Head coach Brian Daboll

DABOLL: (Outside linebacker Brian) Burns will be out here at practice. The other guys, we won't practice. Give them up to game time or see where they are after practice today, the three guys that haven't practiced.

Q: What about (defensive lineman) D.J. Davidson? Is he practicing?

DABOLL: He'll be okay.

Q: Where is (kicker) Graham (Gano) at in his progression? Do you feel confident that you'll have him healthy enough to play on Sunday, assuming nothing happens today?

DABOLL: He's done a good job, and we'll see after practice here how it is.

Q: I don't know how it works if you need the other two elevations for other guys, but will you consider having (kicker Younghoe) Koo elevated so you have a backup kicker in the game?

DABOLL: I'll see where he's at after practice and what the trainers think and what Graham thinks and how he feels. So, we'll see where we're at with that.

Q: How do you feel about that, having two kickers, the philosophy of using a roster spot for somebody that's sort of like a contingency?

DABOLL: I think if we need to do it, we'll do it. If Graham is good to go and feels comfortable, and the medical staff feels comfortable with it, then we won't.

Q: Do you change anything with Graham's week and his preparation, just to keep him healthy, make sure he stays healthy?

DABOLL: Look, he's done this a long time. I understand he's had a few injuries. He's done a good job these last couple days, and he'll go out there today, and we'll see how he feels after. But he's a pro. I think he feels good. We'll go ahead and make the right decision for our team.

Q: Do you keep (punter) Jamie (Gillan) on kickoffs just to have one less thing on Graham's plate?

DABOLL: Yeah, I think we could do that. I think we could do both. Again, we'll see where he's at after.

Q: Every time I ask about the tackles, everybody groups the whole offensive line together. But just specifically (tackle) Andrew (Thomas) and (offensive lineman Jermaine) Eluemunor, the combination they've given you that maybe on the edges, the Giants haven't had in quite some time, how much do you think that is responsible for (quarterback Jaxson) Dart being as comfortable as he is?

DABOLL: Well, I think it's right to group them all together. The line would be the first to say that, as everybody else would. It's a collective unit. Those guys have done a nice job, but it takes all 11. It takes throwing on time, eluding guys, all those types of things, but they've been true pros for us. They've done a nice job. It's good to have both of them, but it's a collective. You've got to play in unison, and the offensive line takes all five guys.

Q: To his point about the edges, you've lived where you guys are just - it's a rotating spot, left tackle, right tackle, with everything you've gone through and what that does to an offense. Just from a consistency perspective, to help the line, but also the entire offense, to have that as stable as you have it now, I've got to imagine it's one of those things where it's like, all right, let's go do what we want to do instead of how we can figure this out.

DABOLL: Yeah, absolutely. Anytime you can have your best guys out there and working together in unison for multiple games, that always helps.

Q: How has that helped Jaxson, specifically, as a rookie quarterback?

DABOLL: I think it's helped the whole offense. It starts up front. They've done a nice job, the receivers have done a nice job, the tight ends. Protection is about all 11 people being where you're supposed to be, throwing the ball on time, running backs in protection. It's a collective thing, but those guys are doing a nice job for us, our offensive line, and we're going to need them to continue to do that.

Q: Does it require a big shift defensively if you don't have (safety Jevón) Holland and (cornerback Paulson) Adebo? Because it seemed like when you didn't have Holland and Adebo defensively, is when the last game went haywire.

DABOLL: Yeah. It's 50% of your secondary if you're playing in base and 40% if you're playing in sub. Those guys are obviously important to us. Again, we'll see where they're at here after practice.

Q: How much does it change, not just the next man up, but you use Adebo, obviously, as the guy that travels with the other team's number one? Do you have to step back and just totally reassess?

DABOLL: Yeah. You have to have alternative plans if a guy can't go and make sure that you're trying to put your guys in the best position. Then it falls on them, too, to go out there and execute at a high level. It happens at every position. (wide receiver) Malik (Nabers) and (wide receiver Darius) Slayton are down, the next two perimeter receivers have got to be ready to go. So, all the guys that are behind those guys that are practicing in their spots have to be ready to go.

Q: Where is (cornerback) Deonte (Banks) at confidence-wise? Obviously he lost some playing time when you guys went with (cornerback Cor'Dale) Flott. Now you're going to count on him to step back in, I would assume.

DABOLL: He's worked the way he needs to work this week in the meetings and on the practice field. We'll have confidence in Deonte.

Q: You mentioned Slayton. How much is he back at basically full strength at this point? He practiced all week.

DABOLL: I'd say he's had two good days, so hopefully he'll be ready to roll.

Q: Will (center John Michael) Schmitz (Jr.) go back to starting center?

DABOLL: Yeah, he cleared (concussion protocol).

Q: How much do you expect to see a different version of the Eagles this time around? Obviously, they saw you the first time, you beat them. They're getting two very key defensive players back in this game. I'm considering (Eagles cornerback Quinyon) Mitchell since he was out for most of that game. How much do you expect them to be a different version of what you saw on the field in the first game?

DABOLL: I mean, they have a number of things they do defensively. Whatever that is, just like every other game, I know it's a close game, but just like every other game, you've got to figure out what they're doing. If they're doing one thing, then you go to another thing. That's how it works. Two good players, like you said, that are coming back. I would say very good players. That always makes a difference.

Q: When you guys are sitting there and talking about punch, counterpunch, adjusting, Jaxson's talked a lot about, well, they'll do one thing, we'll go to the sideline, we'll change it, how deep in the rabbit hole do you go to try to set up your counters before the game. Is it really a, okay, you remember this, we have this in the playbook, but it wasn't in our practice. That kind of element, how much is it in the moment, but how much are you preparing?

DABOLL: I'd say it's both. You definitely do that during the week, whether it's formations, motion, plays that you can set up or see how the defense is playing. So, if they're strong in one area, they're weak in another area, relative to the cover scheme or fronts, how you can get that the way you need to have it. It's not always easy and you're always, usually after the first series, you're talking about it and you're making, hey, let's see if they go to this the next series. If they do that, then that's probably the way it looks. But it happens throughout the game. We've talked about this a number of times. It's just not wait until halftime. Your coaches are constantly talking and communicating with the players, and the players are communicating with the coaches.

Q: Is a lot of that on the back end, or how much do you do on the front end from a coaching staff going into this weekend?

DABOLL: A lot. They can play anything they want on defense. They can do anything they want on offense. You practice things that you think you'll probably see throughout the week, but inevitably there are a bunch of new things that you're going to see, so you have to do a good job of recognizing that, seeing it, whether it's up in the box, on the tablets, getting information from the players. Have a good communication process, and then make whatever necessary adjustments you need to make.

Offensive tackle Andrew Thomas

Q: The way (offensive lineman Jermaine) Eluemunor is playing, how much has that given the two of you, the bookends, how much is that helping you and you helping him? It kind of feels like that is what has been missing for a while is the right tackle opposite you…

THOMAS: I think Jermaine has done a great job. Even going back to last year, having to switch when I went down, it's not an easy thing, but I thought he handled that pretty well. He's a great player and I think, up front as a unit, we're all playing pretty well together.

Q: How much did it help that you guys, it sounded like you guys might have been bouncing ideas off each other last week as they switched to try to manipulate matchups. It seemed like it didn't matter because you guys were bouncing ideas off each other…

THOMAS: Yeah, we're always having conversations about techniques. Obviously, certain players do different things and as offensive linemen, we have different strengths and weaknesses, so we bounce ideas off each other, things with the cadence, just trying to get an advantage any time we can.

Q: What would it be like for you to have a long-term partner there? I looked this week at (Eagles tackle) Lane (Johnson) and (Eagles tackle Jordan) Mailata being there forever together. Is that something you look forward to and you would like, salivate over having a long-term partner like that?

THOMAS: For sure. I mean, like I said, he's a great player. When you play well up front, you give your team a chance to win and we want to do that.

Q: We've asked you for years since you've gotten here, the idea of playing this team in Philly and having to compete up front on both sides of the ball. You did that and then some on that Thursday night game. How much do you have to, as units, make that stand up again on Sunday?

THOMAS: I think we did a great job last game, but it's a new opportunity. (Eagles defensive tackle) Jalen (Carter) didn't play last game, obviously, you know, he's a great player, so we've got to do our job up front, controlling him and running the ball like we did last game.

Q: How much does he change things?

THOMAS: I would say he changes a lot. Obviously, a dynamic pass rusher in the run game. He does things that are a little different than other guys, as far as like jumping out the gap, swimming, but he makes the plays. So, we just have to have our technique right, our eyes right to stop him.

Q: How much does it bother you if you or anyone in that locker room hasn't been able to win in Philly?

THOMAS: Don't really think about that. Like, obviously, to get in the playoffs, you've got to win in the division, so we're trying to do our best to do that, but once the ball snaps, we're not thinking about the previous history, we're just trying to win that snap.

Q: How critical is getting a result here? I mean, you guys beat the Eagles, but then the way Sunday went, just for your team's confidence and resetting your identity, how critical is it to get this one?

THOMAS: I don't think we're lacking confidence as a team. I think we've shown that we can compete. It's just about executing in the moments that matter. That's our mindset going into this week.

Q: What do you think about the level you're playing at? Do you feel like you've gotten back to where you were when you were at your best pre, even maybe two injuries?

THOMAS: I think I'm playing okay. There are some things that I want to tighten up, especially in the run game, and I think that just takes time. I'm getting the continuity back and my body too, you know, just getting adjusted to playing this much and missing training camp.

Q: Strange to play a team twice in three weeks in this format. You had a pass rusher that played in the first game for the Eagles who retired. Now you've got a guy who will come back who you've seen previously is coming back now. What do you think? I mean, I hear Brandon Graham likes to chatter a little bit on the field.

THOMAS: Yeah, he always talks, always has a good time, but he's a great player. Obviously, it provides leadership to that group. I know they're going to come out with juice. We know his moves. He knows what I do, we've just got to compete.