COACH TOM COUGHLINQ: Antrel worked yesterday, but not today?
A: Well, they're trying to control him, the swelling inside.
Q: How do you feel about the team's progress for Sunday's game?
A: I thought today was good. I thought yesterday was good as well. I think mentally they're in pretty good shape, and I think we're moving towards having a good week of practice.
Q: Still think Antrel will play Sunday?
A: That's what we're hoping and feeling.
Q: What's your confidence level inStevie Brown!,Will Hill!andTyler Sash!at the other safety?
A: Stevie and Will have played a lot last week. They've had experience and they'll get a majority of the playing time.>> READ MOREOFFENSIVE COORDINATOR KEVIN GILBRIDEQ: Are you disappointed that Hakeem isn't playing on Sunday or are you confident enough in those guys that it doesn't really phase your preparation?
A: Well, you're losing a terrific football player who not only is extremely important to what you do, he's invaluable just in terms of his leadership and his ability in the bigger the moment to make the bigger play, so you lose that and you know that and you're not going to make it up with one guy. What you hope is collectively the rest of everybody will contribute enough that you can make up for his absence to enough of a degree that you win the game. That's what you're looking for.
Q: If you take away the top receivers from many teams, they're going to lose something. You guys haven't. Is it just the guys, your scheme, the quarterback? What do you think has been responsible for that?
A: Obviously, you've got to have some players that can play and I think it's a tribute to some of the guys who aren't starting that they continue to work. Guys like Ramses, Domenik Hixon! that maybe haven't started or played a lot or played always, but when they've had their opportunity, they've worked, they've listened, they've absorbed what we teach and I think the coaches do a great job of teaching them. So collectively, we've been able to get guys that probably most people would've thought there would be a terrific or dramatic fall off. There hasn't been, knock on wood, so hopefully we can keep it going. You do reach a point, if you keep losing them, that's the point of no return. I don't think we've reached that point, but we're going to have certainly another challenge and some other guys we haven't had to depend on a lot are going to have to play a lot this week and play important roles and you just hope that they have worked as hard as the Ramses Bardens and the Domenik Hixons and guys in the past now that they're getting their opportunity that they'll play well enough.
Q: One of those guys isRueben Randle!. His effort was called into question the other day. What have you seen in him from a work ethic standpoint?
A: I think he's shown some improvement the last couple of weeks in all areas and I think we're looking forward to him making some plays for us. He needs to make some plays for us and he's going to be in a position where the ball is going to come his way and he certainly catches it well enough. Now it's a matter of doing the things necessary to get uncovered, get open and you hope that he has the ability to do that. I think he does, but there's certainly a level of understanding what's happening out on the field, what the defense is doing, what adjustments you have to make so that you can put yourself where you've gotten some separation from you that's zone droppers or it's a easier in man, in the sense intellectually, you know exactly who you're working against. That presents a challenge of have you developed enough technique to get open and so we'll see. I think he has shown some progress over the last few weeks and he's going to get a chance to… an opportunity and he'll have to make those plays when those opportunities avail themselves in the game, but I have a great deal of confidence he will.
>> READ MORE
SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR TOM QUINNQ: Your kicker said that there was some thought to faking the field goal attempt at end of Philly game.
A: Yeah, I mean you sit back and look at all the possibilities…It just wasn't something that we talked about.Q: It seemed like it would have been hard. It was third down. How would that have worked?
A: We were kicking the field goal. That was our mindset and I felt like he could he make it and we just didn't get it done.
Q: Tom said that was the outer edge of his range. I guess you were hoping to get to the 35. What made you decide to kick it from the 36?
A: Well the time. There's 15 seconds. If you don't get it out of bounds, then game over, so you don't get another play to run. So you can't get the field goal team on, the offense off in that amount of time, run a play and then do the transition.
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR PERRY FEWELLQ: Have other teams been changing formations specifically to affect your defensive ends?
A: Oh yeah, people are doing some different things to try and protect against us, they're getting the ball out quick, but you know, no matter what, you have to play the game.
Q: Do some of the injuries prevent you from being as aggressive on defense?
A: Injuries, period, affect the way you play, or the things that you like to do, but you know, our philosophy is 'next man up,' so that person has to know his role and step in and play and hopefully we can execute what we'd like to call.
Q: Did Kenny Phillip's injury affect your calls?
A: No, we called our game. I thought Stevie Brown
DE JASON PIERRE-PAULQ: This is probably the first time in your career that you've been frustrated.
A: Yeah, but not as frustrating. When I say frustrating, not as in football wise, just in myself. I can be a better player than what I'm playing now. I'm not used to playing like this. I can be a much better player and I just get need to get hungry and get after it. Like I can't wait till somebody turns it on, so I can turn it on. So I just got to go out there and do what I do best, which is playing hardcore football.
Q: Is this the first time you felt that way in the NFL?A: Yeah, that's the first time. I feel like I haven't been having fun lately. It feels like I'm kind of stressed a little, but I made an oath to myself that I'm just going to go out there and have fun.
Q: Do you expect that starts this week?A: That's starting this week. Just keep running to the ball no matter where it's at.
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