Eagles Head Coach Andy Reid

On judging the Cardinals from their first match up this season:
“I look at the reality of it and the reality is the Cardinals were coming off a very tough game against the New York Giants, had three days to prepare to take a road trip back east and there’s nothing harder in this league than to do that. Then you add in that it was a big holiday and so it wasn’t the same Cardinals we had seen on tape, nor have seen on tape afterwards. You have to make sure you pay attention to the game that they’re playing the last two games and playing as well as they’ve played and as well as anybody in this league has played right now. So you have to make sure you evaluate that.”

On making sure his team doesn’t judge the Cardinals by their first meeting:
“All you have to do is turn on the film. So that’s what our guys are doing today – most of them came in yesterday and looked at film on their own – and it hits you right between the eyes.”

On the crowd noise he expects at University of Phoenix Stadium:
“I expect it to be deafening, and that means that you can’t hear anything. That’s what we anticipate and it’s hard to practice against that, but we’ll do the best we can.”

On the Cardinals running attack:
“Edgerrin (James) is back – back in there and playing very well. He’s having opportunities and that’s what makes it a great challenge for our defense. When you have a great passing attack and a great running attack, you have to make sure you play at your highest level.”

On Larry Fitzgerald:
“First of all he’s passionate – above passionate. He wants to be the best, he’s a great route runner, he knows how to use his size and strength to his advantage, can stop on a dime, change directions and obviously has great hands.”

On whether Fitzgerald reminds him of anyone:
“I think when it’s all said and done, we’ll be trying to compare people to him and not him to other people. He’s his own guy and he’s a complete package.”

On getting pressure on the quarterback:
“You have to do that every week and now you’re talking about a Hall of Fame quarterback and a very good offensive line. The Cardinal offensive line is playing very well right now, so we’ll try to do the best we can to rush the passer and still play the run and all of that stuff. We’ll see how it goes.”

On Brian Westbrook:
“Every week he feels a little bit better. He had the high-ankle sprain and he has a knee that bothers him that he’s had since college and it’s just a matter of managing that. When we go inside to practice – we have artificial turf and so that’s a little tough on his knee, so we make sure to manage that.”

On the controversy with Donovan McNabb earlier in the season:
“I’m not even getting into that it was so long ago. That’s all history stuff.”

On two nine-win teams facing each other in the NFC Championship:
“I think it’s a tribute to the league. When Commissioner Tagliabue was in there, he was striving for parody and that’s where Commissioner Goodell took over and actually was a part of as an assistant, and that’s where the league is now. The neat part about it is it gives every city an opportunity to win football games and that’s what this is all about. It’s two teams that kind of persevered through the season, through some ups and downs and both of them are playing some halfway decent football and have an opportunity to play against each other in the championship game.”

On the perception that the hard part for the Eagles was over after beating the Giants:
“The team knows that that’s not true. That’s the important part. We know exactly what we’re looking at here and exactly how good the Cardinals are. We respect them and I know from my standpoint what kind of coaches they have – a phenomenal coaching staff – and guys that have been there before, so I don’t think that’s a problem with this football team. We know how good the Cardinals are.”

On whether the team is doing anything different for the long road trip:
“We’re going to come out on Friday and have a short workout on Saturday.”

On the weather in Arizona:
“My wife is from there, I get it from the other end from by brother-in-law. They let me know about this all the time.”

On not having to worry about weather being a factor:
“Once you get into the game you don’t even think about all that stuff. It’s a good thing, I guess, you get the best of both teams and that’s what it’s all about.”

On how he’s liking his beard:
“I’d like it more if it wasn’t so gray. Every time I look in the mirror, it reminds me of my age. It’s alright.”