On how excited the team is to play Week 1: "Our players have been working so hard. We keep saying the same thing that our players have been practicing fast and flying to the ball. I think it's going to be exciting that we get to do it against somebody else and not just our own guys."
On how excited he is for his first game as defensive coordinator: "We have a goal, the whole organization has a goal, and that's to win the Super Bowl. This is the first step right here."
On how good Rams QB Sam Bradford looks on tape: "I tell you this: I don't look at him as being a second-year QB. To me, he's one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL and he looks that good. He's under control, poised, and does a good job throwing the football. He's a good leader."
On how long it will take to bring the new players together as unit: "I think, for anybody, it's a process. That's the thing that you build up. Every week is a process and you get better and better and better, and ultimately in the end, whoever is the best or has improved the best is going to win the Super Bowl. That's what we're looking at every week, to improve, get better, and improve to get better and work on our fundamentals."
On how the defensive line will work against Rams RB Steven Jackson in the wide-9 technique: "For anybody, I think the first thing you want to do is stop the run. That will be a great challenge for our guys. We have been working on the fundamentals for the run game, and that's one of the things we do right after we tackle. Our linebackers work on working their hands, and that's something that we'll do every day."
On which type of personnel groups they will use going into a pass-first environment like a dome: "Intially, you have to see what the offensive coordinator, who is a great offensive coordinator, will do and then we'll go from there. We have different packages that we have used all season, and we'll go from there."
On whether he thinks that St. Louis will know how to react to his defense: "I hope they at least know we're going to be fast, play fast, be physical, and be fundamentally sound."
On having CB Joselio Hanson back in a talented cornerback group: "The thing with Jose is the chemistry. He's a good person, a hard worker. I think he's shared his story with the media about what he did to be an NFL player. That might be bigger than anything else is the chemistry and what kind of person he is, and what that brings to that group."
On whether having DT Antonio Dixon back will improve the d-line's play against the run: "He is a big man, and he's done a good job against the run game. So yes, that does help us."
On the role that WR Danny Amendola has taken in the Rams offense: "I remember Danny from when he was here. He was a very good football player. Great change of direction, great hands. The thing that not everyone knows but we know is that he's a great competitor. He's a competitor. Besides being a really great person, he's a great competitor. I think when you go against a great competitor, you have to bring it like he's going to bring it."
On whether Amendola has developed into the quintessential slot receiver: "What they do with him is they do a good job putting him everywhere. He lines up outside, inside. If they have three receivers, he can be inside, outside, or in the middle."
On whether he has been nervous or losing sleep thinking about his first game as defensive coordinator: "You know what? When you talk about nerves, I get nervous about how my sons are doing in college. I have two sons that are in college, and that makes me nervous. That makes me lose sleep. If you have kids, you understand it. You talk about pressure in life and worrying about what your kids are doing when they're older, that's pressure. That's tough on you. Both of them are doing good, thank God. Really, my goal, and I've said it before, is that this is the first step in the process of what we're trying to do here, which is to bring a championship to Philadelphia. It's not bragging or anything, it's just that's what this city wants and what it's geared to. This is the first step."
On whether the defense is at the point where it'd normally be at this point in the season: "What happens is with no OTAs or mini-camps, I think it affects everybody. Even veteran teams, and I know that some teams did some work on their own, but the OTAs and in mini-camps there are a lot of things that you cover and a lot of things that you do. We feel this is going to be something with our guys in the fourth quarter. That's what it's going to be. The fourth quarter is going to be the key. How we play in the fourth quarter and what we do in the fourth quarter, that's what it's going to be."
On whether he thinks some teams will not be conditioned as well as other teams: "I think that it's going to play a big role in all the games and not just our game, but across the NFL. The teams that are in the best condition are the one who will be able to win games, at least in the first three or four weeks until everyone is able to get even as far as being in shape."
On whether the new players will make it harder to come into the season in the best condition: "We've gotten dealt the same hand, and we'll be there with everyone else. The coaches have a great plan in place, and we'll be ready to go play."
On who will start at safety alongside Kurt Coleman: "Right now, JP (Jarrad Page). The good thing is we feel good about Nate (Allen), Jaiquwan (Jarrett) and Cole(man). We feel pretty good about our safeties."
