot of time during training camp and the regular season:
“For me, no I’m not. I’m going to go out and do what I do, and play the game at a high level. That’s why I’ve been trying to do so many things with the scout team, and run around with those guys, even pushing the envelope. Even though I’m giving the offense a good look, I’m trying to run to the ball, sprint around, to keep myself in that type of shape. So, I’m running to the ball and doing those things, but as far as physically, you just don’t know until I get out there and deliver that first hit. I’m really anxious to get to that point.”
On how many snaps he expects to take:
“I’m not going to put a number on the snaps that I’m going to be good for. I think every snap that I’m out there, I’m going to be good for. If they let me play the whole game, hopefully every snap will be a good one. That’s how I’m going to approach it. It’s kind of out of my corner right now. Whatever [defensive coordinator] Jim [Johnson] and [head coach] Andy [Reid] have for me to do, that’s what I’m going to do, being smart about the situation. Right now, as long as I’m out there, I’m expecting that snap to be a good one.”
On how the Eagles can get their swagger back:
“Swagger, I think, is built. It’s a game-by-game thing. Coming off of this win is confidence; you build that confidence. Confidence, swagger, and wins all go together. When you win, you get that confidence. When you get that confidence, you get that swagger. If we go out and handle business this week and if we get this victory, then that will add to our confidence, and our swagger will be that much more.”
On how hard it has been to not be able to play:
“It’s been very tough, very difficult. With my foot, I wasn’t able to be on the sideline, and that was tough. To be on the sideline and to be surrounded with the guys, and everyone is pumped up and jacked up, it’s hard to contain yourself out there. So, I’ve been on the sideline going crazy also. This has been a different experience for me. I’ve had to still help the guys out, so it’s taught me patience and it’s taught me that in the midst of my adversity and in the midst of things I have to go through, I still have to help other people, so that’s what I’ve been trying to do.”
On whether he thought he wouldn’t be able to return:
“No, never. That’s never been a concern of mine.”
On S Quintin Mikell’s performance while Dawkins was out:
“He did an excellent job. That’s one of the things about me coming back. I don’t know how we’ll be able to do it, but we need to find a way to get him on the field at some point. He has that potential to make a big play any time he’s out there. As many guys as you can have on the field, that play to that level, then you would like to have them on the field. I don’t know what type of schemes Jim has up his sleeve, but hopefully it’s quite a few.”
On what went into his strength test to determine when he would be able to return:
“It’s a whole detailed situation that you learn, that I would have never known until I got this injury. It’s a whole bunch of things that go into that. The nerves control certain muscles, and muscles don’t fire because of the nerve damage and all that good stuff. Once that muscle starts to fire, and my strength got back to equal, then we knew that everything was fine with the nerve area.”
On whether there were days when he felt good but wasn’t able to perform well on the strength test:
“No, it was a gradual consistent climb, and then all of a sudden it was a tremendous leap. One week, specifically, when I came back from Oregon, it was a huge leap from there.”
On whether it was a scary injury to go through:
“It was a scary situation to go through, obviously, especially with what’s happened in Buffalo. You’re definitely thinking about those things after it happens, not when the game is going on. It’s not something that you continue to think about. Once I got all of the prognosis and all the details of the injury, then all that was out of the window, I didn’t even think about it anymore. I was just thinking about getting back on the field.”
On how he is able to put that aside and not think about it:
“That’s who I am, that’s how I play. I’ve had injuries before. Obviously, nothing like with the neck, but I’ve had stingers in the past. Even though this was a little more than that, I’ve had to come back from pain and get back in there and see how it feels again. Like I said, I’m very anxious to get that first piece of contact.”
On whether the doctors ever said he is not running any risk by playing:
“(Jokingly) Doctors can never give you 100% clearance and say you’re never going to have any risk on anything. They can never do that; that will hurt them in claims court.”
On whether he thinks he will be able to help the defense produce more turnovers:
“I would love to hold a banner up and say it’s because of me that we didn’t get any turnovers, but it’s not that. Those things come in bunches, they really do. With the pressure those guys are getting up front, I’m very surprised that we haven’t been able to get more turnovers. But, turnovers are a state of mind. That’s something that we’re going to continue to practice, continue to strive to get. When they come, you can come back to this date and say, ‘Dawk said they come in bunches.’ Or, ‘Dawk and Jim and other guys have said it.’ Because they do, they come in bunches. We can go through a drought a couple of weeks and then all of a sudden get seven in one game. That’s what we’re counting on. Hopefully, it will be this week.”
On how he feels about the amount of points the Patriots are putting up:
“If you’re on that team, you’re loving it. You’re absolutely loving it. If you’re playing against them, you can’t stand it. That’s how it is. If you’re a defense on the field and they’re putting up those points, you can’t allow them to score. That’s what it boils down to. If you don’t, it goes back to college. College rules, when you’re playing college, if they have a great offense and that offense is on the field, they’re going to try to score. It’s your job to physically try to stop them. That’s what it is with them right now.”
On what the Eagles need to do to stop Cowboys QB Tony Romo:
“We played against him, so we know what he brings to the table. The thing we have to do is get pressure. That’s with every quarterback, that’s what we, as a defense, try to do to everybody. We have to get pressure. We can’t allow him to sit back there and get comfortable in the pocket and move when he wants to move. We have to try to make him move, and do things he doesn’t want to do, before he wants to do them. That also goes with covering the guys and the weapons they have in the secondary, also.”
On whether he is as much of a leader off the field as he is on the field:
“Like I said earlier, I was trying to be a part of this thing. Whatever I can add emotionally, psychologically, whatever I could add to this team to help this team out, I was going to do. If that meant me being on the sideline handing out water, I was going to do it. If that meant kind of getting on a guy every once in a while to pump him up, I’m going to do it. Whatever I could do on the sideline, which wasn’t a lot, physically, whatever I could do to help this team, I was going to do it.”
On his thoughts on the defense so far:
“I think they’ve been playing some good ball. The one thing we mentioned earlier that we haven’t gotten is the turnovers. Everything else, they’ve been doing an awesome job. The two-minute drive [against the Bears], we all never thought that would happen. But, it did and we learned from it. The next week against Minnesota, they did an excellent job of getting off the field when that situation came up again. The young guys are making plays left and right. I think the thing that surprised me the most is how quickly we jelled together as a defense. Those young guys understanding what Jim wanted them to do, the way Jim teaches it, is not always pleasant to listen to. Those guys being able to search through that, and weed out the bad and take in the good, really surprised me.”
On whether the Eagles are in Romo’s head:
“I don’t know. I don’t know the individual. I don’t know how he thinks about game after game. I don’t know if he’s somebody who dwells on the past or learns from the past. The way they’re playing as a team, they’re playing at a high level right now. They’re putting up points when they need to put them up, they’re coming back and winning games when they’re down, they’re doing everything that a good team does. We know we have a challenge in front of us. It’s not just the quarterback; they have some weapons other than him on that offense that we have to be concerned about. We understand that it goes through him most of the time, but they also have some other weapons that we have to be concerned about.”
On whether Cowboys WR Terrell Owens gives a team swagger:
“No, it has nothing to do with that. That’s something that you guys are going to continue to write about. That stuff is over with. The swagger that we have is because of something that we’re doing on the field right now. I could care less about what Dallas has. We’re concerned about what we’re trying to get back to as an Eagles team.”
