Head Coach John Harbaugh

JOHN HARBAUGH: Great seeing everybody, appreciate you being here. Beautiful day, good, tough practice, guys did well. And we're pointing toward the Saints game on Sunday, we're looking forward to it. Big challenge, anticipating a very hungry team coming in here, a very talented team, and a very well coached team. What questions do you have?

Q: We didn't see (outside linebacker) Abdul Carter out there, how's he doing?

JOHN HARBAUGH: He's doing well, doing very well.

Q: Is he an injury or?

JOHN HARBAUGH: He'll be on the injury report, his status will come out at four.

Q: John, you drafted (tight end) Isaiah Likely a few years ago. I'm curious, what makes him such a great target? Because obviously him and (quarterback) Jameis (Winston) have had a good connection. What makes him such a great target?

JOHN HARBAUGH: He's a really unique kind of an athlete. When he was being evaluated, he went in the fourth round, I think it was late fourth round. Nobody really could get their arms around him. He made all these plays in college, but it  just looked different. You see it out here, it turns out it's really good what he does. He's elusive, he can get away in man and zone coverage. He's got a great feel, he's got great hands, he has an amazing catch radius. He's an elusive runner, a good strong runner. So, all those things that are football. He's also, and this was in college, he was crazy good as a perimeter blocker. He would launch guys through the air, like five yards through the air sometimes at Coastal. He's a really good perimeter blocker here too. He's translated really well, and I think he's been able to really express that here this year. The kind of player he is, and it's just great to see.

Q: John, with Jameis, obviously he came in, it was a bit of a fire drill just jumping in. What have you seen from him in the last couple of weeks as he's settled into this role?

JOHN HARBAUGH: It's tough to just kind of jump in there when the offense is built probably for a different quarterback. So, I think he did a really good job, but it was really tough. It was awkward, and he fought through it, and he kept his confidence. He kept his poise, and he found a way to win football games. Now we're starting to get adapted, I think, a little bit to the game plan and what we're doing and getting reps on the things that are more Jameis type things. So, I think we're going to keep getting better. That's the plan, and he's doing a great job.

Q: What is it about Jameis that's allowed him to sort of adapt along the way to that? How much is that you guys adapting to him and him adapting to what you guys are talking about?

JOHN HARBAUGH: It's probably both. Both are probably required. But a player is kind of what he is, although he's willing to do anything, and he's probably more versatile than maybe some people give him credit for. And he can do a lot of things. You saw him scramble. I think all those scramble plays that we were having fun in the team meeting, and he's like, 'I've always been a scrambler.' So yeah, he's doing a great job.

Q: People always talk about the Jameis Experience. Sometimes I feel like there's a negative connotation to that. What do you define that as?

JOHN HARBAUGH: No, that wouldn't be a negative connotation.

Q: I mean, just sometimes with the interceptions or whatever it may be.

JOHN HARBAUGH: I try not to judge other people's opinions too much.

Q: John, how do you coach a kicker? (Kicker Dominic) Zvada was great all summer, all the way up until last week. How do you coach a young kicker coming out of a game where there's some hiccups?

JOHN HARBAUGH: I mean, probably there's two tracks. The first thing is the obvious, and the thing you coach the most is the technique. So, it's like any other position. There's a technique to it. And when you watch the misses, the technique is not the same as the makes. And you can see it, and you just go through that. I think that's the most important way to coach it. And then the other part of it is, okay, why? Because you know why. Talk through that and then make the correction and go forward. He's good, and he'll be thinking about that the next time. So, just like any other position, it's just a different type of position, right?

Q: Are you hands-on with that, or do you leave that to …?

JOHN HARBAUGH: (Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator) Chris Horton does most of that. I mean, I've been coaching that for a long time, so I can get involved in that. But I didn't have to get involved in it this time. I mean, Chris did a great job with it. And Dom already knew, really, honestly. I mean, he actually knew before the game was over, after the game. He knew what he did. It's just a matter of doing it right the next time.

Q: What were the technical differences?

JOHN HARBAUGH: It had to do with his plant foot. We're not going to go through kicking technique, are we? (Laughter) It had to do with his plant foot. I feel like you're testing me.

Q: I am not.

Q: John, is what Kayvon's (outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux) being asked to do on one edge a lot different than what Abdul's asked to do on the other? And if not, do you just need more out of Kayvon right now?

JOHN HARBAUGH: I think you guys are underestimating what Kayvon's bringing to the table. The plays that he's making and the contribution he's making. Everybody wants to talk about stats. Stats are important. They're production. That's a big thing. But the tape is what tells the story. I think if you study the tape, you'll see a lot of really good plays. A lot of very physical plays and a lot of good football plays. And production will come off of that. How about the game-winning play at the end? Whose play was that?

Q: Kayvon's.

JOHN HARBAUGH: Okay. Pretty darn good play. That's not in the stat sheet, though, is it? He took that throw away, and the quarterback decided to tuck it and ended up tying us the game. So, that was a great football play. And there were other plays like that. So, I would say he's playing very well.

Q: John, you have two young tackles that could be pressed into action in this week in some way, shape, or form. What have you seen from them? What's your confidence level in those guys at this point?

JOHN HARBAUGH: I've seen a lot of work. I've seen a lot of diligent work. They're both very good players who are trying to prove themselves in this league. If and when they get a chance to play, I'm sure that they'll be very determined to do that and play well. So, we'll see.

Q: Coach, you've had fumbles sneak up on you a little bit, one getting lost at the end of the last game. How much has that been a point of emphasis, and how much is that something you can coach against?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Well, you can definitely coach it. It's a major point of emphasis. The league is more of a punch-out league than it's ever been before, and more players are really good at it than they've ever been before. We better ramp it up, just like with everybody else in the league. It's been a major point of emphasis from day one, and it's still not good enough. So, we've got to get a lot better in that area. That's been probably the most important thing with our offense. Really, right now, but really all the time. But the fact that we've had a number of fumbles, way more than we should, we're making a big deal out of it.

Q: John, is now too early to look at standings, or do you look at standings all the time? Or if not, when do you start doing that?

JOHN HARBAUGH: You always know what they are, but you know you've got to stack wins to make the December standings matter. So, we focus on the next game.

Q: If I could go back to the first question on Isaiah Likely. Stat-wise, he's on pace to blow out his career stats. Is that because he's progressed, you guys are using him more, or just he was behind (Baltimore Ravens tight end) Mark Andrews in Baltimore, and that's what it is?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Honestly, I would say all of the above. I think all those things were part of it, just from a statistical standpoint, sure. He made lots of great plays there, but he didn't have as many opportunities there for all those reasons, and those reasons were fine. They were good. I was there.

Mark Andrews is a great player as well, so all of the above.

Q: What's the benefits to the package with (quarterback) J.J. (McCarthy), in your opinion?

JOHN HARBAUGH: The benefits of it? It's a change of pace. What you saw is probably not all we have for him right now. Whether or not he's out there or not will be determined based on whatever happens. But we'll see if it's something that can help us. One thing about it, to me, it's like, what's the benefit of not doing everything you can to use all the guys you have? We're always going to be searching for opportunities to use our players, give them an opportunity to help us win games. I think we'd be negligent if we didn't try to do that.

Q: Along those lines, John, with (tight end) Theo (Johnson) and all of the reps he's getting on special teams, last year he had zero special teams reps. He said it was just about trying to be an asset for this team, doing whatever he can. What have you seen from that? I would imagine a guy that size, Chris (Horton) kind of talked about, big, physical, fast, that's who you love to be out there on kickoff coverage. What have you seen from Theo?

JOHN HARBAUGH: You're right along those lines is exactly right because it is the same point. Guys having an opportunity to help you win in any way. He's been adamant about wanting to be out there on those phases. When he's running down on kickoff coverage, he's running people over and making tackles. It's been awesome to see. I wouldn't want to stand in front of him, trying to block him on kickoff returns. It's just awesome. You have to balance it out because it has to do with how many reps you take on offense and defense. (Inside linebacker) Arvell (Reese) is a guy that would be a great special teams player on four phases, but he's playing so many reps on defense, it's really hard to justify. There's so many reps in a guy in a game. If Theo gets ramped up to those kind of reps, he's not going to be able to be on special teams as much. But we have a number of tight ends. We rotate guys in and out. He's available. So wow, it's good to put a player like that out there on your special teams. Yeah, all the guys doing everything they can to help us be the best team that we can be is really the goal, to your point.

Q: Real quick, (New Orleans Saints quarterback) Tyler Shough was in the same draft as (quarterback) Jaxson (Dart). He was in the same draft class as Jaxson. I was wondering what you guys thought of that quarterback draft class, you were probably sitting there seeing which guys might be taken at the bottom half of that round. And kind of what you see from him as an NFL player?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Yeah, I think he might have the fifth most passing yards, between five and ten most passing yards since he started starting there in the National Football League. Olave's (New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave) got right there as far as the most receiving yards. Those two guys, they're a connection right now. He's been lighting it up since he started. But he's still a young quarterback too, so you see all those elements. Done a great job, though. Done a great job. It's going to be a challenge for us.

Q: John, yesterday your players were very complimentary to you and the coaching staff. What about you looking at them and what they've given you thus far this year? Can you express your thoughts on your team?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Right on. I mean, just exactly what we've been talking about. And we were talking about in today's meeting, understanding what's required, what needs to be done. We're chasing doing it more often, really. That's kind of the bottom line. We want to be more consistent with doing the things that are required to win a football game. It's really hard to win in this league. You've got to do a lot of things right against a team that's trying to do a lot of things right too. I think they have it. I think they have what it takes. I've told them that. They have what it takes. And they're chasing execution every single day. So, I'm really proud of them. I think they're really diligent. They're tough-minded. They work really hard and they're very talented. Those are all really important traits. So, let's see what we can do with this. Let's see where we can go. But really, it's focused on this right here. Let's get to work on this big challenge we have in front of us because we've got a very determined football team coming in here. So, all those other things are great, but we need to be at our best on Sunday to have a chance to win this game.

Quarterback Jameis Winston

Q: Jameis, from the moment you came in, obviously with (quarterback) Jaxson (Dart), it was a bit of a fire drill, obviously, because you're just getting in there. How do you feel like you've kind of settled in since then, particularly the last couple of weeks?

JAMEIS WINSTON: I'm focused on getting better every single day, every single game. And I think that is the recipe for success, is getting one percent better every single day and applying that, being a doer of that as best as we can.

Q: How much better do you think you've gotten over time since you've been here?

JAMEIS WINSTON: One percent. Yeah, one percent better each day. Yeah.

Q: When you were spending those four years in New Orleans, mostly as a backup, did you ever think that you're going to be in this spot again where you're able to be a starting quarterback week after week?

JAMEIS WINSTON: Of course. Of course. I dreamt of it. And now it's here. So, I'm grateful for that. Love that organization. Man, my heart and soul is with "Who Dat", but I'm grateful to be a New York Football Giant. And the New York Football Giants have given me a privilege to be their starting quarterback. And I'm going to honor that and do my very best at that.

Q: How much different of a quarterback are you than back then?

JAMEIS WINSTON: I'm one percent better. I'm one percent better every single day. And that's – it can be cliche. But, I mean, again, forget what's behind and press forward to what's ahead. And that is what my focus is on. That is what my heart desires. The Bible says a day is like 1,000 years and 1,000 years a day. Yesterday feels like 1,000 years ago. That's how relevant it is. So, today I'm focused on being one percent better today.

Q: What were your favorite parts about being a Saint in that city and all that?

JAMEIS WINSTON: I think just the culture, the people. Man, (New Orleans Saints General Manager) Mickey Loomis is going to go down as one of the all-time greatest GMs, sports figures in the world. Being around his greatness, seeing the passion that (New Orleans Saints Owner) Ms. Benson had. Being around with Hall of Famers like (former New Orleans Saints linebacker) Demario Davis, (New Orleans Saints defensive end) Cam Jordan, (former New Orleans Saints quarterback) Drew Brees, (former New Orleans Saints tight end) Taysom Hill, (New Orleans Saints running back) Alvin Kamara. Even (former New Orleans Saints wide receiver) Mike Thomas in his early years. Like just being around guys like (former New Orleans Saints offensive lineman) Taron Armstead, guys like (former New Orleans Saints running back) Mark Ingram. Like it's a reason why those teams won. (Former New Orleans Saints cornerback) Marshawn Lattimore, (former New Orleans Saints Head Coach) Sean Payton. And I think as a young football lover, you get impacted by that. And you add that to your game whichever way that you can.

Q: Jameis, you guys have home field this week again. You're 3-0 at home. It hasn't happened for this team since 2008. How do you continue to put the pedal to the metal at your home field?

JAMEIS WINSTON: Yeah, operate with elite execution. Grateful for our fans representing, showing up, showing out. Man, we had two resilient wins the past few times that we were at home. And such a magical win on the anniversary of September 11th. Not the actual day, but we just had some passionate wins at home. And it's really because we have passionate fans. So, we got to keep that energy coming in MetLife, the blue MetLife. And we just got to keep on being our best for them.

Q: Does the disrespect given to the Giants, even at 3-1-1, drive you? Do you embrace that? Do your teammates embrace that?

JAMEIS WINSTON: The consistent striving for greatness is what drives this team. Not opinions, facts, or other people's perspective. We would love to be our very best. We would love to go out there and represent our families, this organization. Our gifts that we've been given to our very best. That's what drives us.

Q: How much has the offense gotten more maybe tailored to you since you first stepped in in terms of playing to your strengths?

JAMEIS WINSTON: I just think the coaches are doing an incredible job catering to our playmakers. I think that's so important. Football can be very simple when you say, hey, this is who we have. How can we make them look good? We make them look good, we in turn will look good. So, just hats off to those guys upstairs working their tail off day in and day out to give us the best chance to go out there and give our best players the ball.

Q: Jameis, fans often talk about the Jameis Winston experience. I'm sure you've probably heard that around. How do you see that? Do you see that in a fun way?

JAMEIS WINSTON: My take on the Jameis Winston experience is that I am called to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth, right? Every time that I'm around someone, I am driven to increase that man or that woman with every action that I take. So, if you're defining that as the Jameis Winston experience, I'm telling you that is the Jameis Winston experience that I intend to give. Now, all the other perceptions, again, (former Washington quarterback) Joe Theismann, man, he told me once perception is reality. So, people can say whatever they want to say. But my intention is to be a man of increase. Increase in every man, every woman that I come in contact with, doing onto them as I would want them to do onto me.

Q: So, your experience is about impacting people as well as whatever you do on the football field on a Sunday?

JAMEIS WINSTON: Absolutely. I think that's the largest platform we get. That's a great testimony to go and be the starting quarterback for the New York Football Giants at MetLife Stadium, to go and play a game, compete with your teammates, fight for each other, be one team, one heartbeat, and at the end of the day, give all the credit to God because he deserves it anyway.

Q: Jameis, fumbles have been a thing of late. Have you and (running back) Cam (Skattebo) in particular had any conversations about how to avoid this punch-heavy league?

JAMEIS WINSTON: I think the conversation is do. Be doers of being intentional with ball security. Cam doesn't have a problem. I don't have a problem. We had experiences that came up that were are focused and that we're driven to fix.