Opening statement: "I thought that, of course we got off to a good start today which was very important and then they came rushing back, as they usually do. They had all kinds of time of possession, but we fought our way back. We fought our way back in the second half. Many, many guys made outstanding…of course (WR) Victor Cruz had a huge day. (CB) Aaron Ross had a huge day. Everybody contributed, great job by the players and the coaches in this one, it's just nice to come down here and win in the division."
On the importance of winning this game even with injuries: "Well, let's hope it...you've got to aim high and you've got to be able to work your way through all of these things. It's early in the season, we're 2-1, that certainly means a lot to us. You know, we've stuck by the idea of just speaking to the next guy to come along and other players have to step up when you have injuries of the nature that we've had and a lot of guys did play very, very well and are going to have to continue to."
On what you say to the team after this win: "Congratulations, nice win in the division."
On the secondary bouncing back today: "Well, they did bounce back. Philadelphia's going to make some plays, there's no doubt about that, but we made some key, critical stops at the right time. After the one right at the big drive there early in the ball game to get the turnover there and then later in the game when they're trying to set themselves up to get back in it, the play down the sideline that (CB) Aaron (Ross) makes, that was huge. So we just kept pounding away. And the other factor was, we didn't turn it over. We did not turn it over offensively or special teams today, and it was very productive."
On the hard count that drew the offside on the first field goal attempt: "That was something that we've worked on. We had had early in the game some uncharacteristic penalties with our defensive front in terms of jumping around and we were just fortunate that we were able to take some time off the clock with that play."
On Ross' game today versus his game last week: "Well, I was happy for him. I was very, very happy for him. He played very well. He put himself in position. He really did a good job of understanding what they were trying to do, of recognizing some of the formations that they threw at us, and putting himself in position to make some plays."
On whether he was surprised that the Eagles went for it on fourth down: "I think what happens there is that they're confident that they either have play or they have something that they are very, very sure is going to be effective. You know, it's kind of like the fourth down that we went for. Had we made that, we keep the ball, we move the ball down further, we keep it out of their hands and we thought very well about what we were doing as well but didn't make it."
On whether the Eagles weren't afraid to give them the ball at midfield: "Possibly, you'd have to ask them that one."
On Cruz's scoring game today: "He really, really played well. He understood exactly what had to happen and he made it happen. I mean the touchdown, the second touchdown there, he just goes up in the air over the top of two people and makes a play. Under that circumstance, it's not like just catching it and running with it. The ball was in the air and all three people were stopped and about to elevate and he goes up and makes a play like that. That was a heck of a play."
On screen passes to the running backs working today: "Just a plan, just a plan. They are a very effective screen team, as you know, and we had a couple of thoughts with the screens as well."
On the need for Cruz to step up given the injuries at WR: "Well, he knew that this was his opportunity. We did say it to him, we did say it to him in so many words. And he responded very, very well."
On DE Jason Pierre-Paul's injury: "I think he'll be okay. He seemed to be…he was cramping and I think he'll be okay."
On whether the game against the Eagles last December influenced today's game: "That has been a theme we've developed since day one, about finishing. And of course it referred to not only that game, but some other games last year that we didn't finish the way we thought we should. So we were able to do that today and I was proud of the guys and the way they went about their business."
On the goal-line stand to keep the Eagles to the field goal: "Well they had been running the fullback belly in there and we knew we had to stop it and we did. And so the guys that were in there in the A gaps did a nice job."
On the redzone defense against Philadelphia's speed: "Well believe it or not, there's mounds and mounds of tape. They're down there a lot. There's a lot to study. You're just rolling the dice. We made a nice play on their little shovel pass which they had scored on, I think it was against St. Louis. And so we made a nice play on that play. We just rose up and made some outstanding plays when we had to make them and we kept them out of the endzone. You do your work, you hope you recognize the personnel combinations and the formations and we did do a good job of that."
On not turning the ball over today: "Well that's huge for us. That's something that we really have focused in on and sometimes, you know, obviously, just talking about it is not the answer, but to be able to play against an opponent like this with the aggressiveness and intensity with which they play and be able to keep the ball—there was a tipped ball one time that scared the heck out of me—but otherwise, we were able to keep it away from them."
On their first win over Philadelphia in six games: "Well, I mean you'll have the flavor for the words in the story, I'm just glad to come down here and win. It's in the division, we needed to win a game in the division. This is a big weekend in the division, everybody's playing each other. So to come in here and win was big."
On the scuffles during the game: "There's always a great intensity in this game. It's no different any other time. Yeah, Giants-Eagles games."
On Philadelphia running the ball: "They had success doing it. They had success running it, that's why they stayed with it."
