You said you were heartbroken about your performance in the first half. What happened? "Once we got down 14-0, I just started pressing the issue.  I think that's the time when you have to be cautious and patient.  I knew I was only going to be in two quarters and wanted to put some points up on the board.  I just pressed the issue too hard and wasn't patient.  Those are solely against the quarterback's rules if you're down 14 points.  You have to let things happen.  I didn't do that.  Just forcing throws that I wouldn't normally make. I take full responsibility for not getting things done tonight."

When you were trailing, did you feel like you were pressing more? "You always want to put on a good showing and you always want to be at your best.  Every down you want it to be perfect.  You want it to be bright.  I think I just got caught up in getting down 14-0 and wanted to get some points on the board before the half was over. That's just not the way you play football."

Did making the statement about the GQ article affect you today? "Not at all. Like I said, the issue was pressing to put points on the board. In the game, everything is a full-court game.  I didn't have that type of time, and I let that get the best of me.  I don't know why.  I think as a veteran in this league, you have to understand the situation and be cognisant of it.  You just can't press the issue the way I did tonight and make bad decisions.  I just have to correct it and move on from it.  The good thing is I acknowledge what I did and I know why I did what I did. All those turnovers can be corrected."

Why did you feel compelled to make a statement? "I did solely want it to seem like the Commissioner pushed me to make a decision.  That was not the issue.  I had four or five people around me that helped consult in making my decision, but ultimately it came down to me.  That's why I wanted to clear that up.  I never said that in three years. That wasn't the case. It was totally up to me. After talking to Andy, that's why the decision was made for me to come here."

How did you end up in Philadelphia? "It was a lot of moving parts that had to take place.  As a competitor, you want to play. Of course, Cincinnati and Buffalo were on the table at the time, and I really had to evaluate my situation and how my body felt, and had to take some things into consideration, and also had to convince them to let me come here.  That was after I made the decision to come here, in negotiations with my agent and with the Eagles.  Once the decision was made, that's when everything worked out.  I wanted to be here, I wanted to be with Andy.  I knew that I was going to have to sit, and that it was going to pay great dividends for me.  I considered it at the time, but that goes to show how much I know because things have worked out. I'm glad to be an Eagle and I hope to be here for a long time."

Did the Commissioner persuade you to come here at all? "No, absolutely not. The decision came down to me and my agent. Mostly me, but my agent gave me the best advice possible.  The Commissioner had no say in what happened.  He just gave me the opportunity to come back, which I was thankful for.  After that, I think it's primarily up to you and your agent to make the decision.  I hate that it goes misconstrued that way. Like I said, it was my decision at the end of the day, and I chose to come here."

When did it dawn on you that you made the right decision to come here? "After the first preseason game when I played against the Jets and tried to take off running and fell flat on my face because I had no legs under me.  That right there, showed me that I wasn't ready to play an entire season, the pressures that came along with it.  As far as your body and your physical condition, and endurance that you need.  After that game, I was just happy that I had the opportunity to sit back and watch the game for a year and be a rookie again."

As a leader, how much does reality set in after all the positive press about the organization? "The reality is definitely going to set in.  We feel like we have a great team.  We are capable of doing some big things this upcoming season. We are in a very humble state right now. I think as long as the guys can look back and look at the film and understand why things happened the way they did, and then we can improve from it and move on. That's the only thing that's keeping me upbeat right now.  I know why I did the things I did and I know how to correct them. I think if we can do that, we can move on from this. Like I said, we got a piece of humble pie today."

Will you be under a microscope more than you have been in the past? "Yeah I think so, but that comes along with the territory. We accept that challenge.  It's not going to be easy. Each and every Sunday, it's not going to be easy. This is a tough game, and every week you've got to bring your A-game, and if you don't you're going to be embarrassed."