Opening Comments: "Alright, injuries – really, the only person that didn't practice was [CB] Asante [Samuel]. [DT] Trevor [Laws] did participate in practice. Asante is still a little sore, and we'll just see how he does here over the next couple days. Guys have had a good week of practice; look forward to the challenge of playing the Dallas Cowboys. We know they're a good football team, that's the way the guys have prepared, to play a good football team. Again, a good week of practice."
On seeming to be confident on Monday that Samuel would be okay to play Saturday and whether anything has changed or whether Samuel has had any setbacks: "Well, he jogged a little bit and got sore. That's where it was on Tuesday, so we just backed off him. We're trying to rehab it and see how it goes from there."
On whether Samuel is listed as questionable: "Well, we have nothing today. I'll let you know that tomorrow. [Director of Football Media Services] Derek [Boyko] will give it to you."
On how CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has done since coming back from the injury and playing on the outside: "Listen, that's where he's played over the years. We worked him as an inside player and I thought he was getting better every week with that, but his natural spot, where he feels the most comfortable is on the outside. He's looked good; he's done a nice job. He doesn't have a problem doing it."
On whether Rodgers-Cromartie playing press allows the Eagles to do different things because CB Nnamdi Asomugha plays press while Samuel plays off: "Actually, he's done both. I think he's as comfortable in either-or. I wouldn't necessarily say that, with the Asante part. Asante's actually had some good snaps this year in press coverage."
On whether he kept so much depth at cornerback in the preseason because it is hard for cornerbacks to make it through 16 games: "Well, yeah, we've seen that in the past, that it's tough for those guys to get through the season, at least the history of it has been that way here. You know, I'll tell you, that position, your d-line, you can't have enough of those guys, and we're fortunate to have the guys we have at that spot."
On whether the fact that Samuel is an established veteran increases his chances of playing without practicing: "Yeah, he knows what we're doing; it's just a matter of getting the soreness out of there to where he feels comfortable. I mean, nobody wants to play more than he does so you know he's going to do everything possible to get himself ready to go."
On the tough decisions he's going to have to make along the defensive line because everyone is healthy and whether that is a luxury at this point in the season: "Well, yeah definitely, just off of the statement I made about the corners – we're fortunate to have a good number of defensive linemen, but also good players at that spot, so we can kind of mix and match the way we want to. I haven't made any decisions on it. I had to see Trevor get out and run around today before you can make any decisions, so we'll go from there."
On why the big win against the Cowboys earlier in the season wasn't a turning point for the team: "I don't know. I mean, I haven't even gone there. I'm just focused in on this. You don't look back, that's not what doing at this point. You're focusing in on the Dallas Cowboys; all of your energy goes into that football team and getting yourself prepared to play them."
On how challenging it is physically to travel across the country on a short week: "You know what; this one's not quite as short as the other [Thursday at Seattle] one as far as you're gaining a couple extra days and that every day helps. I think the guys feel pretty good right now; they moved around great today, seemed to have a lot of energy. They had energy after practice yesterday, they had energy before and when we came together at the end of practice, so that's the important thing. Listen, they have an opportunity to play the Dallas Cowboys, and when the Dallas Cowboys and the Eagles get together it's always exciting. They look forward to all that."
