Opening Remarks: "Reviewing the last ball game real quick: First half was terrible. Shoot, we gave some things away there. Look, we were playing an excellent defense. However, in many cases when you come out of a game like that, it's not particularly what they did, although they did do some good things. It's what you did. Then, in the second half, it was reasonably good. We had three drives the whole second half and scored a couple touchdowns and one three-and-out. I've got to do better there. We've got to take care of the ball; it's just that simple and (QB) Mike (Vick) has to take care of the ball inside the pocket, as well as outside the pocket. It's just that simple.
"Getting on to the next ball game, we're facing a terrific front. They're outstanding up front on the defensive line. Also, they're very fast; have excellent team speed both up front at the linebacker level and the third level in the secondary. Very fast and extremely skilled as well."
On what he can attribute the offense's slow starts to: "Well, we've started fast a couple of times; first and second drives, not specifically last week. I'm talking all year, and we've gotten down there and turned the ball over and it's just that simple. I really do not say the game would have turned out any differently at all, but geez, (if) we score down there, the game quite possibly flows a little bit differently, I suspect. I haven't been through it many times. So, it's just that simple. We've put together some very good drives early in games and just have turned the ball over. It's that simple. Now, look, there are some other things that we've got to get better at. I will tell you the players understand, they are preparing hard and they are working hard on the field and we'll get that corrected."
On whether he has considered incorporating more no-huddle into the offense: "Well, we have been. We've been doing quite a little bit of it. We've been doing two-minute tempo, as well as some very quick muddle huddle. Typically when you do that, you get more plays and that plays to us and our skill guys in these types of things. Last week, we just didn't get it done. It was really a poor first half. That second series, we go down and fumble on the one. Other than that, we didn't play quite to our standards there. It wasn't even close on some occasions."
On whether the offense can become more methodical rather than scoring on explosive plays: "Well, we've done that this year. Oh yeah, we had a 17-play drive, a 15-play drive. Now, we're still taking our shots and I believe we're sixth in big plays. That sounds a little better than it is because we've only had one touchdown on the big plays. There's been at least two occasions that come right to the front of my mind where we got dragged down there or just out of bounds and then we turned the ball over once or twice. Then, we didn't get it in on another and had to kick a field goal. We're just giving points away. But the big plays, we had some opportunities that we haven't taken advantage of and we've gotten not quite as good as I want, but we've gotten some big plays that are there for us. The good thing is that we have had many long drives."
On whether the offense can capitalize on lengthy drives without turning it over: "Well, we did it against Baltimore. Going back, we've had a bunch of long drives. Both of our touchdown scoring drives in the second half were long drives. That's why we only had three series because they had some long drives, we had some long drives. All of a sudden the game's shortened."
On whether there is any way to draw opposing safeties in that would help open up receivers downfield: "There are some teams that play us very, very soft. There are some teams that do that. But look, we've got (WR) Jeremy (Maclin) one-on-one down the field. We're getting our opportunities. We've just got to take advantage of them. The one to Jeremy, there was a little pressure and something like that, so we just didn't click on that. We've had some opportunities. We've got to take advantage of them. We've had our share of big plays; not quite as many as I want. We're usually in the top three, four, five; I think we're tied for sixth right now, but not enough touchdowns off the big plays. We're typically used to scoring some touchdowns on the big plays as well."
On the issues on offense, besides turnovers: "We've given points away. Also, the turnovers early the first couple of games just took series right away from us. They were early turnovers. You put all that together and then, like this ball club, their numbers are skewed on defense. They're a top-10 defense, but they're at the bottom scoring because they've six returns against them. Well, that defense hasn't given those up. I think there's been four returns on defense and the other team's defense has scored twice, so their numbers are really low. But it's just that simple. We need to score more points. That's my responsibility and I take it very seriously, as you know. But the biggest problem we've had is those turnovers and early in the year, it was some interceptions and fumbles and now, we've got that taken care of, at least for the time being. We've got to continue to work hard and prepare to take care of the football in the pass game. Mike, he's just got to take care of the ball in the pocket and outside of the pocket."
On whether Vick's ball security issues make him adjust how he calls a game: "I would hope not. You've got to fight it just a little bit to stay aggressive and have complete confidence, which I do. So, I would hope not there."
On whether calling two fourth-down runs for RB LeSean McCoy had anything to do with Vick's fumbles: "No, that had nothing to do with it. That was a game plan situation. We had, well, more than two plays in that type of situation."
On whether he would have called a quarterback sneak on those plays had Vick not fumbled early in the contest: "Oh, no. Shoot, I called a QB draw right after he fumbled and that didn't work. We didn't block it there. But no, I would hope not there, because we want to stay aggressive. On the other hand, you just have to take care of the football."
On whether he has seen other players during his coaching career have trouble with turnovers and how he fixed those problems: "Sure, done this a long time. Now, most of it has been a one, two or three game episode there. Then, typically, you emphasize it, you drill it. The players are proud men. They want to take care of the football. Typically, you emphasize it, you get results. It hasn't quite shown yet. There's very few things that are emphasized more than after each play, (making sure that) we have possession of the ball. So, we'll continue to emphasize it, continue to drill it and it's just that simple."
On whether he is surprised at the early success of FB Stanley Havili: "Well, that's a good question. I don't believe I'm surprised because when we acquired Stanley, right off the bat you could see the natural instincts. He's an instinctive player. He can do an awful lot. He's got excellent hands. He can run the football. He's an excellent blocker. So, he is an excellent player for us and has done a fine job at the fullback spot and we'll continue to use him in many different ways."
On whether he is handling pre-snap calls with C Dallas Reynolds differently than he was with C Jason Kelce: "Dallas has done a fine job with that part of it. They're totally different players, of course, with different skill sets so they have different strengths. So we're trying to play to his strengths just a little bit. He's done a fine job up to date. Any time you have a center change, it's typically tough sledding and, in some cases, for several weeks. Well, he's done such a good job that that part of it has been pretty good."
On what T Demetress Bell has done to secure the starting left tackle job: "Demetress was typical of a player from the outside coming in. It took him a few weeks to become comfortable with many things, starting with terminology and the way we go about it and the assignments and then how you do your assignment. So, it took him a few weeks and then it usually pops for most of the fellas and they become pretty comfortable within your system and that's where he's at now."
On whether it helps to game plan against a defensive line scheme similar to the one he sees in practice: "You mean because we've practiced against it all training camp? Sure. Both defenses are quite different, but in the big picture, they're very similar as far as how they align it, what they expect out of the front and these types of things. So, sure. We've certainly practiced against it. It's been quite some time, you know training camp, but that's a plus, yeah."
On the biggest advantage of going no-huddle on offense: "Well, there's several things, but the main thing is pressure. Constant pressure on your opponent."
On the notion that Vick is more comfortable in the no-huddle: "Yeah, I agree with you."
