Opening remarks:
“We look forward to the opportunity of playing the San Francisco 49ers. The
players today were able to see just what kind of football team they are and how
much they have improved. They have really done a nice job. [Head] coach [Mike]
Nolan has done a heck of a job with that football team. They played their hearts
out against the Rams and I know they will do the same when they come in here.
Our football team will be prepared for that and ready to go.”
On why Mike McMahon and Koy Detmer will both take reps with the first
team:
“Because I decided to do that.”
On the possibility of McMahon starting on Sunday:
“We will see how things go during the week. I want to make sure that both
guys are ready to go.”
On whether he is comfortable with the possibility of McMahon starting:
“I feel good about Mike and I feel good about Koy. I know they both do a nice
job.”
On the chances that Donovan will not be able to start:
“He’s sore and will not be able to practice today. We will see how it goes
throughout the week.”
On what Donovan is listed at:
“He is listed at questionable.”
On where Donovan is feeling pain:
“The pain is in his chest, right where that guy hit him.”
On whether he thinks officials are doing enough to protect Donovan:
“I am not going to comment on that. The officials understand how I feel about
the situation. I communicate with them and that is who I continue to communicate
with.”
On whether this is a re-aggravation of the injury Donovan suffered against
Carolina during the 2003 NFC Championship game:
“No, not at all. That is not part of it.”
On whether it is just a matter of playing with pain:
“There is no structural damage to the sternum or anything else. It is bruised
and a matter of it calming down. We are working on that, so we will take it day
by day.”
On what treatment Donovan is getting:
“He works in the pool for flexibility.”
On whether Donovan would play if it was a playoff game:
“He would probably struggle to practice today. We are going to take it day by
day to see how it will work.”
On whether Donovan needs to practice to play on Sunday:
“We would like to have him practice if possible, but if he can’t do that and
he still has an opportunity to play in the game, he will be the starting
quarterback.”
On who will make the final decision whether Donovan starts:
“We will all evaluate it and see how he does. We are not going to put him out
there in a situation where he could be injured. We would never do that with a
player.”
On whether he sees this as an opportunity to see the other quarterbacks
work with the first team:
“If there is a positive that would be it.”
On what he thinks about MLB Jeremiah Trotter being fined:
“I would say that when I looked at the replay, it was not the same thing I
was told. Again, I have communicated that with the league and that will be
between us.”
On whether he thought the situation was less serious than it was made out
to be:
“I am going to get into that. (jokingly) If you want to pay for my fine…”
On whether he saw Trotter throw a punch:
“You guys are good fishermen.”
On what will determine which backup will start if Donovan cannot go:
“We will see as the week goes on. That will be my decision.”
On teams blitzing against the Eagles early on in games and what he will do
to counter it:
“It’s not been the last two games. The last two teams have blitzed, but
obviously other teams have done that. We have been successful against it. We
didn’t do a good enough job on Monday night and we will go back to the drawing
board and see what we can put together, see if we can get better at it.”
On whether he will look into getting the running game going a bit more:
“We will continue to do what we do and I will leave it at that.”
On deactivating RB Ryan Moats before the Monday night game:
“[RB] Lamar [Gordon] had worked into the short yardage goal line that we were
utilizing, so that is why.”
On whether the preseason will come into account when deciding who will
start between Detmer and McMahon:
“Yeah, we will see.”
On whether McMahon played better in the preseason:
“I will evaluate it and see what we want to do here at the end of the week.”
On whether Donovan and WR Terrell Owens’ performances indicated a lack of
communication:
“I don’t think it did, but we have to do a better job of connecting. It will
happen.”