On whether being named starter for this week's game changes how he will prepare or how he feels headed into the game with Detroit: "No. Ultimately, I just want to have a great week of preparation and get myself physically and mentally ready to go out and play this game Sunday, and go out and try to be effective and help this team get a win."
On whether his performance in practice this week is how he envisioned the week would go: "It's my first time practicing with the first team, trying to get chemistry with them, and just get on the same page with those guys. You have go out there and you have to get reps. And you have to just go out there and practice hard and try to be efficient in practice, and try to envision yourself at game speed and doing things that you are going to try to simulate in the game. So, it was great to get out there with the first unit and get the reps all week, and feel good about my preparation."
On whether he is ready to start against the Lions: "I'm ready. I'm ready to go, with a full week of preparation and a lot of film study and a lot of game planning. It's time to go."
On whether he feels like a rookie again, since he has not started a game at quarterback since 2006: "I think last week kind of broke the ice for me as far as getting the jitters out and going out there and playing when the game counted and it was on the line, and being out there full time. I'm not too nervous, ready to get going, ready to get out there and play. It's fun to be back and playing in a position where I can help my football team win."
On when the last time was that he felt this good physically and mentally: "It's been a long time since I felt this good physically and mentally. I'm just glad that I had a chance to work myself back into football shape and I'm very thankful that I had the opportunity to come back and play this game. So thankful for all of the people who helped get me in this position and put me in this position, (NFL commissioner) Roger (Goodell), Tony (Dungy) and (head coach) Andy (Reid). So I just have to thank God and thank those who were very instrumental in that process."
On whether he feels better than he did in 2005 or 2006: "Honestly, I feel better than I ever did in my career, physically and mentally. I take care of my body, I prepare hard, I study hard. I try to do everything I can to make sure I can be productive for this football team when I step out onto the field. That's what's most important to me, other than my family right now, it's football."
On how he feels that he benefitted from having an entire week to work with the starting offense: "Obviously, I feel more comfortable after an entire week of preparation with the starters, and building that chemistry and camaraderie. I just feel good, feel confident about the game plan, feel confident about what we're trying to do and what we're trying to accomplish, and I just have to go out and make the most of my opportunities, not only for me, it's for my football team."
On whether he feels like he will have to control his emotions on Sunday since he has not started in so long: "As a quarterback, you have to stay even keel. You let the guys around you do the ra-ra thing. I think mentally you've got to be focused and you've got to be prepared, and you almost have to play the game in your mind, and I've played the game this week so many times in my head that by the time I get there, I'll just be ready to go, relaxed, and focused, and ready to get the game going."
On whether he has talked to QB Kevin Kolb and how he is feeling after his concussion last Sunday:"I talked to Kevin. Kevin's doing well. He actually said he felt a lot better today, felt like he could've gone out there and participated on the practice team and ran the scout team, so that was great. It was great to see him moving around and feeling confident about himself and his health, so it's good, hopefully he'll be back next week."
On whether Kolb gave him any advice:"Yeah, Kev always gives me advice. We were upstairs watching film and just trying to figure out what ways we can go out and attack Detroit's defense and be effective and it's always good to have him around. Even last week, when he couldn't come out on the sidelines, I wanted him to come out there with me, because I knew he was going to be a big help."
On whether he has communicated with QB Donovan McNabb: "Yeah, we texted last week. We keep in touch, and Donovan—that's my guy. I'm rooting for him, and I know he's going to do well. They had a good win last week, and we're always pulling for one another."
On whether playing Sunday will be a surreal moment for him: "It's a surreal moment. Honestly, I didn't think it was going to happen this early. As a backup, you kind of a get into a mode of thinking that you're not going to play even though you just have to be prepared for whatever happens. I kind of got relaxed for a minute and obviously I was thrown into the fire and wasn't expecting it, but hey, you're a professional player, you've got to be ready, you've always got to be on top of your game and be ready to go. Like I said, it's just a great feeling to have an opportunity to go out and start and play and try to help this football team win a football game."
On whether the biggest change seen in his game is going from an overconfident quarterback to having to trust in his coaches and teammates: "I'm always going to be a confident quarterback. I just have to so many weapons around me and so much talent that you don't have to do it by yourself. At some point in Atlanta, I felt like I had to do it all, and really, I didn't. But that's just a growing process, and that's how you have to progress as your career goes on and that's part of maturing."
