Opening Comments: "Alright, covering the last game – The precision was pretty good, I told the players I was proud of them that way, did a good job there. We've got to get better. You saw the game; there were a handful of plays that we've got to get better at. In fact, a couple of them could wreck a game. We allowed 94 to do a little damage, didn't want that to happen. So, we did a little bit better with a handful of things. Moving on to this game, it's going to be a tough physical game. The Bears pride themselves in giving up a low amount of points, and doing that. They're better than their numbers show. They had a couple of games early that didn't go real well for them, that's why the numbers are skewed just a little bit that way, they're still pretty good as far as the points go. [Bears DE Julius Peppers] is a heck of a player, one of the very best in the league. In fact, they've got two ends that are just outstanding. All three of their linebackers are outstanding. A couple of them are aging, but they look like they're right in the middle of their careers, they still run very well, they're still physical. In the secondary, they've made some adjustments there personnel-wise from early in the season. [Bears CB Charles Tillman] over there is one of the better corners, he's a terrific player with experience as well. So my point is we're playing a heck of a defense, and so we've got to be on."
On whether running the ball against the Bears will be a different challenge or more difficult than other teams: "Well two things come to mind there. You can't let the Chicago Bears trick you in regard of simple, only do what they do so well, because they've got plenty of ammunition schematically. Okay, so that's first. And then second, over-pursuit, they do a little bit less than others so they do it very, very well. They've got all the keys, and you can compare it to other defenses, and offenses, really. When you don't do quite as much you've got all of the counters off those, so it becomes very, very good as far as solid, fundamental football."
On why the games against the Bears have been such a tough matchup for the Eagles in last three of four years: "Well, the Chicago Bears are an excellent football team, and they have been for many years. They're well coached, they've got talent, they've got some exceptional players on defense. Really, they do. Pro-Bowl type players for many, many years. They play on a high level on a consistent basis. The only time they've had bad years it seems like is when half their squad was injured, and some of those key players. So, that's the main goal. We've matched up a little bit differently because we've had different players. They are a team that will stay in the ball game, and then if they get a lead, they turn it to that front four which is very good. They get after the quarterback, their sack totals aren't high, but they get after the quarterback with push in games and they make that quarterback throw very, very quickly. Those corners are very good. They play a lot of the Tampa-Two, not as much as one would think, but they it more than most, and they do a nice job, we're talking precision, getting out of rhythm just a little bit."
On whether RB LeSean McCoy practiced today and whether he expects to have him: "We'll see. He did do the walkthrough. He's sick, he's coming back from that. He was in an early morning meeting this morning, you know, that he doesn't need to be in. So, I think he's going to end up being fine. He's still kind of, it appears, battling it just a little."
On why TE Brent Celek has become more of a factor in the passing game the last few weeks and whether it has anything to do with the offensive line playing better: "Well, there's a host of reasons for that, but that certainly is one of them. When his play is called, he's been there, when he's been one or two in the progression. So that's happened a few times. And then there are some other things that have occurred that have us to get him the football."
On whether Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan blitzing less than expected allowed Celek to be more of a factor in the passing game: "Oh, he tried. The first two plays."
On whether Ryan backed off when the blitzes weren't working: "No, he blitzes. It was probably, because I figured it out a few days ago I have to go backwards here, it was probably in the upper echelon blitz-wise throughout the whole game. There were some segments of the game where we didn't see much."
On the challenge of trying to score against a defense that plays you "soft" and whether it has to do with having to put together longer drives: "Well, that's right. We've been, or at least in recent past history here, the efficiency part has been pretty good for us. And you're right, they rely on a run for zero, or they get a tip, or they hurry the quarterback, and all of the sudden they've got you in a third and long. They're very good at reading, and then when you drop it in underneath, they are so fast that they get to that ball and prevent you from getting that extra yardage. So they've always been very good at that, and they still are."
On whether it is more difficult to run against a 4-3 than a 3-4 defense: "Well it depends on the exact scheme, and the personnel. There's a whole host of things that go into it. These guys, in the past, they've been very, very good against the run."
On using the "bend back" block, what made them start to use it, and why it has been so effective: "Well, we've done that, we've just done it a little more. That's a basic play."
On whether anyone can execute it or whether TE Brent Celek and TE Clay Harbor are especially good at it: "Oh, I think our tight ends are excellent at some of those things, absolutely, if that was your question, absolutely. Physical tight ends, and really you can put the fullback there, a physical fullback, that can elevate a run game. It's physical, tough and we've got two of them that are physical and tough guys, and they've done an excellent job."
On whether Offensive Line Coach Howard Mudd has been working with the tight ends at all: "Well, Howard isn't a good o-line coach at all, he's a great one. In fact, I told him yesterday it's good to have him here. He's been through a ton with the hip replacement; it's amazing he's done in the past. In the small time he's been here he's doing a heck of a job, and we certainly appreciate it."
On Harbor wanting to improve his blocking coming out of college and what he has done to improve: "Well, you're right. You saw this man coming out of college, talking about Clay Harbor, a physical guy, he liked contact and he was good at it. Technique-wise, he was very raw, and so [Tight Ends Coach] Tom Melvin has done a heck of a job with him the past couple of years, and ultimately Clay has to get it done. He's done a fine job, and he's still progressing, he's still getting better every day and every week, so he's got a good future ahead of him."
On the advantages of the "bend back" block: "It depends on who you're playing, who's back there. It'll happen differently against different schemes and different players. It's pretty simple stuff."
On how impressed he was with QB Michael Vick's mental performance: "Very good. We talked about this a little bit last week I think, it hasn't quite shown, but I think Mike has really taken a big step with his recognition, and people don't see, I don't think, all of the things he does now in the huddle and pre-snap, and he's done really a fine job there, and he's continuing that process as well."
On whether he is asking Vick to do more than other quarterbacks he's coached: "Well, the game's evolving as well, so some of that comes into play. I hate to compare. Some quarterbacks are really good. I thought Donovan, I have to go backwards, and I hate to talk about players that are on other teams, but I thought Donovan was very, very good, excellent, that was one of his strengths at the line. Every quarterback is different. Some are great in the huddle, some are great at both, some are great at audibling, some don't audible quite as much as others, some can't wait, they're salivating to attack somebody, even something real simple, and others it has to be within very structured. So, every quarterback is different that way, and they all have different, sort of ingrained personalities in that way, so you do what's best for that particular quarterback, and he's done a fine job."
On whether there has been a slight change in philosophy offensively because of how well McCoy is playing: "[Jokingly] Well, you use him too much he gets sick. Give him the ball a few times, he gets sick, you know. No, every game is different."
