**
Opening statement:**"First of all with the injuries: [RB Michael] Robinson got a stinger, should be OK for the game; [WR Michael] Crabtree, hip contusion; [LT Barry] Sims has a bit of a sore knee. We did the MRI. It seems to be OK. We'll just take it day-to-day. [LT Joe] Staley seems to be a lot better. We're going to see how it goes this week and that will be day-to-day. Other than that, I think we're in pretty good shape.
As far as the game from Monday night, I'm really excited to move forward to Philadelphia. It's a tremendous challenge. Monday night was a great game for us. Obviously, on national television, it was a great opportunity to go out and showcase the kind of team that we can be, the kind of team that we're aspiring to be. As a result, [RB] Frank Gore ends up being named the NFC Player of the Week. Frank, I'm very excited about him. He's just continued to hang in there with us and let us try and figure out the balance of the offense and get it going. Other than that, I'm very excited for the opportunity this weekend to go to Philly and play a very good football team that seems to be playing well right now. So, going there and being on their turf has its challenges, but we'll be up for it."
On whether he believes taking today off of practice will pay off in terms of rest:"Obviously. I feel our guys are mature enough. We could certainly come out here and run around and let the guys be sore a little bit longer, but I don't really see a whole lot of sense in that. We will have a walk through today and let the guys really get the mental reps in. At this time of the year, that's what it really comes down to anyway. The wear and tear of the season can be pretty tough. So, hopefully today, we just come out and get good work in, good mental work, and get our guys' legs back underneath them and go from there."
On whether he remembers getting a day off during the week as a player and feeling fresher because of that:"I think it really – whether a team goes out and practices, or whether they don't practice or whatever, I think it really depends on where the team is. I think it depends on what's at stake, particularly later on in the season. I think our guys are at a good place. I think it's a great opportunity to let them know that we're thinking about them. I know they're banged up. I saw the game. So, it's just a matter of allowing them that extra day."
On when he would like to make a decision on whether LT Barry Sims or LT Joe Staley will start:"I look at it like this: I think the most important thing for us is we want to put the best people on the field. Barry has done a great job. There's no doubt about it. His experience has been outstanding for the o-line. But, when you talk about our starting left tackle, that's Joe, and Joe makes us better. If he's ready to go, Joe's going to start."
On whether the defensive performance from Monday night was the defense he envisioned:"I think surprise in terms of the turnovers. To get that many turnovers, that's pretty exciting. That doesn't happen very often. I don't care if you're playing lights out. But, I think our guys have just continued to work at it. I think [defensive coordinator] Greg Manusky and the staff have done a great job of staying with it, and the technique and fundamentals that are involved, we'll just continue to preach that."
On LB Ahmad Brooks' progress:"It's week by week. We're very excited about the possibilities of what he can do, and what he did the other night is just scratching the surface."
On whether Sunday's game is an opportunity to show another step in the team's progression:"It is. I think the question is a great one. It is a big step for us, a big opportunity for us to go on the road, five-and-a-half, six hours on the plane and play a very good football team that really seems to be coming together at the right time. They've got all the momentum and all the reasons to play and play well. For us, we're just swinging. We're just fighting. We're just scratching. We have to put our best game together in order to go out there and try to win the football game."
On what he is giving up in preparation by not practicing on Wednesday:"Hopefully, the way it works out, we're not going to give up anything because of the mental work that we have to put in. We're going to sit down and talk through it. The only thing we give up is just the reps of coming out here and physically going through it. But, we have to still get the work in mentally. I feel like our guys are mature enough to do that."
On the perception of the Eagles this week being similar to the perception of the Cardinals last week:"Well, two different weeks, two different teams. I just think that I don't really care about what they're saying about Arizona the week we played them. I don't care what they're saying about Philly. I say it all the time: I don't care about the stats. I don't care about all the other stuff. I just look at the film. I don't look at television shows. I don't look at talk shows. I don't listen to them. I look at the film. When I look at the film, this is a good football team, and they're playing really well together. I think, for our team, it's just very important for us to look at the film and stay true to that, come out here and prepare as best we can and let's get out there and try to win a football game."
On facing a team that blitzes like Philadelphia and the challenges that it brings to the offensive linemen and running backs:"Well, obviously we have to do a great job and we've got to communicate well on protections, the running backs, tight ends – everybody's got to be in sync. We have to manage the crowd noise. Like I said, we've got our hands full, but we'll be up for the challenge and I'm really excited about it. I couldn't imagine anywhere else to play this weekend than to play in Philadelphia."
On how much of distraction is Eagles WR DeSean Jackson for the defense:"All of their playmakers, their receivers, the running back, quarterback – you look at it and they've got a lot of weapons and once again for us, it's a matter of our guys just doing their jobs. Anytime you're facing a player that makes plays downfield like you've seen that guy, you have to prepare for it. Other than that, you just have to do the best you can."
On being in contact with San Jose State University athletics on the behalf of RB coach Tom Rathman:"No. I feel like this: Any of our coaches at any given time, if they are going to interview for a job, I'm sure they will come to me and say, 'coach, this school has approached me, this is what I'm thinking.' I know Tom. Tom is a class guy. We have nothing but class guys and when that time comes, he will do it. But, I don't know anything about San Jose State. I don't know anything about him talking to them, and so I don't really think about."
On the re-emergence of RB Frank Gore in the offense:"All I can say is this: I think Frank did a phenomenal job I think that he doing a phenomenal job. He had every right to be frustrated, he had every right to be upset. I would have been too. But I'm just thankful that he stayed in there, hung in there and have to find a way to get him the ball. It's just as simple as that."
On his recollection of thoughts on S Dashon Goldson on when he was first drafted:"Other than this guy is a playmaker, he's got a lot of talent. But other than that, that was about it at the time."
On whether he met Goldson at any of the pre-draft events prior to him signing with the 49ers:"No, sir."
On whether his performance on Monday Night Football was a strong indication of the talent that he has:"I think Dashon, like several of the other guys that we have, the young guys that we have, that are up and coming, they just have to continue to take those steps each week to get better. You never know when they're going to put it all together. I think for Dashon, it just worked out well for him. He was able to be at the right place at the right time and makes plays. Hopefully, we continue to see that throughout the rest of theseason."
On S Dashon Goldson's performance against WR Larry Fitzgerald:"He did, he did a very good job. The thing about Larry Fitzgerald is downfield, it is very rare that anybody is going to separate him from the ball. Once he gets the ball in his hands, normally – I would say 99 percent of the time – he's going to come down with it. The one play that Dashon made when Fitzgerald had the ball and Dashon ended up getting it out, that's huge because I have not seen that very often."
On the play of G Chilo Rachal and G David Baas:"Did a good job. The whole line played well. As a matter of fact, they're all going to get a game ball for the Monday night game. I thought they really did a great job at the line of scrimmage and did a good job managing No. 90 [ DT Darnell Dockett], who gave us so many problems the first time we played them. I just thought they took another step in their development."
On WR Michael Crabtree's development each week:"Yes sir, he continues to make strides. [Wide receivers coach] Jerry Sullivan is doing a great job with him, [assistant wide receivers coach] Wendell Davis, just continuing to work with him, [WR] Isaac Bruce continuing to meet with him. It's a very good situation for him to have so many people pouring into him right now, and he's taking it in."
On whether he's getting a better feel for the NFL game:"Yes sir."
On what WR Isaac Bruce's role is:"In all honesty, I think Isaac right now is in a situation where the last time or the first week that we made the decision to not dress him because of the frustrations with the ankle and just made a decision to say, 'You know what? We're not going to dress you this week. We're going to let you stay down.' Going forward, I think Isaac and myself sat down and really looked at some of the younger guys that are trying to take a step and just made a decision to say, 'Hey, why don't I just stay here, stay around. I don't have to dress. I'm good with that, but I can help these younger guys.' I think that's the role he's playing right now, and I'm very thankful that's the attitude that he's taking because it helps us."
On whether he would like to dress Bruce on final time:"I won't say that. I won't say that right now. Maybe we'll address it before the season ends, but I won't say that right now."
