Injuries: "[G/T] Todd Herremans and [CB] Dimitri Patterson are out. You saw Todd out there the last couple of days working, he actually took some scout team things today. We'll see how he feels after practice here and then tomorrow. [DE] Darren Howard has a toe contusion. I held him out today on the turf; he is listed as probable. Everybody else practiced and did everything."
Opening Remarks: "I look forward to playing the Raiders. We know what kind of football team they are. They have a whole lot of talent on their football team and some young talent that I think is exceptional. It's important that we go out and that we've prepared ourselves the right way and that we play the right way. That is where the focus is at this point and on a two day trip that we understand why we're going out to Oakland and that's to play the Raiders."
On what G/C Nick Cole's role will be in the guard rotation when Herremans returns: "I haven't got that far. Before we started Nick over there so I know he can do it and play at a high level. I don't think it's a problem switching back over there. Whether I [am going to] rotate him or not I don't know. I just have to see how Todd does here and see when that decision has to be made."
On WR Kevin Curtis' health and the expectations for him Sunday: "It actually looked like he did a little better on the turf here and I think his knee feels a little bit better in there. That's a good thing. It looked like he made some progress the last couple of days so we'll just see how he does. He's going on the trip and everything so we'll just see how it goes."
On what Curtis is listed as on the injury report: "He is questionable."
On what he likes about Nick Cole: "He is smart and he has good quickness and strength and good leverage because of his height. At the same time he has long enough arms to play in there so he gets separation. And then, he's a dual player where he can play both guard and center for you."
On whether he thinks Nick Cole is too short: "As long as guys can get separation in their pass protection I really don't care about height, that doesn't bother me. It's just important that they can do that and be able to pass protect when needed. Run-blocking is not the problem with shorter guys, it ends up being the pass protection."
On whether his travel plans are the same as usual for a west coast trip: "Yeah it really is the same. But, it's a frame of mind. It's how you handle that time, it's not necessarily the schedule as how you handle that schedule. That's the important thing here, from the time we get on the plane until the time we play the game, that you utilize that time wisely. That's what we need to do. I have a lot of new guys on this football team and this is the first time that they've been with me on a two-day trip. I expect certain things and I know that the veteran players will be a good example."
On whether he thinks they have done well on the west coast because of the consistency of their travel routine: "We try to keep it as much the same to what we do at home. It's really people executing the schedule more than the schedule itself."
On how FB Leonard Weaver helps the team: "It's one more guy that the defense has to game plan for and worry about. He is a legitimate threat in the passing game, running game and he is a good blocker so he gives you a little bit of flexibility there to do some things."
On whether LB Jeremiah Trotter has progressed this week: "He came in in pretty good shape. I think more just being able to key and read and then attack. I think he's going faster than he did last week and I would anticipate that continues on. As long as his legs stay healthy like they are and the swelling stays out, it's just getting that reaction time back and trusting his indicators and those types of things."
On whether there has been any notable progress from QB Michael Vick since his first game: "Every week he seems to get a little better and I guess you'd say get back in the swing of things. It was good to get him a few snaps in the base offense at the end of the last game. We did throw the ball there which I normally wouldn't do, but I gave Mike that. He needed that work. He took [reps] both under center and from the shotgun; I thought that was good for him. It looks like he's getting his speed all the way back now and he's moving better. I think that really comes from dropping the pounds he'd put on and it looks like he's playing pretty fast right now."
On CB Sheldon Brown's reliability: "Sheldon is a legitimate tough guy. He enjoys playing the game. He wants to be out there and he's a heck of a player."
On how QB Donovan McNabb has responded this week after taking a few hits against the Buccaneers: "He was a little sore, not necessarily in the rib area alone, but sore from playing, on Monday. He's worked through that and he feels pretty good."
On getting some of the injured players healthy: "You have roster moves that you have to make on game day and we'll have to see how that goes."
On whether that is a good problem to have: "It's a good thing. That's right. It's a good problem to have."
On whether he sees WR DeSean Jackson as the type of player that might try to force things too much coming off of a disappointing performance: "I don't see him doing that. He just goes and plays. He does the same thing in practice. He does the same thing in games. He just enjoys playing the game and he does it fast, whether it's in practice or in games. I wouldn't expect that to change."
On whether he expects the Raiders to key in on Jackson: "I'm sure they will. I'm sure most teams will do that, just [based] on the start that he's had and coming off of last year."
