Report on who will not play tomorrow: "The people that will not play tomorrow will be (CB) Asante (Samuel), (DE) Victor (Abiamiri), (T) Franklin Dunbar, (DT) Montae Reagor, and (DT) Kimo (von Oelhoffen). (WR) Reggie (Brown), we'll just see how he does. He has inflammation in his achilles tendon, so we're working on that. We'll just see how he feels by tomorrow."
The group rotation for tomorrow's game at Pittsburgh: "The rotation will be the ones, the first group, will go a quarter and a half. The second group will go a quarter and a half, and the third group will go the final quarter, the fourth quarter. Everybody should have an opportunity to play if it all works out right; with maybe the exception of the kickers if we're not in situation where the second punter has a chance."
Opening Remarks: "I look forward to the opportunity to play in a game against somebody else here, besides beating on ourselves. The Steelers, obviously, are a good football team; well coached, with a lot of talent. It will be good to get in there and see what looks good and see what we need to continue to work on."
On who will start if WR Reggie Brown can't go: "It'll probably be (WR) Greg (Lewis). We'll go situational, whether it's Greg or (WR) DeSean (Jackson)."
On whether this preseason game means more than it normally would because the Eagles face Pittsburgh in the regular season on 9/21: "No. It's going to be what it is. I mentioned yesterday that we've cut, obviously, the number of plays down from what we have installed in training camp here just so the guys can get out there and function, in particular the young guys, they can get out there and function and they're not worried about what the play is. It allows them to focus in here today and tomorrow on a little bit smaller volume of plays."
On whether he looks to see if the players are wide-eyed going into preseason games: "Yeah. You get to seem them; they will determine when the lights go on. The adrenaline level is a little bit up when the juices are flowing. You see how they react to things, see if they trust the scheme and technique that they have been taught, and just how they execute."
On whether this is an audition for the younger guys: "The thing you say is, 'Listen, we have 80 guys out here. Obviously, all 80 can't make it and whether you are a veteran player or you are a rookie, this is a showcase for you. It's a showcase to make the football team for those that end up making it, and for those that don't, you have positive film out there for other teams to look at. You don't want to let one rep get away from you. You want to play to the best of your ability on every snap.' "
On whether he considers this preseason game against the Steelers to be a good barometer for a first test: "I don't think you'll see the best in either team from what's going to happen down the road. However, there are a couple of things with this team that you get. You get a very solid defense against a great defensive coordinator and a head coach that was a great defensive coordinator. Then, you have an opportunity to play against a 34-front, which we don't really practice against. That's not what our team does here, so it's a little bit two-fold there."
On whether he is intrigued to see what G Max Jean-Gilles can do with the first unit: "I want to see how he handles it. I had a chance, though, to see him last year against New Orleans and he did very well. But there were certain things that he could work on and improve on, and he's kind of attacked that this offseason. I'll be curious to see how he does in this situation here."
On Jean-Gilles' pass protection: "That's the thing he's worked hardest on. I think he's done a good job with it, but, again, we'll get to see him against different people here. We'll see how he does."
On how much WR DeSean Jackson will be integrated into the offense at Pittsburgh: "He'll be in there a little bit. He'll have an opportunity. He'll work in on certain plays with the ones. They're not plays that are designed for him, but he'll work in with that group of players."
On G Shawn Andrews and how he said he was going to see a doctor today: "That's what he's going to do. Again, it's a personal situation. I know everybody wants to know. I know Shawn came out publicly and gave you guys a statement. That's what it is and we're working with him on it. There's a personal side of things. You have to take care of business and that's what he's doing right now. It's very important that he does that and gets that part of his life taken care of."
On whether it's the most important thing for Andrews to go see the doctor today: "That's what it's all about. That's what it's all about."
On WR/PR DeSean Jackson and whether he'll work in the return game at Pittsburgh: "Yes, he will be the number one punt returner tomorrow."
On whether Jackson will work at kick returner at all: "He'll be the punt returner, and (RB/KR Lorenzo) Booker will do the kicks."
On whether he will be looking at the special teams at Pittsburgh: "That's a big part of it. I said this early in camp that there are going to be certain guys that make this football team because of special teams. If everything is equal, or close to, and you're excelling on special teams, then you're going to be the guy that makes this club. We've got to improve in that area from last year. We think we've addressed it and now we've got to execute it."
On QB Donovan McNabb and whether he's excited to see how he does: "I think he's in and great frame of mind. I don't think this game defines what he's going to do in the season, but I think he's in a great place. I know he's going to have a very good season."
On where it hurts the rookie linebackers that they don't have a 10-year veteran linebacker on the team: "I've got a 10-year veteran (Mike Caldwell) out there coaching them. That's a good thing. I don't think that's a problem right now. I think you'll see, at that position, that we've got young guys and they'll be pretty fired up to play. I'm curious to see how that group performs."
