Head Coach John Harbaugh

JOHN HARBAUGH: Hey, everybody. First of all, I just want to express our thoughts and prayers to the family of Rachel Apa, a 24-year-old young lady, athlete, that passed away in the New York City Marathon this past weekend. I cannot imagine the pain that they're going through, and yet also the pride they feel for a life well lived. When you read about her life, it's just incredible to read, the type of person she was, and she'll be very dearly missed. But she's in God's hands now, and we just want to let the family know that the New York Giants are thinking about their daughter and their family. So, with that, what questions do you have?

Q: What's the concern level for (running back Cam) Skattebo and (outside linebacker) Abdul (Carter) at this point?

JOHN HARBAUGH: It's day-to-day. Yeah, we'll see. We'll see where they're at. Abdul should be fine. He's sick, and he's home sick, so he should be fine. Skatt's got a hamstring, so you know how that goes. We'll see.

Q: How do you feel about the running back situation, given (running back) Devin (Singletary) is your only back?

JOHN HARBAUGH: I feel very confident about the running back situation. I like the guys we've got. Obviously, Motor's been here. We've got some guys that have been here in the past, too, that we brought in, as you know, that were here, and we also brought in one, (running back) Eric (Gray). So, I feel good about it. We claimed a guy off the Chargers (Gregory Desrosiers). He's a very talented, young guy. So, those guys are in practice. They've got two practices now, and if they have to go, they'll definitely be ready to roll.

Q: John, this is not a question I would have asked you earlier in the year, but now do you have to spend any time with your players about being complacent, about not being totally focused for a game?

JOHN HARBAUGH: I do think that that's definitely something to get locked in on, but I don't believe it is this week. Although our players have mentioned, our leaders have talked to the guys about that. We're not really anywhere close to that yet. We're fighting for our lives, too. We've got everything to gain, and we know how big this game is. We know who we're going against. We'll be ready.

Q: When it comes to exploring trades, how much for you as a coach is it a priority to try to get it done on, say, a Monday or Tuesday so that they would have a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday walkthrough compared to just whenever it gets done, it gets done? Do you have a preference? Does it matter at all?

JOHN HARBAUGH: I do think it's a great point. Sure, you'd rather make a trade as early as you can because you have the player there longer to prepare for the next game, but you don't always have that luxury.

Q: John, you didn't hesitate to put (quarterback) J.J. (McCarthy) in when you felt he was ready. Now he's had more time. He's had a bye week. He's had some downtime. He's had more time in the playbook. Do you expect different, better, more prepared, whatever you can give him playbook-wise instead of this, it's this? Do you expect this break will be really good for him?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Yeah, we had a practice last week. We had another practice on Monday, so he's had two practices, then today, so three more practices are going to be good. I would say he's at the stage now where he's pretty much caught up, at least in terms of anything that we'd be doing in the game plan, he'll be as fully prepared as any quarterback would be at this stage.

Q: The Eagles are naming (Philadelphia Eagles quarterback) Joe Milton QB1. I don't know if you're aware of that in the span of practice.

JOHN HARBAUGH: Word travels fast.

Q: How do you prepare for a guy like that who hasn't had that many snaps in the league?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Yeah, it's not so different than the previous quarterback they had. You just watch the plays. We've seen Joe in college. We've seen him in the preseason. We've seen the little bit he's played in the regular season. We'll be watching those clips of those guys the next couple of days. We'll try to anticipate, just like guys had to do with J.J., what exactly are they going to run with him, what would be the plays, but it's still going to be their offense. It's still going to be their structure. It's still going to be the Eagles team. From that sense, we're just preparing for the game. Really, it's like (tight end) Chris Manhertz told the team, our concern, first and foremost, is about us. It kind of goes back to your question. It's about us and how we play. If we play the way we're supposed to play, then we'll be in real good shape. That's what we need to do.

Q: Did you learn midway through practice?

JOHN HARBAUGH: No, we had heard before practice.

Q: Did you adjust practice because of that?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Not too much.

Q: With J.J., it seems like he's in a really good head space. Does that contribute at all? How much does that contribute to confidence, to what you're seeing on the field, to some of the performance that you've got where maybe he didn't have that much success at different other points in his career?

JOHN HARBAUGH: I don't know. It's a fair question. But really not thinking about it, really don't care. There's no comparison made to anything. It doesn't matter. All we're looking at is this week and getting ready for this game, and that's all he's locked in on. So, history doesn't really factor into this game. We're just getting ready for the game.

Q: What's your relationship been with (Philadelphia Eagles running back) Saquon (Barkley)? Obviously, he was here for a long time. You weren't, you didn't know him in that way.

JOHN HARBAUGH: Yeah, I don't really know him. I probably maybe bumped into him somewhere along the way, a Pro Bowl or something like that, and chatted with him. Nothing but respect. First-class guy from everything I've been told or seen. Obviously, a great player. That's what I know.

Q: What do you appreciate about him?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Oh, he's an elusive dude, man. I mean, they're one of the league leaders in making tacklers miss. I'm pretty sure he's a big part of that, and that's just what he does. So, he can take the ball from the A-gap to the edge, to the backside edge, like that. That's what he does. He's still doing it. He's a threat catching the ball out of the backfield, checkdowns, things like that. So, all hands-on deck. All hands-on deck when he's out there.

Q: I know every year is different, but when a franchise has a long losing streak at a division rival, there's guys who have been with the franchise longer than you have, obviously. Do you address that, the psychology of it? That place has been a house of horrors, we're flushing that. How do you address that home-field advantage that has existed in this series?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Yeah, I don't. It would probably be a good question for those guys, but I don't have anything to say about it.

Q: What do you think of the idea that you're now considered the favorites in the division? They've been a team for a long time that's kind of been in that position. It's kind of flipped.

JOHN HARBAUGH: Yeah, I don't know. To me, it's all kind of meaningless. I mean, if you're betting, it's important, but it doesn't matter to us because there's still 10 games left to play. And I'm quite sure every one of the teams in the division believes that in that 10 games, they can make up ground. I've had experience with that in my coaching career. Players know that it's what you do. It's not what anybody says about you or where you get ranked or anything like that. It's just about what you do. You've got to go win games.

Q: Do you feel like you should relay this to the guys, like this message that you're sending?

JOHN HARBAUGH: No, no. They're locked into the game. I think these are all really good points and definitely things that you think about, but honestly, you'll talk to them in there. You're going to see. They're locked in. They're getting ready to play this game, and they know. In this league, to even think for one second that something's not going to be a challenge or that you might get complacent or that it might not, what would even be on your mind if you thought that? I believe that, when you get asked that, if you're the right kind of team, it's just like, really, you're asking me that? Shame on us if we would think that way, and we're not thinking that way.

Q: What would the thought process be? There's an opportutonity there to take it and run with it?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Yeah, we've got to win the game. The opportunity is the game, and within the game, the opportunity is the next play within the game, right? That's the opportunity. So, how are we going to play this play, this play? This is the play. This is the play that everything's on the line. Then once that play's gone, it's behind us, and the next play is the play that everything's on the line. Same thing with the games. This is the game, the game where everything is on the line. Once this game is done, it will be the next game where everything is on the line. That's how our guys look at it, and that's what that 1-0 t-shirt is all about. So, I know these guys think that way. That's the way they think. That doesn't guarantee you're going to play great, but that's their mindset going into the game.

Q: John, going back to J.J. real quick, just curious. I know this is really his second year as a starter, but just how much do you think him playing meaningful games in college helps with his makeup as far as just being in his position and having the poise you guys talked about last week with no procedural mistakes?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Certainly. I mean, he's been in huge games. He's been in the biggest games in front of the biggest crowds in college football. And he's also done not just that, he did it also in the NFL too. So yeah, he's been there before. That's not going to be an issue. The issue is going to be the Eagles, and the issue is going to be us, how we operate, how we play, how we execute. That's really the thing he's going to be concerning himself with. The exterior stuff is not going to be a factor.

Q: You got (cornerback) Greg (Newsome) an extension on coming out of the bye. Do you have a policy about negotiating in season? Is that book closed, or will you still be open to talking to guys going forward?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Right, yeah, no policy that way. We've talked about that. It kind of goes back to the turning over every stone. We think that we can do two things at once sometimes. If it is an issue, if it comes to be a distraction, then of course you don't do it. If it's not a distraction, then you do it. The bye week is a good time. It's a good opportunity, but I don't think we want to close the door on any opportunity, really at any point in time, just because it's a deadline. There's really no deadline on opportunity to make yourself better.

Q: You said the other day that you still have confidence in (kicker Dominic) Zvada and who he is as your kicker. Are you looking for things this week, or is this just back to normal week?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Well, yeah, we're looking for kicks to go between the sticks, right through the upright, straight. Looking for straight kicks. But you're also looking at the technique and the fundamentals, but we're not worried about him. Now, we'll be disappointed if he misses a kick or two. We'll be really happy if he makes them. But we also believe in him. We believe in who he is. We believe in his talent, his work ethic, and his head. We really think he's made of the right stuff. Over the long haul, he's got to do it. He's got to prove it. There's no doubt about that. But we're of the belief that he's going to be a long-term answer for us and let's go. Let's go make some kicks and go win a game. That's the mindset.

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy

J.J. MCCARTHY: Hello everyone, great work today. We got better and it's all about getting into the film room and just focusing on the things we can clean up, little things, little details. And we've got a great team this week, going into their house. It's going to be a hostile environment, a great defense. We're looking forward to the challenge. So, I'll open it up to any questions.

Q: What about what Matt's (Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy) having you do or about this scheme do you think is working for you?

J.J. MCCARTHY: I absolutely love his playcalling and how he adapts with the flow of the game. He has a beautiful idea and vision going into the game. And most of the time, it carries out, but there's times where he's got to pivot and seeing him pivot in the last month that I've been here, it's been really exciting to see and just an honor to play for him and go execute the football plays with the 10 guys with me in that huddle. And yeah, going to continue to do that.

Q: You just mentioned hostile environments. Obviously, Philly is one of the big ones. What's the most hostile environment you would say you have played in your career…college?

J.J. MCCARTHY: Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State, those are really the big three. But I'd have to say the horseshoe, for sure.

Q: I mean, I know that you didn't lose any of those games. So, do you think that helps something in your DNA? You go into a very hostile place in the NFL and are like, 'I have been to hostile environments and done okay there or very well there?'

J.J. MCCARTHY: Actually, I did lose my freshman year. I didn't start against Michigan State, but (former Michigan State running back) Kenneth Walker had his way with us. And it's all about us and how we execute the football plays. Obviously, it gets very loud, but the preparation throughout the week, the nonverbal communication is just a huge key in any environment, but especially on the road in loud crowd environments. But at the end of the day, it's just about executing those ball plays and not worrying about anything else.

Q: Are you looking forward to joining this long, bitter rivalry this weekend?

J.J. MCCARTHY: I am. I'm definitely honored to be a New York Football Giant and everything that comes with it, this division, these rivalry games. We're so blessed to be able to have two back-to-back, but at the end of the day, we're focused on Philly. And yeah, it's going to be a lot of fun.

Q: I know you said after the Houston game that football is football, so you were able to kind of pick up the scheme here. But having the bye week come when it did after your first start, how have you been able to better digest the playbook, better get on the same page with Matt over this past week and a half here, two weeks?

J.J. MCCARTHY: Yeah, the bye week came at a great time. I definitely feel caught up completely with our offense and the intent behind every single play. And that's a credit to all the guys in the room with me, all the coaches, and everyone on this team. They've helped me out so much, and I'm extremely blessed to be able to take advantage of this downtime that we had and really work on the mental game and make sure we're caught up and definitely feel like I'm in a really good spot in terms of operating this offense.

Q: What did you do specifically to kind of work on the mental game? Or did you just meet with Matt? Was there anything you did to catch up on that?

J.J. MCCARTHY: For sure, communication with Matt and (Senior Offensive Assistant) Greg (Roman) and just being able to be in the building and turn on the tape and watch all the training camp, individual routes that might be more feel than lines on a page, and just kind of getting on the same page with Zay (tight end Isaiah Likely), getting on the same page with all the other guys. But really just watching what they do and adapting to them. At the end of the day, it was a big week of just focusing on Philly as well and it was just all about, yeah, just kind of figuring out how they run the routes, what they see in the zones, and how they feel the leverage, man-to-man coverage, and going from there.

Q: What do you remember about (Eagles quarterback) Joe Milton going back to when you went to Michigan?

J.J. MCCARTHY: J Milly, I love that guy. Definitely super proud of him for this opportunity. He's got a big arm, obviously uber talented, could run. But at the end of the day, it's about us. And I'm really excited to see our defense go out there in that environment, when the crowd noise isn't as loud and them having full optimal communication out there. Yeah, I love him, but this weekend, it's go time.

Q: What about Vic's (Eagles Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio) defense and what he does, what has made it so good historically? Seems like everywhere he goes, it's always really good.

J.J. MCCARTHY: Yeah, I think he makes you earn it the long way and the hard way. Just being able to keep everything in front of him, he gets pressure with four most of the time and tries to play deep to short. A lot of single high safety, and a bunch of simulated pressures, if you will, where it can kind of confuse the protections, and if you can keep the back in, we only got four viable receivers out on routes but (they've) got tremendous players. It's an absolutely talented defense, got so much respect for every single one of those guys out there on that field. I played against a few of them in college, but yeah, he's just been around for so long, he's seen so much offense, and I've got tremendous respect for Coach Vic, for sure.

Q: Going back to college as you played in some high-stakes games, obviously, and you did so last season with Minnesota. How much has that kind of helped shape your poise, for now, what's coming up with the Giants, where obviously this game is important, but there are stakes with this game and this rivalry. How much does that shape your poise, you think?

J.J. MCCARTHY: I think the more experience I got in those games made me realize how much it's about just operating the plays and just executing the plays. Each play is independent of its own and focus on that one play at a time mentality. And regardless of the environment you're in, you've just got to figure out how to get in and out of the huddle fast, get to the line, make the right checks, make sure everyone's in the right protection, and operating football plays. Yes, there's a lot of juice, there's pressure some would say, but just being able to go out there and play football and just operate the way you do every single day in practice is the only thing we're focused on.

Q: The bye week gave you time to at least exhale a little bit and catch up, but I'm sure there was part of you that said, you know what, let's go right from Houston to a game the following weekend for you. When you've waited this long for an opportunity, how hard is it to kind of hold yourself back last week, and were you ready to go, raring to go to get out there?

J.J. MCCARTHY: I was definitely ready to go, but at the end of the day, being in the league for now going on my third year, I realized how much of this season is a marathon. Take the rest when you've got it, recover, sleep, do all the things to recharge you for this back half of the season. It was great to see family, had my family up for the first time in a month. So, being able to get some normalcy with that off the field was fantastic. But yeah, I'm just fired up and so blessed to be out there on the field every single day with these guys, and every opportunity we get, we're ready to go.

Q: What's the experience been like for you since you became a Giant? How would you describe it?

J.J. MCCARTHY: That's a great question. I think the way I would describe it is, I'm just so blessed. I'm so blessed to be a part of this team. So blessed to be a part of this historic organization and feeling the love on the outside, it just is so motivating to continue to do our job at a high level and keep doing whatever we can to win football games for this organization. I can't thank everyone enough for making it feel like home for me. It means the absolute world. But yeah, it feels absolutely amazing to put on that blue every single Sunday.

Cornerback Greg Newsome II

Q: You said in March that you thought you'd be a good fit here. What is it about your experience here that you think has made you such a good fit in this defense?

GREG NEWSOME: Yeah, I think it starts from the top down. Starting obviously with ownership, just how they carry themselves. It goes down to the head coach and it keeps going down. So, just what Harbs (Head Coach John Harbaugh) has just instilled, just the toughness of how we're going to play, things like that. And then, (Defensive Coordinator) Dennard (Wilson) has the perfect scheme for me. Being able to go challenge people, being aggressive and things like that. And just, man, just the ability to play with all 11 guys. We got some of the best players in the league, so they make my job a lot easier as well.

Q: How much do you hope now that Dennard stays here for the length of your contract?

GREG NEWSOME: Oh, yeah, man. Yeah, for sure. Things happen but, obviously, I would love for him to be with me the rest of my career as well.

Q: When you come to a new place, you want to make an impression. You came on a one-year contract.

Did you think after only six games that you played that you would be able to get this kind of security? GREG NEWSOME: Yeah, I believed wholeheartedly after I signed a one-year. I knew the type of person I was, first and foremost. And I knew what type of player I was and I knew that if I just get to the right place, that the money will take care of itself. I feel like when you're somewhere that you're wanted, you're somewhere that you're loved, everything else takes care of itself. So, I knew this would be the place.

Q: How hard was it last year to do what you tried to do, get traded at the deadline, come to a whole new team, learn a new scheme then maybe most people would realize? And were you looking forward to kind of a fresh start coming out of that just because of the challenges that you faced?

GREG NEWSOME: Yeah, I definitely think it's difficult. When you play in a primarily man-to-man, press scheme, getting traded midseason to a place where it's a lot of zone, it's a lot of reading different things and just learning your teammates, learning where you fit in that defense, learning everyone's strengths, it's definitely tough. But God doesn't make mistakes, and I feel like that helped me in the long run, just being able to adjust and get out of your comfort zone in a sense.

Q: What was your thought process? You placed a one-year bet on yourself. You could have played it out, potentially made more, but they offer you a deal here. So, take us through kind of how you process that part of it.

GREG NEWSOME: Yeah, so my first thing was fit. What coaches know me, and that was the biggest thing. I obviously played against Harbs a lot, so he knew what type of player I was, and I knew what type of coach he was. So, that was kind of my first thing, alright, fit. How did his defenses play in the past? Because that's going to be kind of how the defense will be playing in New York. And when I figured out he was here, just going through free agency, obviously it's very stressful and after just seeing some guys get paid, I assumed that the market was going to be a little bit lower. So, I figured, how about I sign in one year? How about I come to New York and just play in front of a big media outlet? I feel like my personality will be able to show more in this city. So, that was kind of my thought process.

Q: What about now and they came to you with the deal, right? Because you could have had the option of playing it out or then saying, you know what, this is the right spot for me now.

GREG NEWSOME: Yeah, like I said, man, you obviously could play it out, maybe make a few more millions, continue to play well. But for me, it's not really about that. Once again, I chose this place because it just fits me. The coaches, my teammates, I just love being around these guys. So, when they approached us with a deal, it was a no-brainer. It wasn't, 'how about I play it out and maybe make a few more millions?' Obviously, it would be great to have a few more but when you're somewhere that you're wanted and loved, the money, I'm getting good enough money that I'll be secure for the rest of my life.

Q: How did it play out? Did the conversations start last week and came together in this two-week span?

GREG NEWSOME: Yeah, it started last week.

Q: What about the opportunity for this team now? We haven't talked to you, you're coming out of protocol and everything. You guys are sitting here at the top of the division. You know what's at stake, what's out in front of you. What are you guys thinking as you take the practice field today?

GREG NEWSOME: Yeah, I think it's just the same mindset we always have, just to continue to go 1-0 each week, just get better on the little things and don't become complacent. Right now, we're at the lead of this division, but you've got to continue to stack wins, continue to stretch out the lead. So, that's our mindset going into this week, is just to try to be our best selves this week.

Q: You said you thought coming to New York could accentuate your personality a little bit. How have you seen that happen so far? And now that you're sort of a long-term New Yorker, how do you expect to keep building on that?

GREG NEWSOME: Yeah, I think it started from the first day I wore that hat. Everybody wanted to joke on me the first day. I think that's what it was. But no, I just think just seeing how passionate the fans are, just seeing how I come in and do the things that I want to do, and the fans are behind it. They were behind me being here, and that's all that I can ask for is just do my best for this fan base. And I'll continue to see that as well. Obviously, they like winners. That's what fans like, and we're going to continue to do that.

Q: Tae (cornerback Deonte Banks) is in more of a similar situation as the guys in the last year of his contract. Have you talked to him about that, given him any advice on going through a similar process? GREG NEWSOME: No, obviously we had a few conversations, not really about that. He was one of the first people I told when I was getting a deal done. But obviously he's got his representatives that's going to handle him but obviously I would love to see him be with me for a few years too.

Q: When you look at this DB room, obviously there were a lot of questions going into this room, but I believe you guys are now third in passing defense. How would you assess how this room has grown over these first seven games just to get to this point?

GREG NEWSOME: I think the biggest thing with us was just proving ourselves right. I said it from the first time that we had the best secondary, and everybody was laughing. But I knew the talent that we had, and like I said in the beginning, it was just how tight we are as a room. When you got guys all competing essentially for the same job, sometimes it's a lot of bad blood in that. But we really care for each other. We really want each other to succeed no matter who's out there. So, I think the biggest thing, how we've been growing these past few weeks is just our communication. And I think it's showing between these first seven games.

Q: What is the key with you, going against a team that has been a huge history of success in this conference and the division? They're down. They have a lot of players out. So, what do you think the mindset of this team has to be to not look at all that stuff in a six-game losing streak and just attend to your own business?

GREG NEWSOME: Yeah, I think it's easy. I mean, we got players down as well. We lost our starting quarterback early. We lost our best defensive player in (outside linebacker) Brian Burns early. Obviously, we got (inside linebacker) Tremaine (Edmunds) didn't play last week. I mean, we got guys hurt as well. So, our focus is on each other, our focus is on next man up. And we know they'll be the same way. We get paid to play no matter who's out there. So, our job is to fight that complacency, and I think we got the right guys to do it.

Q: I think a couple weeks ago, Dennard mentioned that you'd become like a leader of this defense. How have you embraced that and kind of taking on that as you go out?

GREG NEWSOME: Yeah, man, I had great leaders when I came in. So, just coming in, my biggest thing was how can I connect the guys together to make sure that we're all on the same page? And being one of the more seasoned guys in the room, I'm still in the same age range, but just going into year six and just having, man, I've been through a lot in my young career, whether it was a trade, just schemes and things like that. So, I just try to break out as much knowledge as I can. And I know how these seasons work. Guys that didn't expect to play will be playing. So, you kind of got to approach it that way and just have everybody ready at all times.