Q. I know you guys, like you said, do everything the same; kind of boring; intentional about that. Obviously this time of year always just a heightened sense of everything. Media attention, you know, from every angle. Did anything that happened a couple years ago when you were in this position, have you used anything and learned and put it forward this year? Do you take anything from two years ago? What's kind of the parallels I guess?
NICK SIRIANNI: Business as usual. Again, if you're not preparing like you do for this game week ten, like what are you doing? Our job is to stay consistent. Yeah, there might be a few more cameras and people, but really our job is to try to get better during the week to give ourselves a chance to win each Sunday.
You know, that is how we go about our business. It's all about the preparation, the work. I firmly believe you're going to play how you practice. We've had a good week of practice. Got to go out there and have a good day today.
That's all our intention is on.
Q. Landon Dickerson been your backup center all season?
NICK SIRIANNI: That's just how we have the depth chart and how we feel as a team where we should be.
Q. What do you like about him in that position?
NICK SIRIANNI: He's done it and he's solid at it. He was obviously did it at a high level in college. You know, we cross-train our guys. Ton of guys cross-train different positions and that's where we are.
Q. What's the benefit to having the backup center be a starter? We've seen it with Landon and Cam and Isaac before that.
NICK SIRIANNI: I don't know if there is an advantage or disadvantage. You know, again, we just try to do our job, and Stout does a great job cross-training the guys so guys can play multiple positions.
Yeah, we'll see how that goes.
Q. Will Cam be able to practice today?
NICK SIRIANNI: We'll see. I can say he's progressing. You guys will get a report later today.
Q. How about Dallas?
NICK SIRIANNI: We'll see. You guys will get a report later today.
Q. When it comes to this week, you mentioned you had a good week. What does what mean to you that you think is good?
NICK SIRIANNI: Again, I firmly believe that you play how you practice. Like that's just what -- I mean, our habits are going to be reflected out on the field. What that means to me, just all the things that we constantly talk about. How did we tackle?
I know you're thinking, you guys don't go to the ground, but your angles, your vice tackles, all those different things. How did we take the football away, block, get off blocks? How did we execute? Were we all on the same page?
So just stuff that we talk about all the time. Again, our habits throughout the week, meeting process, walk-through process, everything.
Q. Given the hit that was put on Jalen the last time you guys played against Washington, what's the reaction to their talk this week about making sure they hit him like a running back?
NICK SIRIANNI: You know, again, we understand. I kind of answered this question yesterday. We understand that when he is carrying the football they're going to try it tackle him.
I mean, but nothing changes as far as we're very cautious with what we do. I don't think cautious is the right word actually. It's more we're very aware of everything. We try to put Jalen in safe situations. We want him to put himself in safe situations.
We understand that there is a lot of things that Jalen does in the running game that help us run the football. You know, as we go through it, you know, we do whatever we got to do to win the game.
But his safety is always at the forefront of our mind.
Q. How confident are you that Cam could play without practicing?
NICK SIRIANNI: Again, there is a lot of other things other than practice to go into it. Walk-through, meetings. We'll see how that goes.
There has been guys that have done it. Been guys that haven't. Yeah, see where we are at the end the week.
Q. This time of year there is a lot of conversations between alignment between head coach and GM. How have you been able to achieve this here, especially without a preexisting relationship before you got here?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, that's a good question. I think obviously I'm so thankful. I think a lot of guys that get into head coaching positions go in and sometimes they have a rookie GM with them.
I know I talk a lot about the four offensive and defensive linemen that I inherited when I got here with Jason and Fletch and Lane and BG.
But how huge is it that I have an experienced, big time GM, is in my opinion best GM in the NFL that's there to help me go through the course of a first season.
And so that was kind of where it started, just how grateful I am for Howie. Then, yeah, we just talk about everything. Constant communication about everything. It's, yeah, just like I say to the players you can't be great without the greatness of others. I feel that same way about Howie.
Without him doing this job great it's tough to do your job great. So just so thankful for him and just I can't say enough about that.
Q. Along those lines, the head coach/QB relationship when you got hired, I guess it was like four years ago this week, you didn't hand pick your quarterback. What did you see in Jalen back then that kind of led you to believe that you would be here again?
NICK SIRIANNI: Yeah, we obviously did a lot of work on Jalen when we were in Indy so really liked him there. Obviously a winner. Could throw the ball really well. Create plays really well.
So that was a good start to that. And I say the same thing I just said about Howie. Like, yeah, I inherited these four offensive and defensive linemen. I get to be able to work with Howie. Then I have a quarterback like Jalen to start off your NFL coaching career with as a head coach.
Yeah, blessed in many ways in that area.
Q. Do you have a sense of where Jalen's mobility will be for Sunday?
NICK SIRIANNI: I think he's had a good week of practice. I think he's done some really good things all week. Yeah, we'll see.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports