<span style=""><span style="">Q: Can you talk about who deserves credit for the Player of the Week award?</span>
A: The offensive line deserves a ton of credit, all the credit obviously. The skill guys made a ton of plays. We're still going to focus on the things that we need to get better at and the things that could potentially cost us in a game like this. It's going to be physical. It's going to be one where whoever minimizes the mistakes and whoever makes the least amount of turnovers will win the game.
Q: Can you talk about the Philadelphia defense overall?
A: They've been one of the best for a decade ever since Andy Reid and Jim Johnson have been there. I know that obviously Jim Johnson having passed away and Sean McDermott being the understudy to him, it looks very much the same defense in regards to their scheme and the attitude they play with and the tempo they play with, the speed, the pressure packages. They can give you potentially a lot of looks and you have to be ready.
Q: Does it make you take caution that they had five interceptions last week?
A: Taking care of the football is at a premium knowing that this has been one of the strengths for this defense for a long time, putting pressure on the quarterback with pressure packages and having guys in the secondary who can make plays on the ball and doing something with it when they do get it. I think for us, it's about not giving them a short field and not giving them those opportunities, doing as great a job as we can taking care of the football, getting positive plays as opposed to negative plays and at times playing the field position game.
Q: Were most of the turnovers by Carolina self-inflicted?
A: It's always a combination of both. Maybe the ball could have been thrown a little bit better, but they can give looks where a guy throws it to a spot where he thinks he should be throwing it. They have a guy there. If you look at the tape, they do a good job. They're ball hawks. They're around the ball when it does come out, so they're ready to make a play. They have ball skills in that secondary. If that ball's in the air, they will make a play on it.
Q: Is preparing for the defense like preparing for a Gregg Williams defense at practice?
A: You just know what to expect and the type of game it's going to be. Eliminating the mental errors and taking care of the football are the most important aspects in this game for us.
Q: What do you remember from the games against Philadelphia in the 2006 season?
A: Both of them, the regular season game and the playoff game were similar; the scores were the same 27-24. Both games were the same in that they went down to the final quarter. I think you always expect that type of game. You take care of the football against this team. You take advantage of opportunities when they do pressure you. When the team pressures, they're hoping for the big play, but at the same time, it might give you an opportunity.
Q: Do you watch extra film to see how players like Asante Samuel can bait players into doing things?
A: Both of those corners are veteran guys. Asante Samuel has six or seven years, Sheldon Brown on the other side about the same, so these guys have been around for a while and they've played together for a number of years. They're just a great tandem. It's not like you can go away from one side and go to the other. They're both very good. You just try to find if there are any weaknesses and then trust your guys, your matchup, and the guys you're throwing to in a scheme and go ahead and go with it. You definitely need to be aware of where both of those guys are and the technique they're playing, the pressure package that might be associated with it too.
Q: Is that essentially the scouting report on Samuel?
A: He seems like a guy who's a study of the game, studies film, studies receivers, studies route concepts, knows when his team is pressuring and the quarterback has to get the ball out and he's there with his eyes in the backfield with the quarterback, reading him. That's where the chess match comes into play. I'm looking at him, studying his habits like he's studying mine. That's where I think the game and chess match is played.
Q: What do you think of the NFL's rationale in terms of letting Charles Grant and Will Smith play at this time?
A: All I can say is I'm really glad to have Will and Charles playing for us.
Q: Is it a unique position at quarterback where he doesn't practice all week and then plays because of what's involved in what could be the case with Donovan McNabb?
A: Yes, because he's the only guy that touches the ball on every play. They're the decision-maker. If he (McNabb) didn't play, yes he's one of the best in the league. But with that system, that's not to say that with the talent that they have on that side of the ball and the plays they can run that they normally would. We have to be ready for that. In our minds, it's not like we're playing a lesser team. It's the same team, same philosophy, and same attitude.
Q: Does an instance where one of your teammates asked you about your touchdown passes Sunday if you had lost count of your touchdowns. You said six. He said it should have been eight. Do you remember?
A: I think it was (Darren) Sharper. I don't want to make it seem like that wasn't a big deal or a special game because I've never thrown six in an NFL game before. I've done it in college. To me it was just happening. I'm trying to make every throw accurately, every play I can. At the end of the game, it's what I do every time win or lose; I think what could I have done better today. With that throw, I could have made a better check on this one or whatever, I shouldn't have taken that sack, should have thrown it away, should have made the tackle on the punt return. I think about all those things and then you just go back and calculate it up.
Q: How do you feel about people saying you have Dan Marino's 1984 record in your sights and Tom Brady's touchdown record in sight?
A: I'm just trying to win football games, however we can get that done. I didn't think about it last year, although you guys made it hard every week with your "you're on pace talk". I always look at the next game. You're only as good as your last. Performance and you leave your signature out there every time you play the game. It's all about this next game or next performance and whatever I can do to help this team win, whether it's throwing zero touchdowns or six touchdowns, I want to do a good job.
Q: Is Philadelphia one of the toughest places to go to play?
A: Yes, it is a tough place to play. This is what NFL's all about, going on the road to hostile environments, dealing with those elements and still being able to execute and look sharp and do the right things. That's what it's all about. Those are some of your best memories when all is said and done. You talk about remembering being here and winning that game in overtime. Remembering another place where you won on the road. That was big. Those are character builders. That's what helps build the identity of a team.
