Offensive tackle Andrew Thomas
Q: When you look back at how well you guys ran the ball on Sunday, just what stood out as how this group, this O-line group, is playing at this point?
THOMAS: I would say it started with communication. Green Bay presented a multitude of fronts, so just communicating the mike point, technique and then finish was a big part of it. Then credit to the tight ends, the backs, receivers. There were a few plays, (quarterback) Jameis (Winston) was in pile pushing after the play. So, I think it's a testament to everybody and the will to be physical up front and run the ball well.
Q: With seeing (interim head coach Mike) Kafka this week, what maybe stood out to you, was there anything different in terms of interacting with him, how he coached this weekend? What was the biggest noticeable difference for you with Kafka in charge?
THOMAS: Honestly, I didn't notice too much during the game. Offensive line usually stays in our corner. I felt like we had some aggressive calls going for it on fourth down. But other than that, I thought he did a good job of handling the game. Like I said, we execute whatever is called.
Q: One of the things that Mike said he was changing or adding, I guess, was having the practice squad guys and the injured guys on the sideline just to kind of create a little bit of a buzz. What was that like for you guys, especially when it came to seeing (quarterback) Jaxson (Dart) and (running back) Cam (Skattebo) out there pregame and wherever they were limited to doing?
THOMAS: I think that's infectious, having positive energy on the team and then credit to those guys because I know they're on the practice squad, but they're part of our team. They work every day. So, it was pretty cool to see them out there to be able to celebrate with us on the sideline.
Q: What did you think of Cam's wrestling debut?
THOMAS: Cam's crazy.
Q: This was the second home game in a row where you guys had to go to a silent count. How hard is that to adjust to when you're probably not practicing it during the week? Then, I guess, how disappointing is it to have to do that at your home stadium?
THOMAS: You don't anticipate having to do that at home, but that's reality and that's partly because of how we played. So, we just embrace it. We made the silent count a strength of ours, get timing on the rushers and it helps us out. So, we just embrace it.
Q: You mentioned that things really weren't that different during the game with Kafka. You guys kind of stay in your own offensive line corner. Have any of your teammates on defense asked you casually this past week, 'What can I expect? What's he like?' I mean, (defensive lineman) Dexter Lawrence said he didn't even know if he had a personality. I mean, he's an offensive coordinator, he doesn't really mingle with the other side. Are any guys curious and asking you about what he's all about?
THOMAS: They're really not asking me much, but we have leadership meetings and a lot of the defensive guys, they talk and Kafka asks questions, just trying to get to know everybody. Obviously, it's tough during the season, but I think he's doing a good job of just trying to reach out, understand those guys a little bit more, which will help him make decisions.
Q: We were talking earlier in the year about vibes and the vibes were good. Vibes probably aren't as good now. You don't strike me as a real big vibe guy. You strike me as a guy who comes to work. Is there any feeling or any difference since this change was made? There are a few procedural and schedule differences, but is there anything you feel at all that is different?
THOMAS: Honestly, no. I feel like this team, we're so close. I know we keep saying that, but I think we're very close and Kafka believes in this team. We're going to keep trying to figure out how to win because at the end of the day, that's what solves all the problems is winning, so we've got to figure that out.
Q: You mentioned the leadership meetings and you guys getting together. I know you've done it all year, but is there more of an onus on you guys? Do you take more ownership because of all the changes that have happened in the last week or so and the way things are? I mean, I know you're used to, the leaders of this team, are used to dealing with adversity, but this is something different. I mean, it doesn't happen all the time when a head coach and you have an interim coach. So I'm just curious, the connections you guys have made, has it made you stronger? Does it make you lean into it more? How does that manifest itself?
THOMAS: Yeah, we definitely embrace it. It's not easy to deal with something like that during the season. But like I said, we've had those meetings with Kaf and he's relying on us and we're relying on him, all of us in it together, trying to get this thing going in the right direction.
Q: We talked after the game, just the offensive line and how you guys have played and the continuity. Do you guys sense during the week as you're putting together the game plan for the next game that the trust continues to grow from the coaches and from everyone as part of the offense of what you guys can do as an offensive line, as to maybe opposed of, I don't want to say lack of trust, but uncertainty as to how you guys would perform in past years?
THOMAS: Yeah, when the offensive line is playing well, it makes offense really easy, especially for the skill guys. So, we try to do our best to make sure that we win early downs. It makes third downs a lot easier and then when it's time to throw the ball (inaudible) winning your one-on-one matchups, it really helps the team. So, we just try to look for ways to improve each and every week.
Q: When you look at the Lions, they've been kind of like the gold standard offensive line for a while. Is that something that crosses your mind? Are they a team offensive lines measure up to? And do you feel like you guys have reached a point where maybe you guys are the best that you guys have been since you've been here?
THOMAS: Obviously credit to those guys. They've been good up front for a while and part of that goes to what I was talking about earlier, just winning early downs, running the ball really well. It makes play action go, it makes pass protection third-and-manageable, you get different looks. But no, I think we're playing well, but you can never be complacent. We want to continue to improve to be the best unit in the league, so we're trying to clean up everything we can to do that.
Q: Way back in your rookie year, you were late for something and Joe Judge benched you for a quarter. What did you learn from that?
THOMAS: It's just a rookie mistake, obviously accountability, and then you're just making sure that that never happens again.
Q: The video of WWE last night. As a guy who's had some foot injuries, what did you think when you saw that? Were you like, oh, that's scripted? Or were you like, Cam, what are you doing, you have a dislocated ankle, you got pushed?
THOMAS: Skatt is crazy, so I'm sure he probably had some extra in there. But I'm not worried about him. I think he's going to trust and do everything that it takes to be back when he's ready.
Q: On the other side of the ball for the Lions, just what makes their defensive line tough with (Lions edge) Aidan Hutchinson and those guys? What are the challenges they present?
THOMAS: I would say first, their play style. Obviously they have talented players, but I think it's the play style that makes it tough. Very physical up front. The interior guys, they push the pocket really well. Obviously, they have a talented edge. So, for us, it's just about identifying the front, technique, being physical, matching that physicality as much as possible. Then obviously on the money down, third down, protecting.
Running back Tyrone Tracy Jr.
Q: There was a lot more energy and effort just coming from the team at the time this year and I think that 17 yard run you had where you just kind of moved through, carried a bunch of tackles with you.
Was there any kind of extra juice from you guys this week just with playing with more energy, more effort, just in general?
TRACY: I wouldn't say any extra. (Interim head coach Mike) Kaf (Kafka) definitely, that was kind of one of his things going into the week was just playing, leaving no doubt and just playing with a lot of energy. We had some of the practice players on the sideline and the way we practiced this week was, or last week, was a little more energized and that's just based off of Kaf and how he wanted things ran in practice. It carried over to the game. And I think it was very evident just by the energy, offense, defense, special teams that everyone had.
Q: The way you guys have run the ball lately, obviously (quarterback Jaxson) Dart has been such a big part of the run game, you and (running back Cam) Skatt, but just after a game like that where you and (running back Devin Singletary) Motor really kind of asserted yourselves, do you think that that can be a formula continuing to go forward as Dart comes back where you guys can, continue to assert yourselves in the run game the way you did?
TRACY: Yeah, I definitely do. Obviously, Darts' legs, his legs are an asset to our offense. So, I definitely think with him coming back, I think that his legs will help us in certain areas of the field and he'll help us get out of certain situations. But, yeah, going forward I definitely do think that me and Motor, the way we run and how we complement each other throughout the game and just how the flow of the game and how it goes and how it's really easy between us two. I definitely do think that game really, we kind of asserted ourselves I guess you can say, but at the same time Darts' legs are going to be an asset.
Q: You mentioned a relationship between you and Motor, and I think back a couple weeks ago, you know, when Cam got hurt, you talked about how, as happy as you were for him and what he was doing, then he gets hurt, it's another opportunity. I'm curious for you, does it surprise you at all? Like, during the game watching you, how excited you are for Motor and vice versa, that your relationships have seemed to get stronger, even though some guys might look at it and say you're taking away opportunities. You know, he gets touchdowns. You're getting the yardage. I'm just curious from a personal aspect of it, are you surprised sometimes at how good you feel for Motor and when he's doing a good job, when you could easily look at it and say I should be the one out there?
TRACY: No. To answer, I mean, it's very simple for me. I'm a team player. I want whoever's out there, whether it's me, Motor, Skatt, EG (running back Eric Gray), Turbo (running back Dante Miller), like whoever it is, like I want them to do good. I really don't care to have all the touches, all the touchdowns. That's not really my MO. I'm just a big dude that, whoever's in the RB room, if you're out there on the football field, you're producing, whether again I don't care what your name is. But it doesn't surprise me, and it shouldn't surprise anyone else. If you look back to when Skatt scored his first touchdown in Dallas, I was the first one on the field, you know, running to congratulate him. That's just who I am. That's just who I am. I'm a team first guy. And I'm also like a big relationship guy as well. Like it's bigger than football. You know what I'm saying? These are my brothers. We go over to each other's houses. We talk, chill, talk about life. It's deeper than football. So, when I see him do good, again, it's more than just him scoring touchdowns. You know what I'm saying? Like I want him to have success as much as I want myself to have success.
Q: So, why didn't you have Cam's back last night when he started fighting in the Garden?
TRACY: See, I wasn't there last night. But you best believe I was fighting. I was fighting at home, though, telling him to duck and sit down. But Cam's a wild man. Cam's a wild man. So, I mean, everybody knows that. So, he is going to go out there and do what he do.
Q: You've never been shy in the start of the seasons to talk about numbers and your goals and things like that. Do you recalibrate when the numbers are not going to be there and the way the season is going. Now you're getting more. Do you kind of recalibrate and say, boy, I'd love to finish with this now. I mean, I know you're a team guy and I know you want to win. That's obviously your priority. But you also want to put numbers up to help the team win. So, do you recalibrate that and kind of say, if I can finish with this, this will be good considering how I started?
TRACY: To answer your question, no, not really. At the beginning of the season, it's good to have goals just to know what you're aiming for it. You always want to shoot for the stars. Shoot for bigger and better than what you did the previous year. But as the season continues, you really just have to take it game by game. So, there's really no numbers involved in really anything that I'm doing up to this point and going forward as well. I'm just going to go out there and play football. When the ball touches my hand, I'm going to try to do something positive. Whether run, pass. And if I don't have the ball, I'm trying to protect those who have the ball. So, yeah, to answer your question, I really don't have any numbers at the moment. And I probably most likely won't have any numbers for the rest of the season just for the fact of it really doesn't matter, to be honest. I'm just trying to go out there for my team in a good situation. And at the end of the day, numbers look better when you have Ws on your side. So, when I can help my team win, that's when numbers will matter. Because if you really think about it, like I think I had like 88 yards, something like that. 88 yards looks really good when you have a W to sit back on. Or 50 yards really looks good when you have a W to sit back on. But when you have 150 yards, but you lost the game, like, yeah, you had a good individual performance, but you're still coming home with an L and you're feeling sorry the next day. So, I would much rather have a W than any individual stat.
Q: The screen pass that probably should have been stopped for no gain, that you picked up, what, 20 on? Can you go through that for me? And at some point when you're going through that, is it just instinctive or in your head are you thinking, I'm carrying guys here and I'm going to take this as far as I can? Because really the way the play started, you can tell me, you look like you could have been blown up for no gain.
TRACY: In that play, well, it was two screens. The first screen was just a little chip screen. But I knew I, the dude across me, 56 (Green Bay Packers LB Edgerrin Cooper), I believe, he had me man. So, when he was following me out, I knew I had a blocker coming as well to get the play started. And he got him just enough so that obviously he didn't blow me up, but I knew it was a chance that I would get hit. So, I was really preparing myself either to make a move or to make him miss or just to break the tackle, regardless of what was going on. But the first thing is always the first thing is to catch the ball. But after I caught it and made a miss, I see (guard Greg Van Roten) GVR, (guard) Jon Runyan in front of me. So now, I have to get the play started. Now, it's really just up to me and my instincts and really just doing what I do with the football. I cut back. GVR had a nice little chip block on D-lineman that was kind of trying to chase me down. But then, yeah, the rest of it was really just very instinctive. It wasn't really any thinking, really, just because everything's moving so fast. There's really no time to think because, mind you, like they're trying to get me down, I'm trying to get yards. And then I think it was like 3rd and 12, I believe, or 3rd and 13, something like that. So in my head, I'm just trying to get 12, 13 yards just so our offense can stay on the field. Everything else after that is a bonus. Obviously, I'm doing my best to try to score a touchdown. But however many yards I get over 12, 13 was a good play for me.
Q: Just keep the legs moving, right?
TRACY: Yeah, that's it.
Q: I don't know that the fans really understand the new Giants weekly schedule. Are you not usually in on Tuesdays or do you come in anyway on your off day? And Kafka said yesterday that he thought one reason he changed it was maybe film sessions with an extra day in between would be maybe less emotional today. So did you notice any kind of change in watching film on Tuesday versus Monday and what are you actually giving up here? Like what would you normally be doing on a Tuesday if you weren't in today?
TRACY: Me personally, I do feel a change. I feel like we got a little bit more time because after the game, you usually come in early – well, not early, but around like 1 p.m. on a Monday with our old schedule. Then you get Tuesday off. This schedule you get Monday off, so you really don't have to come in. But those who choose to can come in, either get a lift or just do some recovery for your body. But again, it's not mandatory. And then on Tuesday, which is today, everyone has probably already watched the film at least one time, either on your iPads or in here. So, the coaches get to go through it with you. And then also everyone is lighthearted because you already watched it. So you really get all your emotions out. You get to see it from a clear lens. I think on a Monday you come in and everything is still fresh, whether it's good or bad, everything is kind of still fresh. So I think having that Monday off and then coming in on a Tuesday and watching it, you get to see it from a clear lens with no emotions, no egos, no nothing. And then what I usually do on a Tuesday was just recovery. I would come in and get some massages, acupuncture, cold plunge, and then do some red-light therapy. Then the rest of the day is really yours for whatever you choose to do.
