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Conference Call, September 22, 2014


Q: Do you think the offensive line came of age on Sunday?

A: I think we have been working hard ever since training camp started. We have been able to put together some good runs and we put together a full run on Sunday obviously. We would’ve liked to finish with the ball in our hands and convert that first down there with four minutes to go.


Q: Is that the first time you ever played like that. I think you flipped on the left side for one play and actually played outside as well. What was the idea for that and was that the first time you guys have done that this year?

A: Yeah, first time we did that. It was just something we put in for this week and something we will see where it ends up going, but yeah, first time with me going over to the left side.

Q: For a lineman ,how tough is to come back four days after you play a game?

A: It is something where it’s part of the NFL, you have to be able to do that and get your body right. I think that you have to spend extra time this week outside of being at the facility to get that extra work that you need. Today was important to come in, get in the cold tub and make sure you are getting your body recovered.


Q: What kinds of things do you do outside of the facility?

A: I did this cryotherapy, they put you in this tube and the fill it with liquid and nitrogen and it gets it to like -275 and it helps get new blood in your extremities, arms, legs. Massage, acupuncture. Just eating right, those are a few of the things that are outside of here.


Q: Will that be something you will spread out for a couple of days, or maybe have to condense a little more?

A: Yeah. It is something that you have to condense. I normally have to do it before the games, but on a short week like this, wherever you can fit it into your schedule, you want to try to do that.


Q: When you look back, was that one of the most physical games that you played in the NFL? It looked like almost every play it was a battle down there.

A: Yeah, definitely. Houston, they’ve got some great players up front, it was definitely a battle. Proud of the way of our offensive line, running backs, wide receivers, everyone played. Quarterback. It was a good win.


Q: What is the mood like in the building today?

A: Guys are happy. I think we put the win yesterday behind us and just moved on. We have a divisional game this week, but I think the mood today was, we came in right in the beginning guys were happy about the win but we started focusing on Washington right away I think that is where everyone’s attention is now.


Q: Whoever doesn’t win on Thursday is suddenly 2 ½ games out. That means the urgency is there again suddenly?

A: I think you have to go into every game with the mentality that it is a must-win and that is the way we are preparing this week.


Q: What do you see when you look at the Washington Redskins defense and what kind of challenge do they pose to you guys?

A: They have some great players. Obviously, Ryan Kerrigan, who is on my side, I played against twice last year. Two great outside linebackers, Jason Hatcher coming over from Dallas is another great guy that can create problems for anyone. I think they are a real great team. I think you see the way they compete and battle in all of their games. They are not a team you can take lightly, we have to make sure we go out there and execute our gameplan.


Q: Does it help that it is a short week playing a division rival?

A: I think it helps being a divisional game. We know these guys a little better than playing a non-division opponent. Like I said before, you have to put in those extra hours outside of that facility to make sure you are up to speed with where you would be if it was a regular week.

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Conference Call, September 22, 2014


Q: Can you talk about the challenge facing such a quick turnaround?

A: It is always a challenge to have this type of turnaround in the NFL, to go from a Sunday to a Thursday night. How I look at it is both teams are going through the same thing. It is more of a mental preparation style week because of the physicality [of the game]. Most people’s bodies don’t really recover until Tuesday or Wednesday. It is really going to be a mental preparation type week for us.


Q: How do you view the performance by the defense yesterday?

A: I saw a defense that was having fun. I saw 11 guys out there running around and enjoying the game and playing the necessary assignments. We did give up some yards, so there is room for improvement. Initially it was one of the better defensive performances this year. It shows that we have an even longer way to go and a lot of improvements to do. … still have things to correct. It is only uphill from here.


Q: You haven’t been around long, but did you see a noticeable change in Tom [Coughlin’s] attitude last week?

A: I actually did see a noticeable change. Obviously to start with the music. The music on Friday was a little different, but was something that gave people energy. I noticed that little thing, but other than that, I am more of a just keep my head down and work type of guy. I don’t really see much of anything, but I can hear music from anywhere.


Q: You have been on some pretty good defenses in Baltimore…Is this the best group of starting cornerbacks that you have been around? What does it allow you to do as the rest of the defense?

A: These cornerbacks are phenomenal. From the top to the bottom. DRC [Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie]. Prince [Amukamara]. Tru’ [Trumaine McBride] comes in and does amazing things. And Z-Bo [Zach Bowman], I believe, is a great corner. When Walter [Thurmond] was out there we have so much depth and so much talent that these guys can just go out there and play ball. Our job is to make them look good as the front seven. So [the opposing team] can start to pass the ball and we can get our defensive backs with the ball in the air… It gets dangerous at that point because it is fair game at that point.


Q: Do you think you guys may have been playing a little tight as a result of so many new faces getting together and playing for the first time?

A: I think it is a mixture of everything. When you have a collection of so many people that are trying to get used to the standard or to get used to what exactly it is or how something is supposed to be done or what exactly a coach means, everybody has to get on the same page. I think what we are seeing now are players getting on the same page. Players and coaches speaking the same language. Not saying we didn’t speak it before, but now we are speaking it clearer. This is only one game. We wanted to stack these games, so now I can consistently tell you this is what we are doing and how we are rolling better. I am not a person to jump the gun. Although I am excited about the performance like everyone else is, we still have to keep building on top of that.


Q: It seemed in the 4th quarter the coaches decided to go with the rookie Nat Berhe…When you looked at the film today, how did he do?

A: He did good. He was a rookie coming in and making plays. He handled it well. I have been a big believer in Berhe for a while. I like Berhe’s abilities on special teams and what he brings to the defense. I always speak to him any chance I can and it was great to see him get an opportunity and go out there and show the coaches what he could do in the defenseive sets.


Q: What do you see that Nat Berhe brings to the table as a safety on this defense?

A: In my experience from seeing him play in training camp and seeing him in the preseason is that he is a hitter. I am a sucker for a hitter. Some people like certain things and I like people that come down and hit and that is one of the things I like about him. Obviously he has a lot good things to his game. What I like most is that he will come in and hit you.

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After losing their first two games of the season in consecutive years, the Giants knew they needed the support of the fans to get over the hump.

So, as a vocal leader of the team, Antrel Rolle did something about it.


In his weekly radio spot on WFAN before the Giants’ Week 3 matchup with the Texans, the safety and defensive co-captain issued the following statement: “I challenge the fans to be louder,” Rolle said in the interview. “I challenge all the fans in New York to be louder. And you know what? In order for them to be louder, we have to give them something to be loud about.”

Both sides accepted and rose to the challenge.


Players fed off the crowd and vice versa, as the Giants defeated Houston, 30-17, for their first victory of the season.

“We came in here 0-2, but it’s not always the most talented team that wins it,” Rolle said after the game. “I think it’s going to be your passion, I think it’s going to be your heart that carries you over in this league, and today I think we played with resiliency. We played with a whole lot of heart and a whole lot of passion. So, I take my hat off to this team and the fans because we all did this together.”

Rolle wasn’t the only one who felt the crowd’s support down the stretch.

“These are some amazing fans,” linebacker Jameel McClain said. “It is our job to make sure that they are in the game, so that they are as in tune with us. The fired up-ness is just a reaction to them. That is my response and our response of telling them we appreciate them. We appreciate everything that they are doing out there. Trust me the 12th man is important in football.”

“They were huge,” defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins added. “You always want to get your home fans in the game and give us a little bit of momentum. It gives us a little more juice to go out there and perform well.”

“It’s huge -- the energy out there,” said defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins. “The biggest thing is we gave the fans something to cheer for. When you go out there and you’re fighting and the score is tied 0-0 -- we tried to start fast -- we kept the game going and made plays and we were fighting and we gave them something to cheer for. And they were huge. The energy out there was amazing.”

“We’ve got great fans with great tradition,” defensive end Robert Ayers Jr. said. “They love us here and they encourage us and they keep fighting with us and we fed off them. They fed off us. It goes hand in hand. We were just happy we were able to get a win for them.”

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Let's review, and celebrate, the New York Giants' 30-17 victory Sunday over the Houston Texans in our traditional 'Kudos & Wet Willies' style. There is, without doubt, much to feel good about.
Kudos

Rashad Jennings -- The numbers speak for themselves. Jennings took the ball 34 times and ran for 176 yards, both career highs. It was the most carries by a Giants back since Joe Montgomery had 38 carries Dec. 5, 1999 against the New York Jets and the most yardage since Ahmad Bradshaw gained 200 yards in a 2012 game against the Cleveland Browns. Jennings ran hard, he ran through tackles. Jennings didn't make a lot of guy miss with fancy footwork. He just pushed the pile and ran over would-be tacklers. He may not be a superstar, but this is the kind of player Tom Coughlin loves. Giants fans should, too.

Eli Manning -- Can Manning play any better than this? I really don't know. His timing was impeccable. The 61-yard catch-and-run by Victor Cruz was a perfectly timed and thrown slant that allowed Cruz to catch the ball without breaking stride at all. The fourth-quarter touchdown throw to Daniel Fells was an an incredible throw. Manning finished 21-of-28 for 234 yards with two touchdowns, no interceptions and a passer rating of 123.2. On 'Mike & Mike' Monday morning Mike Ditka said Manning's play Sunday was "mind-boggling." Let's just stop the 'can he play in this offense' nonsense. When he is well protected he can play in any offense.

Victor Cruz -- This is how you answer your critics. This is how a great player responds after some poor play. This is how a leader should lead. By coming up big when your team has to have you. Cruz caught five passes in six targets for 107 yards and made a tremendous effort to get into the end zone on a 26-yard catch-and-run.

Offensive Line -- Let's just give credit to the entire group. Truth is, what we saw Sunday is the best performance from a Giants offensive line in a long, long time. A clean pocket mostly all day for Eli Manning. Places for Rashad Jennings to run. Justin Pugh battled J.J. Watt all day, giving up one sack but holding his own. Will Beatty was terrific. John Jerry was burying people pulling out in front of Jennings. J.D. Walton and Weston Richburg were making, and staying on, their blocks. It's hard to imagine they could play much better than that.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie -- This was the DRC the Giants paid $35 million for in the offseason. He had an interception, and had a miniscule 18,8 passer rating against, giving up four completions in eight targets for only 28 yards. Most impressive? For the second straight, Rodgers-Cromartie's physicality. He isn't known as a hitter, or a run defender, but he has been doing both. Credit to him for that.

Defensive Line -- Impossible, and probably unfair, for me to single out one or two guys. Jason Pierre-Paul, Mathias Kiwanuka, Robert Ayers and Johnathan Hankins were all monstrous at the point of attack. JPP was especially terrific against the run. Kiwanuka is also playing like last season was a bad dream, showing up as a force both against the run and in the pass rush. The more you watch Ayers, signed to replace Justin Tuck, the more you have to be impressed. As for Hankins, he is simply a monster in the middle.

Tom Coughlin -- Yes, partially for his third-quarter challenge on a Ryan Fitzpatrick scramble that took away a Houston first down. That allowed Damontre Moore to block a Shane Lechler punt, pretty much ending the Texans' comeback. Also for his handling of the pressing Giants, lightening the mood at practice to help his 0-2 team relax and come through with a terrific effort.
Wet Willies

Zak DeOssie -- C'mon, man! A field goal snap that barely got off the ground and skittered its way under the hands of Steve Weatherford cost the Giants three first-quarter points. That was after a Donnell fumble probably cost them seve. DeOssie has one job on the Giants. He has to do it better than that.

Stevie Brown -- Back in his eight-interception 2012 season, Brown displayed a penchant for not only making big plays but for giving them up as well. Two seasons later, after missing 2013 with a torn ACL, Brown isn't quite as explosive and isn't yet making those big plays. He is, however, still giving them up. Brown allowed Houston's Demaris Johnson to run right by him for a 44-yard touchdown strike Sunday. Can't have that from your deep safety in center field.
Kwillies

Larry Donnell -- The young tight end caught six more passes for 45 yards as mostly an underneath target on Sunday. He now has a team-high 18 catches and has become a huge part of the Giants' offense. You just can't fumble and cost your team points.

Let me know who I left out, Giants' fans.

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EAST RUTHERFORD – When an offensive coordinator can establish his lead rusher in the way Ben McAdoo established Rashad Jennings yesterday afternoon, the playbook opens wide.

Eli Manning had time. Jennings was averaging more than five yards per carry. Receivers were gaining separation.

Throughout the week, McAdoo told his players to "trust in the process," which hasn't been easy to do at times. The new coordinator and first-time play caller dug the old system out by the roots and forced players to learn a new way to time passes, run routes and term plays. The preseason was a bit of a disaster, and through two games the offense showed little in the way of progress.

That changed on Sunday.

Manning had his seventh-most accurate game (75 percent) in his career, finally hitting the golden mark that his quarterbacks coach set for him in the preseason. Victor Cruz got the ball in space and scored a touchdown.

Here's how we graded it out:

THE GOOD

When Victor Cruz lined up in the backfield alongside Eli Manning and caught a swing pass for a gain of six yards, I wondered why we hadn't seen that play before. McAdoo did a nice job of putting Cruz in a situation to make plays, and even something as simple as an intermediate route can be explosive when put in the right hands.

The short passing game worked well on Sunday. Each of Manning's first six attempts were less than nine yards, and included the quick "Hakeem Nicks" route to Rueben Randle to start the game.

N.J. Sports Now: Reports of Eli Manning's demise were greatly exaggerated Giants QB Eli Manning has completed 70.1 percent of his passes over the last two games.

I think Manning is going to end up liking the ability to operate in these confines, even though he was a little aggressive on his deep attempt to Randle in double coverage. Obviously, the team needs to establish Randle as a deep threat but not at the cost of an interception.

The core of the game plan, which called for the Giants to run at J.J. Watt, was brilliant. McAdoo clearly identified a weakness despite some glaring holes on his own offensive line. Watt was doubled on nearly every power play and, despite Watt's skillset, it worked. The off tackle running plays took him out of the game.

This was the most the Giants have run the ball since 1999 when Joe Montgomery played against the Jets and the holes were still there.

THE BAD:

This is not a criticism, but more of a question. I'm curious what the value of letting someone like Peyton Hillis, or even Henry Hynoski, run the ball as a change of pace back would be. Andre Williams will grow into a primary ballcarrier, but he's still trying too hard to find the holes. He's also behind the curve on his pass blocking, which can eliminate certain plays from the book.

THE GRADE:

A+

McAdoo needed a solid offensive gameplan to keep the season on track, and that is exactly what he turned out. Let's not get too high on the Giants just yet, but the new staff is delivering on their promises so far. Manning is completing his passes and Jennings is turning out to be the physical option that the Giants need.

Now we'll see how he does with a short week and a very good Redskins team coming.

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So that’s what it’s supposed to look like.

After two weeks of uneven offensive play and pressure mounting on Giants quarterback Eli Manning for not having adapted to the new offensive system brought in by first-year offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, everything finally clicked in Sunday’s 30-17 win over the Texans at MetLife Stadium.

It wasn’t perfect. There was the fumble by tight end Larry Donnell inside the Houston 5-yard line and a few other gaffes. But Manning nearly was perfect, completing 21-of-28 for 234 yards, two touchdowns and a robust 123.2 rating.

“That,’’ Manning said after the game, “is the way it’s supposed to work.’’

Manning engineered the no-huddle offense extremely well, keeping the aggressive Houston defense off balance and helping slow down the Texans’ game-wrecking star defensive end J.J. Watt. The quarterback finally looked like he’s been playing in McAdoo’s permutation of the West Coast offense — the offense that so many critics have insisted since summertime does not fit Manning’s skill set — like he’s been in it for years.

“He has persevered greatly,’’ receiver Victor Cruz said of his quarterback and the criticism he has endured. “This week in practice, he was locked in and made every throw. I think we’re somewhere around 90 percent [completions] this week in practice. He was locked in, knew exactly what he needed to do and you could see that out there on the field [Sunday].’’

The tempo at which Manning and the offense operated was more fluid than it has been since McAdoo arrived.

“I love seeing him in a rhythm like that where he’s confident,’’ Giants safety Antrel Rolle said. “He looked very poised. Eli did a phenomenal job executing the offense and the rest of the guys did an excellent job being on the same page as Eli. That’s what we’re used to seeing.’’

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said Manning has started to look this way “the past couple weeks.’’

Indeed, he looked more comfortable in last week’s loss to the Cardinals, but there were turnovers.

“He made some outstanding run check downs in [the] green zone that let drives stay alive,’’ Coughlin said. “He played very, very well. He plays a very solid, outstanding mental game and he did that [Sunday]. There is no question as we go, we’re getting better at it. The ball is coming out quicker, people are making the right adjustments. There is still more to be done. We’ve got more to do. It’s good to see the progress, though.’’

Manning said an emphasis was getting a lead for a change.

“That’s something we’ve been talking about,’’ he said. “Offensively, we had to score some points, get a lead and put a little pressure on the opposing team, see if we could get them to take some mistakes. And that’s exactly what happened. That’s the way it’s supposed to go.

“Last week we made some steps to get better and this week was even stronger.’’

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The statistics from the Giants’ 30-17 victory yesterday over the Houston Texans would suggest the defense didn’t play particularly well. Houston played without star running back Arian Foster (who was sidelined with a hamstring injury) but gained 411 yards, including 292 through the air.


But the numbers are misleading. The Texans never led and trailed by as much as 20 points in the fourth quarter – when they gained 150 of those yards.

It was a significant step forward for the defense, which has incorporated many new faces into a unit that finished the 2013 season ranked eighth in the NFL. Those making the plays believed it was just a matter of time before the defense began to flex its muscles.


“When you have a collection of so many people that are trying to get used to the standard or to get used to what exactly it is or how something is supposed to be done or what exactly a coach means, everybody has to get on the same page,” linebacker Jameel McClain said today. “I think what we are seeing now are players getting on the same page, players and coaches speaking the same language. Not saying we didn’t speak it before, but now we are speaking it clearer. This is only one game. We wanted to stack these games, so now I can consistently tell you this is what we are doing and how we are rolling better. I am not a person to jump the gun. Although I am excited about the performance like everyone else is, we still have to keep building on top of that.”

McClain is the Giants’ strongside linebacker, but he played in the middle on Sunday because Jon Beason was sidelined with foot and toe injuries. He led the team with 11 tackles (nine solo) and had a half-sack, his first since the 2011 season, when he played for Baltimore. After three games, McClain is second on the team with 19 tackles (13 solo).


McClain played on many outstanding defenses with the Ravens, but is impressed with his new teammates, those playing behind him.


“These cornerbacks are phenomenal, from top to bottom,” McClain said. “DRC (Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie), Prince (Amukamara), Tru’ (Trumaine McBride] comes in and does amazing things. And Z-Bo (Zach Bowman), I believe, is a great corner. When Walter (Thurmond, who is out for the season with a pectoral injury) was out there we have so much depth and so much talent that these guys can just go out there and play ball. Our job is to make them look good as the front seven. So (the opposing team) can start to pass the ball and we can get our defensive backs with the ball in the air… It gets dangerous at that point because it is fair game at that point.”

The Giants will have little practice time this week, because they play Thursday night in Washington.

“It is always a challenge to have this type of turnaround in the NFL, to go from a Sunday to a Thursday night,” McClain said. “How I look at it is both teams are going through the same thing. It is more of a mental preparation style week because of the physicality (of the game). Most people’s bodies don’t really recover until Tuesday or Wednesday. It is really going to be a mental preparation type week for us."