On having a walk-through as opposed to a normal practice:
"It was a little bit easier on us today for everybody to get their legs back and get their bodies back. We just played two days ago and we just had to take a trip to Miami yesterday. Today they took care of us as players and just helping us get back into the best shape we can be by Thursday."
On having to play on Thursday:
"Either way the league went with it, we just understand as players that we have no control over it. The only thing we can do is just go out there and play the game. Now that they put it at Thursday we just worry about going out there playing on Thursday. We can't worry about if it would have been a different day or if it would have changed it. It is just a big game for us. It is a huge game. It has been a tough week for us. We understand that we have to come out and play together and be ready."
On if thinks that the last step in his performance as a quarterback is a come from behind win:
"Most definitely. It gets so close. The Dallas game we almost came from behind to win it and the Tampa game. It is just so close. You do that as the quarterback. I know it is going to happen for me one day. I just have to continue to keep plugging and continue to keep pressing on. I feel like I have made a major improvement from last season to the beginning of this season to the last part of this season. The only thing I have to do right now is just try to protect the football better when I am getting hit. When you are trying to make a throw, just understand that sometimes it is better to probably go ahead and cover it."
On if you can duplicate game situations in practice or do you have to learn it in games:
"Practice you can only duplicate it to the best that you possibly can. The only way to get a lot of experience at it is a game-like situation. You come out with the four minute drill. You want to try to keep the ball as long as you can to run all the time off the clock. You look at this past Sunday, the only thing we had to do was get one first down and the game is over. We ran three straight plays trying to get it to run the clock. All it takes is one play. We were looking at all our games now that we could have won and should have won. All we need was one more big play or one big stop. That is what has been getting us all season."
On Brian Urlacher (Chicago LB, #54):
"He is a great player. He is a big time Pro Bowler year in and year out. The reason for it, because he is very deserving, you're talking about a big athletic guy. The kind of size he has and the way that he runs, makes plays is unbelievable. You are talking about a great athlete at that position. Not many come through the NFL with that kind of ability that he has. He is doing an outstanding job as far being able to react to play action and get back into his zones. He is definitely a force to be reckoned with."
On how much it would help getting Randy Thomas (OG, #77):
"Randy is a guy that you need in that huddle. He has that mentality, that attitude where he wants to be a force. Having Randy back is a total confidence builder for all the guys around him. We know he is going to play with a lot of excitement, but we also have to help him out because he hasn't played in a long time."
On if he sees ways to take advantage of the Bears defense:
"Our approach to this game is probably going to be different than any other approach because of the short week. We basically have to put two days of offense into one day. Today and tomorrow we'll try to work on the short yards and goal line. You're talking about a different approach. I think we are going to come out early in the game and just try to find out what we want to do. It is about time for Thursday to get here. Just to see how our walk thrus are going and see what plays look good on film and what we want to do starting the game up."
On how the cold weather affects his game:
"I heard it might snow. I don't think it will affect my game. The only time it will affect my game is if it gets real windy. As long as it is cold it is alright, but when the wind becomes a factor that is the only time it is a big issue with the quarterback."
On Chris Cooley (TE, #47):
"Cooley is just an outstanding athlete. He does a great job of winning his one-on-one matchups and getting open. The one thing he does very well is getting yards after the catch. He has definitely been a big time receiver for us this year at the tight end position. All the catches that he has had, when you look at him, he is such a big target. I think he does an outstanding job of getting open and catching the ball and getting yards after the catch. It is hard for guys to match up with him because of his ability to run routes."
On interceptions and fumbles:
"When it comes to interceptions I go back and look at all the film on interceptions this year. Over half of them have probably been tipped balls. The one last week against Buffalo there was really not much you can do about that one. You're throwing the ball to your receiver and the guy gets a tip on it and it goes back the other way, but that is life. There are only five other teams that really have less interceptions. I am still kind of beating the odds. The fumbles are a different thing. That is something as a quarterback you don't want to have. It is tough because a lot of them come when you are in the act of throwing. You're trying to get rid of the ball. You look down field and not looking at the guys around you and that is when you tend to get the fumbles."
On the Bears defense:
"The Bears defense runs for the ball. We were talking about Brian Urlacher (LB, #54) earlier and just the way that he plays the game. His size and ability to react to play action, or get back into his zone, drop for schemes. It is outstanding for a guy of his ability. You are taking about matching field position; they have two good corners that have been in the League for a while. It is a challenge, especially with the short week. You really don't have an opportunity to really get a big idea or look at them, but we just have to go out there and do the best we can Thursday."
