Interim Head Coach Mike Kafka

KAFKA: (Defensive lineman) Dex (Lawrence II), (linebacker Demetrius) Flannigan-Fowles, and (outside linebacker) Kayvon (Thibodeaux) will be the only three that won't do anything today. Everyone else will go.

Q: What's the story with Dex? What body part?

KAFKA: His elbow. Just the elbow from the game. Just being smart with it.

Q: Is it still the same elbow from last year that he's kind of been dealing with?

KAFKA: Yeah.

Q: You said being smart. Is this something that can sideline him or are you just giving him today?

KAFKA: Yeah, just let him work through the rehab process. He's a vet that's taking care of his body. We just want to be smart with him.

Q: With Kayvon, is this something that you think is going to be a longer-term issue because now it's three weeks, I believe, since he's been out?

KAFKA: Yeah, I'm not, the timetables and stuff like that, not really the forum to talk about that. But we have a good plan for him and he's doing everything he can to get back.

Q: So, what's (quarterback) Jaxson (Dart) going to do today?

KAFKA: Yeah, Jaxson, he's still in the protocol, but he'll get some work out there today with the group. I'm looking forward to that, just like similar to what he did last week.

Q: So still limited?

KAFKA: No, he'll be a full participant today.

Q: How do you plan on distributing the reps for the quarterbacks?

KAFKA: Yeah, talking with (offensive passing game coordinator, quarterbacks coach) Shea (Tierney) earlier today, we had a really good plan to condense. We've got a little condensed practice today in terms of the full speed work and some walk-through reps in there as well. But Shea's got a great plan and talking with (offensive coordinator Tim Kelly) TK as well, I think it's important that we have a really strong, firm plan, and those guys have talked through it, and I like it.

Q: Is it primarily Jaxson at this point?

KAFKA: It's limited just because we've got a walk-through scenario. So both of those guys will get work today.

Q: Are you operating as if he'll start on Monday? Because last week I felt like it was kind of a change maybe in the plan in terms of how you divvied up the reps.

KAFKA: Yeah, we had the same plan that we had last week. We'll kind of carry that into this week and then just really see what ends up happening throughout the process with Jaxson being in the protocol.

Q: The whole world kind of saw how you guys loved (New England Patriots quarterback) Drake Maye in the draft process on Hard Knocks. What do you recall about your interactions with him, and what do you think of what he's shown so far in year two?

KAFKA: Drake's been very impressive in year two. You saw him make that jump. He's operating at a high level. He's creating explosives, things that we saw on tape. And sure, we enjoyed watching him on tape, and he's doing a nice job for them, and I think it's really cool to see him play that well.

Q: You've evaluated hundreds of quarterbacks. Do you see similarities? Like were there things you liked in Drake Maye that you saw on Jaxson Dart?

KAFKA: They're both different QBs, and it's really hard to kind of get to that type of talk when you talk about quarterbacks. They're all different games, different systems across the league really. But Drake's done a nice job. He's handling the new offense and working through it and doing a really good job in terms of the run game, the pass game, the scramble and the explosive plays on the perimeter. So, yeah, I mean, we have a really big challenge ahead of us in terms of the defensive side, being able to tie them down, but a challenge that we're looking forward to and looking forward to working to that.

Q: Drake is the third second year quarterback you have faced this year. How big of a jump is that, I guess, just traditionally for quarterbacks to make from that first and second year?

KAFKA: Every situation, every year is different. Every team is a new team. You know, the guys he had last year are different than the guys he had this year. Same thing offensively, defensively, special teams. The teams he played are different than he played this year. But the more experience you bank, the more comfortability you get in the system, the more comfortability you get in playing, and the more comfortability you get with the players you're out there with. So, you take that next step. You continue to build on things that you do well and then the things that you struggle with, and you really tie that down and look in the offseason and you look at how you can improve in those areas. And the better players, the best players in the league, they do that. They evaluate themselves and figure out how they can get better, and Drake has done that thus far.

Q: When Jaxson does return to the field, what do you think would be the next step of his development?

KAFKA: We're still going through the protocol with him. You know, I don't want to get too far ahead, just kind of take it by today. But, you know, I'm excited for him. If he's able to go and the doctors clear him, then we'll kind of address that when we get there. But right now, you know, just focus on today and have a great practice.

Q: What was your reaction to (wide receiver) Malik Naber's tweet after the game? It seemed to really call into question -

KAFKA: You know, I actually didn't even see it. I didn't even see it. So, all I know is that I really like the call. I stand by it. I don't have any regrets about it. I thought we were aggressive to try to go win the game.

Q: But not so much your call, a player publicly questioning you. I'm just curious what's your –

KAFKA: Yeah, I didn't see the tweet.

Q: Did you talk to him about it?

KAKFA: That's what I'm trying to say. I didn't see the tweet, so I didn't have a chance to.

Q: But you haven't talked to him about that at all?

KAFKA: No, no. Because I haven't seen it yet.

Q: Well so if a player tweeted, sometimes it's like...

KAFKA: I think the beauty of the National Football League is the players have the ability to express themselves. That's the beauty of the National Football League. You can express yourself any way you want. The beauty of it is, and I think any player, they're going to go out there and they're going to have an opinion of what they'd like to see. But at the end of the day those are the calls we're going to make on game day and those are the calls we're going to make for the betterment of the team.

Q: So as a coach, you don't have an issue with a player publicly basically saying he felt like you guys were trying to lose the game based on how bad a call was?

KAFKA: Again, I didn't see what he said, so I don't necessarily have a comment on it, but I just, I think players can obviously they can respond any way they want to anything they want. But if it's something that's detrimental to the team, we'll address it in-house and talk through it and move on.

Q: Hypothetically, would you talk to Malik Nabers about that, or would you talk to a player when you called him in?

KAFKA: Yeah, yeah, right. Things happen. Yeah, we talk about it, communicate like we always do.

Q: Jaxson is a full today, you said?

KAFKA: (Gestured yes)

Q: Does he expect to go to see the independent neurologist after?

KAFKA: Whatever the doctors have planned in terms of the protocol, but he'll be full today, yeah.

Q: Did he see the independent neurologist last week and that was the person who did not clear him? Or did he not get to that step?

KAFKA: No, he's, no, he's working through it, yeah. And again, he saw the doctors the doctors that he needed to see last week, and he'll see the doctors that he needs to see this week and just continue to keep on progressing through.

Q: How do you approach today? Is it an extra day? I know you're giving them off tomorrow, so it's never a throwaway day, but do you adjust your schedule accordingly with Thanksgiving tomorrow and then coming back on Friday?

KAFKA: Yeah, we got fortunate enough to be playing on Monday, so we bought an extra day at the end of the week. So, it just felt right to get the guys off on Thursday, come back on a Friday and then kind of be back right to the routine.

Q: Does the fact that you have a bye week play into the Jaxson equation at all going forward here?

KAFKA: In terms of what?

Q: It would theoretically provide, if he doesn't play this week, two weeks or more to rest and get right.

KAFKA: Yeah, I would just say I'd lean on the professional opinions of the doctors and where they're at. But if he's ready to play, like just any player, if they're ready to play, then we have a plan for him, then we'll put him in.

Q: You've seen (wide receiver) Wan'Dale (Robinson) evolve just from the start. I'm curious with how he played Sunday and how he's played this season, what's been the biggest, most impressive thing he's been able to do this year to show what he can do?

KAFKA: Yeah, I think I really like how Wan'Dale's been able to transform from primarily being a slot to now he's getting outside and having a lot of opportunities as a perimeter receiver down the field. You saw that in his college tape. We always had a feel that he could do that. And then to watch him really kind of blossom into that at this part of his career has been cool. And he's took advantage of those opportunities.

Q: That doesn't always happen though, right? I mean, guys say, yeah, I showed this in college. Give me a chance. Let me go outside. And then it doesn't happen. Either the opportunity doesn't come or the guy doesn't take advantage of it. Can you point to anything from Wan'Dale that you saw that breakthrough happening and saying, you know what, we got to do this more and more?

KAFKA: No, Wan'Dale's a team guy. And he'll do anything that helps the team, whether it's playing inside, whether it's playing outside. This year we asked him to play a little bit more outside receiver. He jumped at the bit and just worked and worked and worked the whole entire offseason. And then when the opportunities came up, he's taken advantage of them.

Q: Is Malik rehabbing here? Is he still in Dallas?

KAFKA: He's rehabbing here, yeah.

Q: What's it been like the first few days with (defensive coordinator) Charlie (Bullen) taking over? And how much do you expect there to be noticeable, tangible changes when people look at the defense?

KAFKA: Charlie's done a really nice job of getting everyone together, getting everyone on the same page. Really a couple of good walkthroughs yesterday and today. And just talking with the staff and just the kind of cohesion of how the responsibilities are kind of being spread out. It's been pretty cool to see. And Charlie's doing a nice job leading that group.

Q: Malik wasn't the only one kind of critical of your play calling, the President of The United States has some words about it. What does that tell you?

KAFKA: This is one of the coolest things that, I mean just for me, being in this position, you get the opportunity to make tough calls. For me, that's awesome. I love it. You get it down the wire, two-minute, end of game, when you got to make a tough call, that's where, to me, I feel like that's a huge responsibility and something I enjoy doing, I like being that point person to do that. So, everyone's going to have an opinion. That's okay. That's okay. I'm going to do the best I can for myself, for the team first, to give us an opportunity to win the game. And whatever that call, whoever it was, a player, a coach, my aunt and uncle, my dad, like I heard it from everybody. And that's okay. They can have their opinions, and I respect that. But I'm going to do what's best for the team, try to do what's best for the team. Whether it's winning the game on the last play of the game, being aggressive, going for two if we get an opportunity, whatever that situation is, that's where we got to thrive and that's where we got to turn the table in terms of our team is when it's nut cutting time, when it's time down at the end of the game, when we got to make a play, we're going to be aggressive to go make the play to win it. And I want our guys thinking that way. I don't want our guys thinking like, hey, we shouldn't do this or do that. Like, let's go win it. And that's going to be our mentality. So when we get down there, that's really how we're prepping. That's how we're practicing. And that's how we're talking with the players. That's a language that we're using across really the organization and across the team.

Quarterback Jameis Winston

WINSTON: First off, guys, happy Thanksgiving to you and your families if you celebrate it. If you don't, happy holidays. Very thankful for this job, one, and thankful for y'all, the work that y'all do is tough, having to write and make up stories – (laughs) I'm just kidding. But having to do the work that you do, put in the work, that's tough stuff, so we appreciate y'all, we're thankful for y'all because y'all's stories help us get paid more, it keeps the fans engaged, so we appreciate that. Blessings and prosperity to all of y'all, for real.

Q: If (quarterback Jaxson) Dart's back this week, are you WR2?

WINSTON: I'm whatever this team requires me to be. No, but that was fun, that was fun. We are just looking forward to having a great matchup against the New England Patriots on Monday.

Q: What's been the reaction to that? That play in particular drew a lot of reaction. What kind of feedback have you gotten, text messages?

WINSTON: I think, man, just wow. I think that's been the biggest thing. I consider myself a football player and I think when it comes to plays being made like that, I think about (running back Devin Singletary) Motor making that block for (wide receiver) Gunner (Olszewski) to step up and throw me that ball to give me a chance. I think about collectively how we all played a role in that, and I finished it. I finished, broke the tackle, my dance was amazing. You need to go back and actually watch the dance. I did a little soul train line, finished up with a popular boss it up, and that's Detroit. But it was good, it was fun.

Q: Did wearing gloves in that game have anything to do with the fact that you knew you were going to have to catch a couple passes?

WINSTON: No, last time I was in Detroit I wore gloves and I threw for like 400 yards, so I was feeling that energy and I wanted to do that again. And I was close.

Q: Was it just then? Did you where them elsewhere or is that the first time? I don't think you wore them the previous week, did you?

WINSTON: No. I didn't wear them the previous week. Just in Detroit. I might bring them out this week.

Q: It's two-for-two now with the gloves, are you going to stick with them?

WINSTON: If we won the last time, I don't know. If I go back to Detroit, I'll probably pull them out.

Q: What's your mindset for this week knowing that Jaxson's still technically in the concussion protocol but it appears…?

WINSTON: Same preparation. Putting in the work the same way. Obviously, with us off on Thanksgiving, I'm very grateful that (interim head coach Mike Kafka) Kaf has allowed us to have this type of schedule because we're playing a Monday Night Football game. We've got to be in here practicing, working our tail off, preparing for this moment. This is one of the best teams in football, so I'm not taking it lightly just because I'm going to have a few collard greens and sweet potatoes and some yams on my stomach. We've still got to go to work and I'm grateful for this opportunity.

Q: What's your favorite Thanksgiving dish? I've got to ask…

WINSTON: My wife, man, she makes some kale collard greens. She's got a little – her family's from New Orleans so she makes a nice Creole dressing. It's unbelievable. One of her cousins, her auntie, she always ships us some gumbo for us to start off the day with some gumbo. So, man, it's a beautiful thing. (Saints quarterback) Taysom Hill put me on this turkey. I'm typically a ham person, but Taysom Hill put me on this Uncle Ray's turkey. They ship this turkey right to your door, you pop that thing in the oven and I'm talking about, it is succulent. That thing is juicy, it's spicy, oh my gosh, it's amazing.

Q: You've gotten to see (wide receiver) Wan'Dale (Robinson) now on the field for these last two games obviously playing with him. What have you seen from him just being so reliable when you need to throw the ball he's there?

WINSTON: I just think Wan'Dale, he's a dog, anyway you put it. I think he's been overcoming those boundary markers that people have been placing on him his entire career in terms of his height, in terms of what he possesses in terms of like the complete package as a receiver. But what he does is gets open, he beats man-to-man coverage, and he makes plays with the ball in his hands. I feel like that's what you want in a prime number one target, someone that has great hands and can do something with the ball in their hand. I'm just so happy to have been able to connect with him the past few weeks and just watch him prepare and the way that he comes to work and the chip that he has on his shoulder every single day to get better.

Q: Obviously there are limitations on what Dart can do in the practices while he's in the concussion protocol. What have you seen behind the scenes that we don't see in the meetings and questions to you? You can talk to him, we can't. What have you seen during these two weeks?

WINSTON: Well, we're still having the same conversations that we would have any given week. I think he's locked into that point. I mean, last week, man, he was determined to play. It's just the NFL has a strict protocol and that's what happened. I was grateful, but at the same time, I felt for him because I know how much work he puts in, and I know how he prepares, and I just told him I had his back. But we're not doing anything different. We're still having the same conversations. He's still putting in his work and hopefully this week he'll be able to bounce back and help lead us to a win.

Q: You guys are playing (Patriots quarterback) Drake Maye this week. You played (Bears quarterback) Caleb (Williams), you played (Broncos quarterback) Bo (Nix), a lot of second-year quarterbacks. What is it about that jump from the first year to the second year? Jaxson's going to make that jump this coming offseason. How can he follow in their footsteps?

WINSTON: I think the unique thing about Jaxson is he's played very well for this to be his rookie year. Bo played very well last year. Drake is coming into his own, man, and it starts with the leadership that they have at the head coach position in (Patriots head coach) coach Mike Vrabel. I was with him a little bit in Cleveland, and I just love the man that he is. His quarterbacks coach, Ashton Grant, was with me in Cleveland, so I know the work that he's putting in every single day. And obviously I think to have (Patriots offensive coordinator) Josh McDaniels back, being one of those pillars of OCs, calling plays when Tom Brady was calling plays, it gives Drake just that natural juju that that organization has been creating since I've been alive. So, he's doing a great job. I'm very proud of him and what he's doing, and also, man, he has (Patriots quarterback) Tommy DeVito in that quarterback room. When you have Tommy DeVito in your room, you get a little extra swag, you get some street cred instantly when you have DeVito around you. And I love (Patriots quarterback Joshua) Dobbs as well. So, I just think everything that's surrounding him, what they're doing to help build him up, getting (Patriots wide receiver) Stefon (Diggs) in the offseason, signing the young running back out of Ohio State, having (Patriots tight end) Hunter Henry, what they're building around him is something that's special. I think that's something that you're going to see here with the New York Football Giants with Jaxson Dart already showing that he can be a superstar quarterback in this league.

Q: Is this different for you in the sense that you know what your contract says for next year, you want to be here. The fact that if you weren't here beyond this season contractually, does it feel different because you are a part of this, regardless of whether you're QB1, QB2, there's something building here and you are a part of it regardless of what your role is?

WINSTON: Yeah, I feel like every team has a one-year lifespan and this team, I'm a part of this one-year lifespan for this team. Now, I see great things coming in the future, but I can't be there yet. I have to focus on what we are now and right now I see a young team that is hungry and determined to get better and I believe that we have the pieces in this building to make a splash and be a very good football team. We just have not shown it consistently in the win column on the football field. I'm excited, obviously, for what lies ahead of us. But the most important thing that lies ahead of us right now is the best team in the AFC is coming. Well, we're going to their house, having to play Monday Night Football there. I think this is another opportunity that we get to show against a great football team what we have here in this building.

Q: Obviously you've been very supportive of Dart, but is it hard, you go out and play the way you did on Sunday and know you're most likely going back to the bench and maybe not playing again this year. Is that just hard as a competitor and someone like yourself?

WINSTON: I mean, as a competitor, like I've said always, what I want for myself, I want for everyone. Yeah, I want to play. That's just my heart. I love this game, I love the excitement that comes with it, I love really being the general that's leading the guys. But at the same time, like, what is my role? Right? My role if Jaxson isn't playing, okay, I'm playing. My role if Jaxson is playing, I'm supporting him like I would be supporting myself for him to be his very best. I take pride in that because one thing about the quarterback position is it's only one, unless you're in New Orleans because of Taysom Hill. But anyways, it's only one of us that gets a chance to go out there and lead the pack, you know? So, we have to be, the whole room, me, (quarterback Russell Wilson) Russ, (offensive passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney) Coach Tierney, we have to be all in behind our guy to give him the best chance to just do his best on Sunday or Monday or Thursday.

Q: Earlier this season, you said that you still believe you were one of the best 32 quarterbacks in the league. Whether you play Monday or not, how fulfilling is it for you that you got the opportunity to prove that that was correct?

WINSTON: I mean, I'm grateful – with this being Thanksgiving, I'm so grateful, happy and grateful that I got a chance to show and do what I love, which is play at a high level. Still, I want to win. My focus is on winning. I'm happy that I created some excitement – you're welcome, Giants fans. But anyways, I want to win for this organization, I want to celebrate with my teammates because I know that we can do it.

Wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson

Q: (Quarterback) Jameis (Winston) was telling us (quarterback Jaxson) Dart was itching to play on Sunday. Obviously, we can't talk to him, but what's been your perception of him these last two weeks? Is he going about it like he is playing?

ROBINSON: Yeah, I mean, he's preparing each and every day. Even whenever he was announced that he wasn't playing, he was still acting like he was preparing to play. I just think that just goes to show his maturity and him just being a pro.

Q: Given how the season has gone for you, have you given much thought about free agency after the season. Have you thought about that at all as far as how this can affect things or whatnot?

ROBINSON: Yeah, I try not to think about it too much. Obviously, I have family and friends that will call and say something about it, but at the end of the day, I'm just trying to go out there and play my best ball. So, yeah, I'll let my agents handle that whenever the time comes. Just trying to help this team.

Q: Is that difficult, though? I know guys have talked about it how it is. But is it difficult for you to just kind of focus on that with guys and people talking about it?

ROBINSON: No. I know it'll all take care of itself whenever it's supposed to, and there's no need for me to stress about it. At the end of the day, I know it's going to come, and I just continue to do what I do.

Q: Do you feel like what you did, even going all the way back to week two, kind of gave them the proof that you have been waiting to show them. That, look put me in these different places, and I can really deliver here. It seems like since then, it was almost like it took the top off so to speak.

ROBINSON: I would say a little bit of that. I would say even in week two I wasn't really even playing on the outside I guess you could say. I was still doing a lot of those from the slot, especially because we had (wide receiver) Malik (Nabers). But I really, I think more so, whenever Malik went down, it was just like we have to fill that void and continue to get you moved around and just get explosives.

Q: I know it's probably an idiot question, but just the idea of, we joke with you last year, several times catching those seven yard passes and getting drilled from behind. It's nice to run in space, a little bit easier on the body?

ROBINSON: Yeah, no doubt. I say, still going to take some shots here and there, but definitely much better to be running across the field and doing different things like that than just turning around and just catching a hitch and three defenders around you.

Q: You're closing in on a thousand yards. Does that mean anything to you? Would it mean anything to you?

ROBINSON: Oh, yeah, no doubt. I mean just from the moment I was a rookie and tore my ACL and just to get to this point just kind of goes to show the work that I've tried to put in just ever since I've been in the league and just to prove that I can play in this league and I can do big things in this league too.

Q: When (New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye) was in the draft, there was a lot of talk you guys might end up with him. Did you, during that off season, do any like Drake Maye tape study in case he was going to be your quarterback?

ROBINSON: No, I did not. Unless he would've got drafted, then I would have started watching some stuff. But yeah, whenever the rumors of whoever may be coming are floating around, I don't really try to get into that. Just wait to see who we actually take.

Q: You've played primetime games before. Is there any extra juice knowing that you're going to get to a team that's at the top of the AFC? I mean, you know all the high-profile that they've gotten this year for the Patriots. Does it matter for you?

ROBINSON: I mean, not so much. I'll say, I mean, you know, whenever it's a primetime game, everybody's going to be a little bit more juiced up. But at the end of the day, you've got to bring it and just go out there and play football.

Q: Do you look around statistically and see other receivers?

ROBINSON: I don't try. I'd like, you know, obviously we all have Twitter, we have Instagram. I don't really go to ESPN to look up stats or anything like that. So, I'm going to see them, but I'm never looking around to go, I'm chasing this guy or I'm chasing this guy. So no, not specifically.

Q: I mean, there are categories where you can look at the guys that are behind you. And there's some pretty elite guys that are right now listed behind you. The catches, yards and touchdowns.

ROBINSON: Yeah, like I said, just try to go out there and play good football. Continue to get open for our quarterbacks, whoever is back there, so yeah.