Q: Would Coach Coughlin be surprised if he heard what happens inside the huddle in those last-minute situations?A: I don't know, I guess there is not a lot said because we have been in so many situations like this the last two years. I think everybody expects to do well and come out on top so I don't think there is a lot that needs to be said in the huddle at the end of the game in that situation.
Q: Do you think other teams talk a lot to get everybody on the same page?A:* *I don't know what other teams' situations may be but I think we may believe in ourselves more and we know that, at the time, we expect to score. We are shocked if we don't score in those situations at the end of games.
Q: Can this team see the finish line now?A: Basically, we are in the playoffs now. We knew that we couldn't afford to fall further behind Dallas when we went into the game. We are in a playoff type atmosphere from here on out. We have a big division game this week and we have to take it one game at a time and see what happens. We have to give Washington our best shot. They lost a couple of tough ones and they could have very easily won them against quality opponents so we know that we are going to have our hands full on Sunday.
Q: Do you feel fortunate to be in the position that you are in?A: I think that is just the nature of it. We are in a very competitive division year in and year out. I think it is just one of those years where it is not a 12-2 team or a 11-2 team leading the division right now. I think there is a tremendous amount of parity in the league and there is not a lot of difference between the top and the bottom.
Q: Does Eli Manning ever say anything to someone when they do something wrong?A: I feel like you know what happened and he is pretty even keel regardless of the situation, good or bad. He will let you know what he saw and what happened and get on to the next play. I think he has a great short term memory and it kind of rubs off on us to. He is a great leader out there for us.
Q: Do you think this win will motivate the team going forward?A: I don't think it mattered how we did it, I think bottom line was about just getting a win. We haven't won in a long time and our opportunities are getting short so it didn't matter who we were playing and how much we won by. We always would like to win by a lot more but just getting back in the win column and putting ourselves in the position to have an opportunity. That is what we play for, to have meaningful games in December and here we are with everything in front of us. We just have to take advantage of it.
Q: Is there something to this offensive line the way it is now and makes it more powerful?A: I don't think there is anything to it. I think we have been more consistent and we have the consistency that we have been searching for. I think there have been better run plays throughout the year but in the last couple weeks, we just somehow managed to become more consistent and cutting out a lot of the negative running plays, which has allowed us to stay on schedule. I think that is a big thing instead of having a second and 10, we have a second and four or five. That opens it up and allows us to run the ball again and get another big play. I think that the consistency is a big thing but I wouldn't point to it as being on a specific item or the line combination. I think that everybody is confident with whomever is in the ball game.
Q: Did this combination just hit it off right away?A: Honestly, this group hasn't played in games a lot but in practice we practiced together and coach Flaherty has different combinations working together often so it is not a completely new situation to be next to Mitch or for Mitch to be next to Dave. We have practiced and obviously it is different in games but I think everybody just trusts in one another and has full confidence that the person next to you is going to do their job to the best of their abilities.
Q: Did you look up at the clock and say we can score two touchdowns in five minutes?A: I think our main thing was when Dallas scored to go up 12, we just needed to get one score. We are not going to make up all of it in one drive. I think the main thing was to score as fast as possible to give ourselves one shot in the end. We were pretty efficient on that drive and scored within a couple minutes and we put the pressure back on Dallas. It benefitted us and our defense got a stop and gave us a shot in the end.
Q: It is commonplace to be so confident in last-minute situations?A: I think it is commonplace. I think because it has happened so often. We were in four minute runs at the end of games but for whatever reason the majority of the games have come down to the last possession. I think we expect it. We expect, as an offense, that we want the ball at the end of the game with the chance to win. We are fairly confident that we have the guys on that side of the ball to get it done.
Q: How big of an advantage is it to have the final three games in your home stadium?A: It is great to not have to travel. That is a good thing and we will have the support of the fans and we are definitely looking forward to that. Hopefully they will be out in full force against Washington because it is basically like a playoff game for us and that will continue Sunday and it's one o'clock.
Q: What gives you confidence in the defense that they will get you the ball back?A: We know the type of players that they are and the type of heart that they have and the unbelievable talent that they have. We know that they are going to come up with a stop for us and Dallas is not a poor offense and they have some good offensive players. We knew that it would be a challenge for them defensively but when it mattered most, they came up with some plays and got a turnover and got us some points off a sack. They gave us more than enough than what we needed to win the game. We left some points out there on offense. It works hand in hand between offense, defense and special teams. It all works together.
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