Head Coach Tom Coughlin
Q: Is O'Hara out?
A: He's out, yeah.
Q: What's the update on him overall?
A: There is none. We're just trying to figure out how we can control this – how we can keep this issue from reoccurring.
Q: Is it something that he can push through at all?
A: He's been pushing through it. That's how he got into the difficulty that he got into.
Q: It's still the tendonitis?
A: Yeah. That's what it is.
Q: Osi wasn't out there.
A: No, he's got a knee so we held him today.
Q: His status for Sunday?
A: Questionable.
Q: What about Rocky and Bulluck?
A: Bulluck, I think, we listed doubtful. Rocky, I think, questionable.
Q: Is Clint Sintim the next guy there after Keith?
A: Yes.
Q: How has he done?
A: He's had a good week. He's had a good week of practice here.
Q: Is that the same knee that's been bothering Osi?
A: I think it is, yeah.
Q: Was that affecting him Sunday because he didn't seem to do a whole lot?
A: No, I don't think so.
Q: It just reoccurred yesterday or today?
A: Got some swelling, so we decided to do the smart thing.
Q: Especially considering Osi's status, where would you rate what Mathias Kiwanuka has done? Does that mean that he would play a whole game at DE?
A: No. We would have…well…I would fully expect Osi to play. I don't see that he's not going to play.
Q: Do you feel as though Mathias has reached a new level of consistency this season?
A: I think he's playing well. I think Osi is playing well. I just think that what we would do is continue to rotate all of our available defensive ends so that Jason (Pierre-Paul) perhaps would get some more work.
Q: Mathias looks like has become a more versatile player.
A: Very versatile. You can line him up at linebacker. You can line him up at different spots in the sub package.
Q: Is it rare for a player to be able to do that? How dangerous does that make him?
A: Well, it certainly makes him a guy that you can't really tell where he's going to show up in – from what spot he'll appear. The more versatile you are obviously the more you can be utilized.
Q: In the aftermath of Sunday, can you look back on the week and feel like you got through to the players? What makes you feel that way?
A: I think so. I think we've practiced well. I think we're very well focused. I think that despite the issues with the weather the last couple of days the guys have been great. I mean, they're here early, they're ready to go, they've been very good in meetings… I think that there's been a real serious approach to getting our team on track.
Q: Do you get a sense that they don't want to be known as that team that commits all of those penalties?
A: I certainly hope so.
Q: Has being indoors affected Matt Dodge at all?
A: I don't think so. If anything, the obvious is that he was able to work on what he's trying to accomplish without the conditions and in a way that's probably helped him. We'll see depending on what the conditions are like on Sunday.
Q: Have you noticed over the years that teams around the years commit more turnovers and penalties earlier in the season than later? Do you think that that might have anything to do with not playing the starters enough in the preseason?
A: I don't know. I think that to try to give you an answer that is based on fact…I couldn't tell you that. I know for our team, I'm very disappointed in where we are from a standpoint of both penalties and turnovers and I would hope that this would settle down and level off and not be the deciding factor in games going forward. Whether or not there's more penalties – to be honest with you, in studying some of the crews, the number of penalties called in games is kind of…I'm taken aback by it – the number of total penalties – but other than that I can't tell you.
Q: I know why you don't play the regulars more in the preseason but do you ever lament not getting them more work.
A: In the preseason? No.
Q: Parcells said that he really doesn't see penalties as something that is the coach's fault and that it can all be corrected with focus. Where are you on that?
A: As I said earlier in the week, whatever happens is my responsibility. We ought to be a team that – some of the penalties that occurred were coming from veteran football players. I'm upset about that to the point that the players don't realize that this contributes to a loss. Penalties lose games. Turnovers lose games. There's no argument there.
Q: When you're going to face a premier pass rusher like Julius Peppers, does that change the way you station guys on the offensive line?
A: You'll do a lot of things. You'll have a lot of things that have to… Well you don't know what side he's coming from, first of all – he lines up on both sides – but you have to be very much aware of where he is and the other players up there are good football players and pass rushers as well.
Q: What kind of challenge is he?
A: It's a big challenge. He's a force that has to be reckoned with.
Q: What's the biggest leap Mario Manningham has made this year?
A: I think that his execution has been better. I think that his route running has improved. I think he takes full advantage of his speed and quickness. He certainly has shown the capability of the big play, which he did last year when he was in position where the quarterback and he communicated well and they were confident – and Eli was confident that he knew exactly what Mario was trying to accomplish.
Q: How did Clint Sintim deal with not getting that starting job?
A: He dealt well. He did fine with it. He didn't like it but he did okay with it.
Q: You said you were aghast at the number of penalties. Were you talking about the discrepancy in crews?
A: Well, just the crews that we've had, the number of penalties that are called in a game is…to me it's an awful lot of penalties.
Q: How has Brian Jackson done on special teams?
A: I think he's had a solid week. He certainly has had to learn exactly what we want from him when you go from practice squad to an opportunity to be on the 53, it becomes much more meticulous and detailed for that individual, so he's had to do that, but we're looking forward to seeing a solid performance.
Q: Do you see teams trying to cover Steve Smith or take him away a little bit more, especially early in the games?
A: Sure, yeah. You see that.
Q: How do you deal with that?
A: Well, you've got to move – move him around in different spots. Double move him.
Q: Going into this game, do you learn something from the defensive game plan against Indianapolis, which is a fairly unbalanced team?
A: Each team is different. Each team is totally different and your approach is totally different and we're much aware of the balance that everybody we play in terms of run and pass.
Q: As far as Jay Cutler – a guy who sometimes throws it up for grabs – do you see more opportunities to create turnovers this week?
A: Well, that hasn't happened for them up to this point. They are plus-three, so he hasn't done a lot of that. There were a couple of occurrences last weekend where interceptions were nullified by penalties and Green Bay certainly had a lot of penalties and it did take away from their ability to turn the ball over.
Q: Tiki said yesterday that you're in 'crisis mode' because of the perception that you're losing the team. What's your reaction?
A: I'm not reacting to anything that's said by anybody along those lines.
Q: Do you have a goal for tonight's Jay Fund dinner?
A: I hope we can do better than we've ever done before and help families who have children with leukemia and other forms of cancer. That would be our goal.
LB Clint Sintim
Q: Looks like you'll get a shot this weekend:
A: I assume so. Keith's toe flared up a little bit. It's an opportunity, and I'm excited about it.
Q: Where are you at now physically?
A: I feel great. Every week, I prepare as if I'm going to play. This week was not different. I might play this week more than I did in past weeks but I prepare the same whether I get 100 plays or if I get one play. I think this week looks like I have an opportunity. Nothing has been told me yet but I'm preparing the same way.
Q: With limited experience, do you think the Bears offense will specifically challenge you?
A: They're going to go about their game plan however they see fit. My job is to prepare accordingly, watch film, and be as prepared as possible. I'm doing what I need to do. I'm not too worried about how to approach it. I know what they did on tape and I've seen how they play so I'm going to handle myself accordingly.
Q: You anxious to prove yourself?
A: I just want to play. I've said that since day one. I just want to play. I want to play football, I want to play on defense, I want to play. Like I said, hopefully this week will be my opportunity to play. I'm excited and hopefully I'll get to take advantage of it.
Q: What's a good game for you?
A: After a win, obviously. You get the win and that's a great game. Pick sixes maybe. A good game is good team defense playing physical and being a part of that. Being physically dominant and stopping the run obviously first and foremost. Being passionate, energetic, and productive as a unit. That's a good game for me. If we come away with a win and I do my part, and I can take advantage of it, obviously, that's the biggest thing for me.
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