Opening Remarks: "That last ballgame, first, you saw the game; we have an awful lot of hard work left to do. However, there were some excellent things, both as an offense and as groups and as individuals; some really good things. But we do have to clean some things up. We did clear up the penalty situation. I believe we had two on offense, which is still too many, and we had one down there that was important. But in any case, we've got a lot of hard work left to do.
"We're right in the middle of this last week of the preseason (and it) is always double-duty, sort of. We've got a certain group of players that are playing this game. It's really important to them. It's important to our football team and our organization. Then, on the other hand, we've got a certain amount of players that are hoping the other players do the best that they can do in a game, so they're helping them and also they're starting on Cleveland and that's the same with the staff. It's sort of double-duty here this week and that's the way it normally is in the last week of the preseason. (This is an) important game for many players. So that is our main focus there. It is our last evaluation on many of these players as well, so this is an important game for our football team."
On the progress of QB Mike Kafka and whether he anticipates him playing this week: "(I) don't know that yet. The only thing I can say, because this is the only information I have right now and it just came right before the walkthrough, is he's cleared to take snaps. So from (now) on, I'm going day-to-day, practice-to-practice on what other clearance he may get and that'll be up to our head coach Andy Reid and Rick Burkholder, our trainer, and the doctors certainly. So that's the only information I have on Mike, up-to-date."
On where the first team offense currently stands thus far in the preseason: "You know, we've got some work to do there. Again, (this is) very similar to last game. We've done some excellent things as an offense and certain groups and certain individuals have done some outstanding things. We've got to tie that together and you can only do that with preparation and the hard work. So you get those three things, and I'm talking about talent and then the hard work and preparation, and then you put no cap on yourself and that's our philosophy and mentality that we have. We've got some hard work to do to get ready for the regular season."
On how QB Michael Vick will approach this game, knowing he will not play: "I think he's real close to 100 percent. I thought he threw the ball last night just beautifully; threw it strong and aggressively. So, I think he's ready to rock and roll. That's my point on that. I think he's ready to go. I think in that ballgame that he got hurt, I think he would have played in the game if it was a regular season game. I don't know that for sure, but that was just my thought at the time."
On whether he would have returned to the game after his rib injury: "Yeah. It was a bruise."
On the decision-making process when trimming the roster, specifically with the quarterback position: "Well we haven't come to that decision. We've got some days of practice and the last preseason game to evaluate that and discuss it. We've really, and I think we discussed this early in training camp, we've got a host of running backs that are very good. We've got four quarterbacks here (who) really can play at a high level. Those are good things. Those are good things that you have to come to a decision on at some point here and it's coming up pretty quick."
On how much performance in the preseason games weighs into the decision-making process: "Everything's important. Everything is important: every play, every snap, every throw, every choice that a player makes at any position, but certainly the quarterback. However, the game simulations are key evaluations. Players at every position, typically, are either better or worse in a game. You want those guys that are better in a game; the gamers. It really shows up sometimes at the quarterback position, that way."
On whether Kafka will need further evaluation before being cleared to play on Thursday: "I don't know all of that. The only thing I got this morning was that word that he's cleared to take snaps. That's as far as I can go there. I'm sure I'll get specific information here coming up today."
On whether QB Nick Foles is the back-up quarterback entering the season: "That choice has not been made. We've got several different things to evaluate there. We've got practices coming up and the last preseason game as well. I certainly have great confidence in all of our quarterbacks to do all of the jobs that we would ask them to do: back-up and the number three. I have got great confidence in all of our quarterbacks to do that. (Quarterbacks coach) Doug Pederson has done just an outstanding job with all four of the quarterbacks."
On whether the team can keep eight offensive linemen: "Those are choices that we will make, upcoming. I think we're getting just a little bit ahead of ourselves with eight or nine. In every spot, you could keep one more or one less. Special teams has a big influence on players making this football team as well. You may go heavy at one position because you have one or maybe even two excellent special teams' players there and you may go light at another position because a player or two just didn't play special teams at the level that we want them to play as well."
On how he feels about the second-team offensive linemen: "Excellent. (Offensive line coach Howard Mudd) has done just an outstanding job with the guys up front. I think there's going to be some tough choices at several positions. I think we certainly have some fellas that may not make this team that will play elsewhere and quite possibly play at a high level. So, those are some tough choices coming up, but those are good things. Our personnel department has done an outstanding job of filling our roster."
On what T King Dunlap did to separate himself at the left tackle position: "He played at a consistent level. Now, he's got some past history as well. I will say that when he's played in ballgames in the recent past history, he's done a fine job. So, we were looking for a high level of play, which he's shown that he is capable of doing on a consistent basis and he's done that really throughout training camp, especially once that first week (finished). Then all of a sudden, he was playing pretty consistently. He's done a good job. I've got great confidence in King because some of it is past history; he's done it before for us as well."
On whether QB Trent Edwards can be classified as a gamer: "I think he's a gamer. There's no question; he has some natural instincts. I think his experience has shown as well. You've been to all of our practices, so you see that he gets very, very few reps and that was the thought with him going in. He understood his role, that he was going to get very few reps and then I expect him to go in a game and perform at a high level and he's done that. He's done just a beautiful job, just like I expected him to do and just like he expected himself to do and all his teammates and all the coaches expected.
"He's done a fine job. He goes all the way back to Los Gatos High School down in the Bay Area, so I've known about him for a long time and followed his career through Stanford and certainly Buffalo. You can see, and I don't mean to ramble, but you can understand why he started for a long period of time, because he's got some of those natural instincts and he does it the right way. There's not many surprises with him. He's quite disciplined and has some natural ability and natural instincts."
On whether he can see a scenario where Kafka does not play Thursday but still enters the season as the back-up quarterback: "All of those are possibilities. There's no question. All of those are possibilities. We've had very few discussions on that, up-to-date. There has been some, but very few."
On whether RB Chris Polk has actually practiced as the lead blocker in the backfield: "No; however, I do think he would be able to do it if we asked him to do some of those things. (He's a) very physical player. He's an outstanding player and he's shown in the preseason his style of play. I love how he goes about his business on the football field."
On what role WR Damaris Johnson can have on the team: "Well, we'll see. He's in a battle right now. He has shown dynamic ability and, see, guys his size, there's not many that can play in this league. So you have to be special in sometimes two categories, certainly one category, and he has shown that dynamic ability and some of the things that you need to have to play at his size. Now, his challenge is to play on that level on a real consistent basis and he's got to be consistent for us to help this football team. That's his challenge right now."
