Prince Amukamara

Q: A lot of balls coming your way, it seems?
A: Yeah, it is and I'm catching them, too.

Q: How big is that for you to start catching the ball and having good ball production?
A: Ball production is huge not only for me but for the team. It definitely helps me out, but in the main stream of things it helps the team out, so any time that us DBs can get our hands on the balls, we are going to make the most of it.

Q: It looks like the defense is playing a lot faster. Do you feel like you guys have kind of hit your stride in where you want to be at this point?
A: I think we are headed in the right direction. Coach always preaches to compete and that is what we are trying to do and not trying to play to the other opponent's energy. [We are] trying to have our energy and create our own and I think we are doing a good job of that.

Q: Having inexperienced safeties, does that ever pop into your mind when you are covering?
A: No, not at all. They have been doing a great job, especially these last couple of days with Cooper and Collins and even Thompson has been getting a lot of plays and Currie made a play yesterday, so they have been doing well. I haven't seen a lot of [mistakes] and they have been making plays on the ball, so I have been applauding them.

Q: Did you notice the drone filming practice today?
A: Yeah, I heard Cullen point that out and made a big deal about that. It is just new technology and we are becoming advanced as the years go on, but it is pretty cool.

Q: What is the defense like this year under Spags compared to what you are used to running?
A: It is kind of hard to measure that right now because we are early and we haven't really gone against another team, but I like the way it is going. I remember last year we started out pretty good and then it didn't end well during the season, so I am not getting my hopes too high.

**

Landon Collins**

Q: Coach Merritt was talking about the inexperience at safety yesterday and the need to speed up the development in communication and chemistry. Is that something that you almost have to spend a lot of time in the books with that?
A: Yeah, definitely it is kind of all that because as a defense, we always want to be on the same page as a defense and as a whole. If everyone is in the right spot and everyone is doing the same thing, everybody will just protect him.

Q: When a team moves up in the draft to get you, do you almost feel like you need to be a star right away?
A: I mean I have to make plays and doing the things that are positive for the team, even if that is special teams.

Q: There was a play yesterday where Fells ran a quick post and it looked like you were right there but the pass got through. Are you sitting there looking at it like I should have made that play?
A: It does not mean that going against a nice offense and being in the right spot at the right time and just playing on.

Q: Coach Spags was saying that guys are trusting in you and Prince said that as well. Does it help having that kind of confidence from someone like Prince?
A: Yeah, definitely being that is the older guy and a vet. He keeps up the defense for us and everybody and just having that confidence and him having that trust and then he can listen to us and be confident that we know what we are doing. He needs us to be there and we are going to be confident that he is going to be where he is supposed to be and then they hit the hole and they get better and get in tune.

Q: Is being vocal natural to you or is it something you have to work on?
A: Being vocal is very natural to me. I have been vocal throughout my whole career.

Q: So once you get the calls down, it is not an issue?
A: It is not an issue once I get them down.

Q: When September rolls around, this will almost be second nature right?
A: Definitely, this will be second nature and most of the guys that are in here when it comes to game planning, then get ready for that and at that point we are ready to play.

Q: How does this defense compare to what you played at Alabama?
A: It is about the same way we play at Bama. We play a lot of the same coverages as at Alabama with three [and] middle four closing. The only thing that changes is the names. It is the names and those landmarks. Guys are very keen to landmarks and being in the right position at this level.

Q: How has the adjustment to the NFL been?
A: It has gone fantastic. Playing up to the level and just trying to earn these guys trust and just being the best guy I can be for the team.

Q: Usually it is tough getting a jersey number from a veteran, how did that work out?
A: I just went up to DRC and asked him for it. I gave him my reason about wanting to follow my idol Sean Taylor throughout the years he played from high school all the way through college. I asked him if I could take on the number and he said yeah. He said just know why you are wearing the number and be confident while you are wearing the number because it is a special number, not just for Sean Taylor but for all the other 21s before him.

Q: What is it like to represent Sean Taylor at the same position?
A: It is some big shoes to fill but it is fantastic because watching him since middle school, it is a great feeling to be able to wear his number in the pros.

**

Robert Ayers Jr.**

Q: Have you ever practiced with a drone flying overhead?
A: No, I haven't. Why, did someone use one today?

Q: You didn't notice it?
A: No, I was focused on practice, but that is cool. Hopefully they can give all the players one.

Q: How is your ankle?
A: It is good, I'm happy to be out there getting things going. It wasn't anything crazy, but in this business you have to be smart and have to take care of yourself. Fortunately I am with an organization that understands keeping guys healthy and letting guys heal, especially at this time of the year. You don't necessarily want to try and overcome two things and the opportunity was there for me to try to heal and they let me do that. I am happy to be able to get back out there with my guys and keep working. It is a positive step that I was able to get out there and really try to put myself in awkward positions to where I can really strain it. That is really what I wanted to do, try to do things that are going to strain it to see how it is going to respond and I did that, so it gives me a lot of confidence going forward.

Q: Spags' defenses have really relied on the front four. How does that make you feel as a defensive lineman?
A: I'm the type of person that wants the pressure to be on myself and my unit. He has definitely put the pressure on the D line. From his history and with the guys he drafted back when he was with St. Louis, and you look at last year when he was in Baltimore, and he loved those guys that were rushing and getting all those sacks, Suggs and all those guys. Not just here but he just has a long tradition of loving defensive linemen, so it is up to us to take the challenge and to try and live up to his expectations, our expectations and the expectations of the Giants defensive line. I think we have a group of guys that are willing to put the work in. As long as we have guys that are willing to work, that is all you can ask for and the results may vary, but I feel like we have the guys that are willing to work, so that is a good thing.