HEAD COACH ANDY REID
(on if he's preparing for both Titans quarterbacks, Vince Young and Kerry Collins, this week)
I presume that Vince will go. Both of them are very good players, they're different but at the same time you have to focus on the game and you still have to play football. With either one of them you've got to make sure that you play solid football.
(on the Eagles quarterback situation and if he expects to have Michael Vick on Sunday)
Kevin (Kolb) is the starter. We'll just take it day-by-day with Michael, just see how he feels. Right now he's still sore.
(on if he thinks other teams are jealous of his level of talent and depth at the quarterback position)
Listen, I've said it publically, I feel very fortunate. I know Jeff (Fisher) would ditto this with his situation, both of are very fortunate to have two quarterbacks that we feel very good about. In this league, that's not the way it is everywhere.
(on if there is a silver lining that both teams have to prepare for two quarterbacks)
I'm sure Tennessee is going to prepare for Kevin (Kolb), so I'm not sure if they're going to work too much on Michael (Vick) because he's injured. I don't know if that is an advantage either way.
(on how Michael Vick is recovering from his injury)
He's a little sore. He hasn't healed all the way up.
(on what Jason Babin and Will Witherspoon brought to the Eagles last year)
I really like both guys, they're both quality, quality people and they both love to play football. They're perfect for Chuck (Cecil) and Jeff's (Fisher) system right there. Jason has a relentless motor, they widen him out in those wide techniques at defensive end and he's flying around. He loves to play the game, and he's very competitive and it's just a perfect system for him. Then the same way with Spoon, Spoon is very intelligent and a good two-way players, so in other words he's good in the pass game and the run game. Obviously he's a good blitzer, he's got the three sacks and I'm happy for both guys. I enjoyed every minute that they were here and I'm happy for them. That's a great situation for them.
(on if the Eagles considered resigning either or both Jason Babin and Will Witherspoon)
We talked about it. That's a good situation for both of them. I know we had some depth at those spots, anyway they're starting and that's what is important for them right now. Their careers are going sky high here, and they're in a perfect system. Chuck (Cecil) is a heck of a defensive coordinator and Jeff (Fisher) is a phenomenal defensive mind too, so it's perfect for them.
(on the Titans winning 11 consecutive games against the NFC and the difficulties in facing a team from the other conference)
I'm not sure you even look at it that way. You look at it like you're playing another good football team, which they are. We're just preparing for a heck of a battle, that's what we're preparing for—I don't even look at the NFC, AFC, all of that stuff, we don't even go there.
(on facing Chris Johnson for the first time)
I did face him once, over in the Pro Bowl. He's a heck of a player, he's a kid I really liked in the draft—I actually brought him up here on a pre-draft visit. I had a chance to sit down with him; I really enjoy him as a person. I think he's a smart kid, he can pick up the receiving part of it, the running part of it, he can run inside, he can run outside, he kind of does it all and I would have loved to have him in our system and I'm sure Coach Heimerdinger is loving having him in his system. He's a phenomenal player.
(on if he thinks it's harder for teams to play Chris Johnson and DeSean Jackson the first time because they can't grasp their real speed just from watching tape)
They are both very fast, you saw that race they ran against each other—and they're best buddies too, those two by the way. So we're very aware of his speed, being aware of his speed and stopping his that's two different things. He is if not the fastest, one of the fastest players on the field, so you have to make sure you're sharp with your angles.
(on who's faster between Chris Johnson and DeSean Jackson)
They're both fast. I'm glad I've got DeSean and I watched the race and I'm not sure who won that race exactly. It looked like DeSean might have had him by a hair there.
(on if he watched that Shaq vs. Chris Johnson episode)
DeSean made me, he made a copy and made me watch it.
(on how fast he thinks Shaquille O'Neal is)
Shaq I think pulled up at the end, that's a big hamstring to pull right there.
(on if he thinks DeSean Jackson will be able to play this Sunday)
You know, I don't think so, I think that would be a stretch. I'm not picturing that, we'll take it day-by-day, but I'm not picturing that.
(on if the league took appropriate action on the hit that injured DeSean Jackson)
Listen, that was a bang-bang deal right there, that hit was a bang-bang deal. There are some of these that are close; the point is that the league is putting a tremendous amount of emphasis on not using the helmet as a weapon. So we have to go back as coaches and players and continuing to concentrate on fundamentals and those types of things. That's kind of where I'm at, that kid (Dunta Robinson) didn't come into that hit wanting to knock himself out, or knock DeSean out. It was just one of those things that was so fast and such a bang-bang deal that it happened. I don't think it was deliberate on his part; it was just one of those plays. There are just certain plays in this league that happen so stinking fast, it's hard to make adjustments.
(on if the league is making too much from last weekend's big hits)
I don't think so, I think they're making a point and the point is taken. We all understand that, players and coaches we understand that. You lead with your shoulder and that near foot, and that's what you have to do. There is still going to be great collisions, there are going to be great collisions, but it's still going to be a physical game. We just have to eliminate that helmet as a weapon, that son of a gun is pretty hard material right there. If we could just get that out of the picture there on some of the shots, I think that's all the league is asking for.
(on if he thinks defensive players will become more tentative knowing that fines and suspensions might be coming)
I don't think so, I don't think so. I think they'll still be flying around and hitting people. Are one or two of these things going to happen? It's still going to happen just because there are just some things you can't get out of, you can't get out of the way of, but I think the league is looking for the deliberate ones where the helmet is used as a weapon. Just get rid of that, they're not saying you can't knock the dog out of people, just do it the right way.
(on having a similar situation with Juqua Parker having success in Philadelphia he's had after leaving the Titans, like Jason Babin is having with the Titans this year after leaving the Eagles)
Listen (Jason) Babin played good football for us here—this wasn't about him not playing good football. We were a little deep at that position, but that son of a gun stepped in and he is relentless. Playing that wide-nine technique is perfect for him, he's got great instincts, he's explosive, he's fast, loves to play the game—all of those things, so it's perfect for him. That's what it is, listen, JP has done a nice job for us, it's just he fit our deal better than he fit their deal, and I think Jeff (Fisher) was loaded at defensive end at that time.
(on what makes Juqua Parker a good player)
He's fast and he's strong.
(on what he's seen Kevin Kolb improve on these last couple weeks)
I think it's just a natural maturation process taking place, and that's just what I think we're seeing. It's just a matter of playing and getting to the point where you have enough reps under your belt, you get a little more comfortable, the game slows down for you a little bit, see things a little better, I think there is just a natural maturation process that takes place.
(on what kind of challenge the Titans defense presents)
I think they've got a phenomenal defense, so to say it's not a big challenge—I would be wrong saying that. I've got a lot of respect for the Titans defense, for Chuck Cecil. I was on that Green Bay staff when Chuck played and he was a heck of a player and he's doing a great job as a coach.
(on how Chuck Cecil would fare in today's NFL with the threat of fines and suspensions for big hits)
I think Chuck was the first one to get one of these (laughs). He loved to play the game man, that guy would knock the tar out of you. He was a great player.
