Brian Dawkins Guy Quotations

I don't know if a short week ever helps you when you play a physical sport like football. But I have the confidence the guys will do what it takes to get their legs back, to get the bumps out, and will come out this next game swinging. That's all you can do come back and come out swinging.

It still stings a little bit regardless of the circumstances of him not being here. You still would like to have that guy on your side because you can count on him. From all reports, everybody in the organization and on both sides of the situation felt that this was the best thing to do. So they did it and you have to live and keep on playing.

Knowing what I know now about him I wouldn't go there, no way. Just be prepared for whatever. He's a great guy as far as a person goes, but he says what's on his mind, so you've got to be prepared for whatever.

The bye week came at a good time because after a loss like that (in Dallas), guys can get away.

Last year you saw Porter do his thing a little bit. He was the featured guy and he made some big plays for them . . . Though you have to pay attention to Randy because of all the physical attributes he brings to the game, you still have to pay attention to Porter, because the guy can still go up top on you. He is a big guy (6-2, 220) that can run.

Last year you saw Porter do his thing a little bit, ... He was the featured guy and he made some big plays for them . . . Though you have to pay attention to Randy because of all the physical attributes he brings to the game, you still have to pay attention to Porter, because the guy can still go up top on you. He is a big guy (6-2, 220) that can run.

We definitely miss him. He's a guy we depend on for pass rush and stopping the run. He's a big, huge, strong dude in the middle.

It was as big of a surprise to you guys as it was for us that it went down like that.

You want the opposing offense to look at your defense and see everybody going to the ball. I thought we did a pretty good job of that today. We had guys making plays, and that's what you want from your defense.

They came out and everything they did clicked. Everything we did didn't work. We know in no way that's who we are. The bye came at a time where guys can use it. After a loss like that, it's good to get away.

I guess you guys want us to go spank him or something. That's not what we're all about here. He's my teammate, first and foremost, and I care about him.

You understand that there is a business side of things. You might not like the way it goes all the time or you may not agree with the way that it is handled, but there is a business side of things and when you see guys leave every year, you realize that it is a part of it.

Thornburg is coming up and making some big hits. He's a guy who hustles to the ball and is always around the ball when he gets in the game. He has certainly opened my eyes.

You could see the frustration in his eyes, ... ... knowing Collins would probably go in a different direction. You look for that kind of stuff on film, for the frustration in a guy that would cause him to not run routes as hard or seem as enthused. People look for a lot of things in T.O. That's not one of them.

He's a guy that has every move you need as a running back. He can stop you in your tracks. He can stop and go on a dime. He can spin on you. He can catch the ball. He can run over you. He can bull you for 3 yards and get into the end zone. Then he has the jets to get past you. He has everything you need to be a great back, and that's why he is one.

When you replace a Jeremiah a year ago and try to replace Hugh this year, we would never ask those guys to be those players. We just ask them to bring what they bring to the table, and hopefully it'll add to what we already have. But I would never say anybody could replace what we lost in Hugh. No one person could ever do that for us. Because what he brought wasn't just on the field, but in the locker room also.

I'm certainly not going to dwell on this year. It was a horrible year in every aspect of the word horrible. There were some good plays, some good situations and some guys stepped up for us, but as a whole, when you are used to being a certain way, your mentality is used to being a certain way, you do not settle. I'm not going to settle and hopefully guys won't settle either.

That still irks me, ... But for the most part I think I have been able to be consistent and make plays for this team to help guys out and get everybody in the right place, as well as getting this defense in the right direction.

That's what I love so much about this team. We have some warriors here. We have some guys who go out there and fight. That's the best thing about this team. No matter what happens, we just keep fighting. You have to love that.

It really does. All the new guys that have played last year have a year under their belts and I think we are trying to take this thing to another level. We are trying to be one of the best, if not the best defense to play for this organization.

That's something special, to have the type of quarterback that Donovan is and to have the type or receiver that Terrell is. For those guys to keep hooking up game after game, and to go into every game knowing that is potentially a touchdown waiting to happen at any given point, as a defensive player you love that. I'm definitely excited for those guys and the way they've been able to click.

This has been our toughest year all-around. With all the things that have been said off the field, with all the injuries we've had to key guys, we've had a lot of young guys have to step in and play.

Each guy in here has to look in the mirror and ask themselves:

We have to worry about the Giants right now. I'm going to let you guys speculate about the playoffs. If we beat the Giants, then we'll worry about whatever team comes on after that.