Head Coach Brian Daboll

Q: How are you health wise coming out of yesterday? How's (guard Jon) Runyan?

DABOLL: Yeah, there's a number of people getting looked at, so I'll have that more for you guys on Wednesday.

Q: What was the thought process on the defensive plan for that pass that set up the game tying field goal? When you kind of look back at it, what do you wish you guys did differently?

DABOLL: Well, I'd say we had a number of opportunities throughout the game in every area to close that game out. There are things to get better at, there's obviously some good things. But credit to those guys, they hit that 64-yarder, which we knew was in his range there. They had that big play to the middle route right there. We'd like to be a little bit tighter, but there's a number of plays that came up throughout the game that if you have one different play there or here, it's going to make a difference in a game like that.

Q: Still on that play going to (Dallas Cowboys' tight end Jake) Ferguson. I think you had a four-man rush. You knew they probably only needed 18 or 20 yards. Any thought to putting more pressure on (Cowboys' quarterback) Dak (Prescott) there?

DABOLL: Again, there's a number of plays, like I said, throughout a game. It's not ever going to come down to just one play. So, obviously, they hit the 64-yarder. Made a number of plays in overtime to be able to close it out. And at the end of the day, just didn't do it collectively.

Q: Could the coverage have also been tighter? He seemed to get a free release off the line. I know there's a lot of plays that in fact-

DABOLL: Yeah, there's a lot of plays.

Q: But this is the one I'm focusing on, so- just as far as everything you want to learn from every situation, I'm sure, with you and your players. What is the learning moment from that play right there? Game situation, they need 20 yards to kick a long field goal. What maybe could you do to prevent that more than you did yesterday?

DAOLL: Yeah, look, again, it's never going to come down to one play. I know that's the one play that you're talking about. But collectively, we've have to be better.

Q: You obviously have a lot of accomplished and decorated players on that defense. How important is it, just in general, in a game like yesterday's to have one of those guys just come up and be a stopper, be a closer, and make a play to seal that win on any of the opportunities when you had to lead there?

DABOLL: Yeah, I'd say, again, it all goes back to the team. Not one player, not one side, it goes back to the team. We collectively had opportunities and fell short as a collective unit.

Q: I want to flip sides of the ball to the offense. It's obviously been two very Jekyll and Hyde offensive performances, very different outcomes offensively. What gives you confidence that that, or close to that, is more of what you guys are going to be going forward in terms of output than you were in week one, and that's not the real you guys?

DABOLL: Well, every week's different. You try to be as consistent as you can. Put together a plan that you think gives the guys a chance to go out there and perform at a high level but give credit to the guys. We talked about one-on-one catches and plays down the field, and both at the quarterback, receiver, but it also takes the line to protect for them, had a number of those. So, we had a good week. Again, there's plays we left out there in all three phases, but it was a productive day moving the ball and scoring points.

Q: Respectfully, I understand that every game's different, but the best offenses in this league, or even top ten offenses in this league, pretty much are good week in, week out, regardless of the opponent. So are there tenets of that game plan that you see are, this is who we want to be going forward, regardless of the opponent? Things you expect that showed up yesterday and didn't show up week one that you expect will show up with this current cast, regardless of the opponent, that say the way other good offenses have their tenets?

DABOLL: I've been in this league for a while with different teams that have scored a lot of points, and every week is a different week. You have to perform, you have to make those plays when they come your way, and our guys did for the most part. You have to be productive on third down, we have to be more productive in the red zone and take advantage of those opportunities we get down there. That all plays into scoring points and making explosives.

Q: Is there anything going forward that says this is how aggressive we want to be, or was that specific to that Cowboys game plan?

DABOLL: You're trying to create explosives as an offensive unit each week. Now, how you get played, personnel matchups, a lot of those things are dictated on a week-to-week basis in our league. So, no question you want to try to create explosive plays, you want to play well in the red zone, you want to take care of the football, you want to control the line of scrimmage, you want to make good decisions. Those are staples that I think any good offense has.

Q: You mentioned the red zone. These first two games, obviously you guys have had trouble finishing when you guys get in the red zone with touchdowns. What do you see has been a common thread through these two games where it hasn't worked for you guys?

DABOLL: I'd say a number of things. We went back and looked at a couple things, not just this game this morning. We have to do a good job of putting the right plan together. We have to do a good job of executing, usually the things that you need to do each and every week. Particularly when the area of the field gets tighter, the spacing is less, the force is more, we have to continue to work in that area on both sides of the ball.

Q: On the defensive side, you mentioned being more consistent. I guess from these two games where you give up 21 points to giving up 40 points. I know every game is its own entity, but just what do you see that needs to be more consistent? Or do you see elements that can help you guys be more consistent on that side of the ball?

DABOLL: It goes all the way around. Tackling, communication, eliminating big plays, which the last couple weeks we haven't given up big, big plays. But performing down in the red zone and taking care of the ball are two things that we'll continue to emphasize and work on improving.

Q: In terms of, obviously, the defensive plays and the plays that they made offensively at the end of the regulation and in overtime, when you go back and assess it, when you're breaking down the film, is it a fine line between player execution, strategy? Did we do what we wanted to do schematically? Because it's always, it seems to be a push and pull, a give and take, the idea of where the blame falls. I know the responsibility falls on everyone, but how do you kind of look at that and say, 'You know what, okay, we know this was this, and we know this, maybe we shouldn't have attacked it that way.' I mean, I know it sounds simplistic and that's coaching, but I'm just curious from that perspective, how do you assess yesterday?

DABOLL: Well, overall, not good enough. We didn't get a win. So, look, there's always certain decisions that you go back and re-evaluate. There's always certain techniques or things that could show up on the player side of it, but again, it's a collective deal between scheme, decisions, the playing, everybody's involved in it. It's not just this person or this side or that side, that's just not the way it works as a football team. So there's plenty of opportunities that we had that we made some of them but didn't make enough to go ahead and win the game.

Q: On the other side of the ball, after watching the film, how did you think (offensive lineman) Marcus Mbow played out given the circumstances?

DABOLL: I thought he did a lot of good things for his first real performance out there. Certainly, things we can clean up. But he's been a young professional that's worked at his craft, and that's his job is to make sure he's ready to go if need be.

Q: What's your message to your players on how to turn the page quickly and not dwell on the disappointment of the Dallas game?

DABOLL: Yeah, I think we get into the meeting rooms and, I don't know, we watched a 62-play tape today from the game. Some things that were what we wanted them to be, some things that we had to learn from, corrections in all three phases, four phases, coaching, special teams, offense, defense. Then you go back, and you watch the tape, they're watching it right now, offense and defensively. The kicking game, we'll watch it after that, and you get ready to go and move on to Kansas City.

Q: You were emotional after the game, a lot of your players were emotional. Do you appreciate the fact that they feel that way after a hard-fought game, and is that the most emotional you've been after a Giants game?

DABOLL: You're emotional every week, you put a lot into this each and every week. And I always feel for the players, they laid it on the line, played a lot of snaps. (Safety Tyler) Nubin played over 100 snaps in the kicking game and defense. And these are games that come down to a play here or a play there. We invested a lot into it during the week, invested a lot into it emotionally, physically on the sideline throughout the game, four quarters plus. And it's tough when you come up short, so I acknowledge their efforts. Then you get in here, you sit down, you take a look at the things we did well, what we didn't do so well, what we have to fix and then move on.

Q: What did you see from (quarterback) Jaxson (Dart) yesterday when you put him in for those three plays? I guess after watching the tape, how he performed, and then what conversations did you have with him post-game, or after watching the film?

DABOLL: He only had a few plays. Helped us in the run game, handing it off to 44 (running back Cam Skattebo), making a good decision. Pulled the one and slipped, got a three-yard loss. Then made another good decision on handing the ball off on a second and short, and got a first down. Had two good plays and slipped on the other one.

Q: How does that help a rookie's development? Going in there when he's not playing and not starting.

DABOLL: Look, he's got a job to do on a certain number of plays, and we expect him to do it. So, whether that's runs, whether that's passes. We thought, talking on the sideline, we could gain a little bit of an advantage relative to him in the game with a couple of the plays we had, so we put him in.

Q: I just wanted to clear something up. (Running back) Tyrone Tracy's role yesterday, a little different, obviously, than in the past. Did that have anything to do with any kind of team discipline for the comments he made last week about the play calling, or no?

DABOLL: No. Tracy had a number of kickoff returns that I thought, there were a couple of close ones. So you give him a break off of there. Thought Skat was running good. Again, that could be a week-to-week deal. But we thought we could get the ball in his hands a few more times. They weren't kicking it to (wide receiver) Gunner (Olszewski), they were kicking it to Tracy and he had some good kickoff returns for us.

Wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson

Q: When you look back at these last two weeks, how do you guys try to figure out how to be more consistent? Because obviously the first game, the offense kind of struggled. This last game, you guys were able to move the ball down the field. How do you see the issue of figuring out how to be more consistent, figuring that out?

ROBINSON: Obviously, we just want to continue to build off what we did this past game. We've just got to continue to play complimentary football with offense and defense. Whenever the defense is giving us turnovers and short fields, we've got to be able to capitalize and make teams pay for that.

Q: With the red zone, you guys were obviously able to get the deep ball working, but just what have you seen these last two games where it's been a struggle when you guys get in the red zone. You guys can't get the touchdowns you got with the deep ball yesterday.

ROBINSON: It really just comes down to execution, negative plays, penalties, things like that. So just got to clean those things up and just be better down there in that red area.

Q: How do you think that execution gets cleaned up?

ROBINSON: It's just practice. You've got to continue to practice and work it and at the end of the day, it's on us to go out there and execute.

Q: You've been around, so you know. There was that (Seahawks quarterback) Drew Lock game last year where he had like five touchdown passes. A couple years ago, there was the (Colts quarterback) Daniel Jones game where you guys scored 31 points in the second half against Arizona. So I've seen this offense, as you have, be incredible for a game and then it doesn't continue. So why is it going to be different this time? No one expects 506 yards every game, but what makes you think you guys are closer to the offense we saw yesterday, versus the offense we saw Week 1 against Washington?

ROBINSON: I think we believe that we can do it. From top to bottom, I feel like we have the players that can go out there and get the job done. Just continue to go out there and score points each and every Sunday. That gives us a chance to go out there and win.

Q: Does it feel different in that regard? Do you feel like it's more likely than it has been in the past?

ROBINSON: We feel confident. Each and every time we step out there, we feel like we're going to go out there and score. We've just got to go out there and execute and do our jobs and make sure that happens.

Q: What showed up yesterday that you think is part of the Giants offensive identity? If I said to you, people haven't seen this offense. We've seen two games and they were very, very different with this group of players. If I said to you what the Giants offense is going to be going forward, what would you say showed up yesterday that's like, yeah, that's who we are. Not against Washington, that's who we are. Was it the aggressiveness, the deep balls, the blocking? What did you see yesterday that said, yeah, that's who we are, that's who we're going to be?

ROBINSON: It was just the explosiveness. At the end of the day, for plays to work, usually all 11 have to be working together and doing the right thing. So just continue to do that and just show up with explosive plays. I feel like you have explosive plays and offense gets pretty easy from there.

Q: The way you were used. You've been telling us for a year or two years that you could do a lot more than run short routes over the middle and catch and run. How nice was that for you to show that? What went into that? I guess there's a whole summer of going into that, but the way you were used yesterday felt a lot different than the way we've seen you used before. Was it nice to put that on display?

ROBINSON: Oh yeah, no doubt. Obviously coming out of college, I've been down the field and doing things like that and obviously just waiting for my opportunity to showcase here. Yesterday was that day. From the moment that (quarterback Russell Wilson) Russ got here, he was like, 'Dude, I know you can get down the field. I've seen it.' We worked out together and he was like, 'I didn't even know you could run that well just from watching the tape from previous games.' So, he was like, 'We're going to make sure that this gets going.' Just from the work all the way through the spring to the summer and camp and obviously through practice weeks, just making sure we're on the same page. We saw that there were some holes in the defense that they were playing and being able to get down the middle.

Q: You've been in many Mondays when you watched the tape. You've watched it and we've asked you after the games what went wrong, what didn't happen, what didn't this and you watch the tape and have to go through that. When you watch the tape today and you see what you did and what (wide receiver) Malik (Nabers) did and what Russ did and what (wide receiver Darius) Slayton did, how do you look at that and view the good things and the excitement and then balance that with, and we still lost the game?

ROBINSON: At the end of the day, I always feel like it wasn't good enough. But we know that we've got to just continue to keep going and we know that we're going to have a chance with a lot of games if we're going out there and putting up performances like that. We've just got to continue to work each and every week to go out there and do that on Sundays.

Q: Was it a little different mindset, though, knowing once they put that tape on that you knew what was coming? It's going to be some deep balls to you, you know what I mean? That you knew that we're going to have some things we're going to see here that's going to be fun to watch again. Is that a fun experience to have to do that?

ROBINSON: Yeah, no doubt. You always want to go in knowing that you're going to be excited to watch the tape and watch the things that you did. But it feels a little bit better whenever you came out the win though.

Q: Anything from those deep balls that second, third time you looked at them, you said, I didn't realize that, or it was more perfect than I thought? The ones to Malik, the ones to you, the one to Darius. You looked and said, 'Hm, pretty good.'

ROBINSON: All those throws were pretty crazy. Those deep balls were dropping just right in the bucket. We were watching it, and it was just like Russ is putting them where we've got to catch it. We have no other choice. We've just, like I said, got to continue to work and continue to build that chemistry with him.

Q: Last year you were huge on third downs. You had a lot of third-down catches in the season opener and also Sunday. I'm curious, for you, when third down comes up, what's your mentality just to go make that play and just kind of figure out how to make it happen in those situations?

ROBINSON: I've always wanted to be a quarterback's best friend in that sort of way on third down that they know I'm going to be available, I'm going to be open and there's always going to be somebody there that's going to catch that ball. And obviously Malik, he's going to get doubled a lot of times too, so that gives me opportunities to have singles. So just making sure I'm going out there winning my one-on-ones and just always available for the quarterback.

Q: Is there something that you're doing differently on those routes or anything to kind of just say, alright, you want to be that best friend. But is there anything you're doing differently to kind of be like, hey, I know how to be ready, so let's go.

ROBINSON: Pretty much every week I know that third down is going to be a pretty big down for me. Just always making sure I'm watching the tape, figuring out what teams are doing, whether they're showing man, going to zone, showing zone, going to man, just doing a lot of different things. Obviously being in the slot, I have to have a lot of different reads. Talking with Russ through the week, watching tape and just making sure that we're on the same page.

Q: So, on that note, the way you were used last Sunday, does it kind of show that, hey, not only am I good on third downs, but if you need me to make a deep play, I can do that too. Is it kind of cool to kind of show, hey, there is more than just being Mr. Third Down, if you will?

ROBINSON: Yeah, no doubt. Obviously, you want to be able to make all the explosive plays and any time that I feel like our team calls on my number, I want to be there and help our team out and do anything to help us get a win.

Safety Jevón Holland

Q: What did you see after watching back the film? What stood out?

HOLLAND: We left a lot on the table, especially as a defense. We had opportunities to close out the games. I'm proud of the way we fought. Same thing as last week, we played a long game, a lot of snaps on defense and had a lot of opportunities to close out the game. We just have to fall to the level of our training, which is the thing that our DB coach, Coach M (Marquand Manuel) says a lot. Once you're tired and the situations or stakes are rising, you have to fall to the level of your training. So, I think it's on us to, to really emphasize the details a little bit more. Not player to coach, but player to player. I think everybody is collectively in the same mindset. It's feeling the same. Everybody's excited about how well we're playing, but also excited that we have things to work on so that we can improve.

Q: Do you think that, I guess the details were lacking towards that overtime portion of the game, or just like that, those conversations between you guys as players, is that something you, I don't know if you were in that situation again, you want to improve upon?

HOLLAND: I think it really stems from just fatigue. Really, it was a long game, 100 snaps, 98 snaps, that's not common. So, I think it just really stems from fatigue and being in those moments when you're that tired and your brain's not functioning as it was when you're fresh. So that's why I say fall to the level of your training. If you're locked in on what you got to do, and even if you're tired, you're still going to have that emphasis a little bit more, if that answers your question.

Q: Last week, the defense, obviously, you guys did a good job keeping the Commanders in check until the last drive or two of the last quarter. But then in the second half of this game on Sunday, it seemed like Dallas was able to kind of move down on you guys a little bit, move down the field on you guys. So just curious, how do you think you guys can address, finding ways to be more consistent? Is it like you said, a team this game or just a matter of we need to lock in on the things that worked well both of these two games?

HOLLAND: Yeah, I think it's just lock in on the things that, you need to – I think you lock in on the things that worked well on both of the games and improve where there were faults. Both games had their own individual situations where we ended up falling short for whatever circumstances that was. Both different, it may look like from the untrained eye or outside looking in, that it was the same thing. But there was a completely different game plan, completely different things that happened that kind of put us in a position to not take advantage of getting the W.

Q: Then with this team obviously being 0-2, you guys now get to go back home. I don't know if urgency is the word but do you guys feel like a sense of when you guys play on Sunday, it's a matter of not about going 0-3, but just, hey, we have to play better because we're at home. Do you guys feel like that's kind of adding to some of the focus this week?

HOLLAND: I know I want to win, and we want to win. It's a one week season so it's 0-0 right now. We just want to go 1-0 this week. Really what we want to do is go 1-0 on watching the film today and then go 1-0 on the off day. And then we can worry about going 1-0 on Wednesday and then 1-0 on Thursday. Because, you know, if you win the week, then when you get to Sunday, then you're just out there flowing and reacting. You're not necessarily thinking. So, one day at a time is definitely an emphasis that we're focused on.

Q: You guys have a lot of players that are very accomplished, obviously, and have gotten a lot of praise and awards and recognitions and things. At the end of a game like this one, in regulation and in overtime, how much does a team need for one of those guys to step up and just make a big play, make a stopping play that kind of closes out the game?

HOLLAND: We definitely need somebody to do it. I mean, (quarterback) Russ (Wilson) and (wide receiver) Leek (Nabers), that was great. As soon as they scored and what not, kicked the field goal, and then throw a bomb, like they stepped up. Then defense had to step up again and finish the game. Your best guys make the plays when it counts the most. So, I mean, I feel like any team needs their best guys to make plays when it counts.

Q: What is it like on the field, I guess, in those moments? Like, are you guys still trying to feel each other out and figure out who that guy is going to be?

HOLLAND: It's not necessarily an individual. It's a team sport, right? Especially defense, like, I'm not going out there like, I need to make a play, I need to make a play. I'm telling myself I need to do my job, and I need to be in the right spot. And when the play comes to me, I need to make it. That's the mindset. If you try to get out of that mindset, like, oh, I need to make a play, then you're going to force something where you're going to be out of position and they're going to take advantage of you not doing your job first. So, you do your job, and you go have fun. That's, like, that should really be it.

Q: Can you take me through the second down play where (Dallas Cowboy's tight end Jake) Ferguson hit the big one to get them in field goal range? What was your recollection of what went down there with 19 seconds to go in regulation?

HOLLAND: Yeah, they just ran like a vert, kind of seams, three through the middle. Everybody, like, ran sticks at the goal line or at the kick sticks where they needed to get to for the 50-yard line, which is crazy. I've never had kick sticks at the 50-yard line. But, yeah, he's just trying to sit down. (Cowboys' quarterback) Dak (Prescott) did a good job of throwing them down, catch, tackle, and they were within range at that point.

Q: What could the defense have done to make it more difficult for them or to prevent that catch there?

HOLLAND: Just been tighter on the guy like that, just been tighter on him, make him throw it harder.

Q: When you guys go up there on the field there, you're cognizant, like you said, it's a little crazy that you're defending the mid field. Usually, you know, I think most of your career you're defending like your 40. How much was there no room for error on that? Like you said, Malik and Russ hook up for that great play, there's only 25 seconds left after the kickoff, there's only 19 (seconds), in your head, are you saying, one stop and we're done here, two stops, we're done here, we got this, what's the mindset there?

HOLLAND: Yeah, really the mindset is just get off the field. You got to close out. That was my mindset. I was out there, saying as much as I remember, going through what their two-minute was from the sidelines, trying to give reminders based on their formations and the look and whatnot and down and distance and the situation. But, yeah, we really just needed to be tighter on those guys, make them throw it harder, make him pump one time, maybe the rush gets there. But we just need to be tighter in the backend.

Q: Do you think looking back at that there was room for more aggressiveness maybe in pressuring Dak?

HOLLAND: That's definitely not a question for me, but I'm sure somebody has the answer for you.

Q: You just faced a dynamic duo of (Cowboys' wide receiver Ceedee) Lamb and (Cowboys' wide receiver George) Pickens. It certainly seemed like (wide receiver) Wan'Dale (Robinson), and this is not a knock on anybody else, but it certainly seemed like Wan'Dale and Nabers might be able to do that. You've faced them all training camp. Do you feel like maybe we saw the beginning of not just Malik, who we all know, but maybe a dynamic duo for the Giants as weapons?

HOLLAND: Yeah, that would be great. They're doing great. Dale is awesome. I love playing against Dale. I played against him. I love playing with Dale even better. Malik's a great player as well. I think that would be great to have, like, a one-two punch like that. It definitely makes it hard for defenses to game plan because you've got both sides. I mean, let's call it three, (wide receiver Darius) Slay out there, too. Slay is another guy that we could call a part of the dynamic trio. I think we've got plenty of guys that with Russ being at the helm, I mean, it just opens up a lot of opportunities for guys to get down field and get the ball in their hands. Russ trusts the guys in the room, and we trust him as well. We see it every day in practice, every day in training camp. They're going out there, balls to the wall, for lack of better terms, but I think all three of them could create a trio to go out there and be successful, and I think they have been. I think they've made steps to that. It's early in the season, and they're getting their rhythm, but you see exactly what I'm seeing. I'm watching it just like you guys. It was special yesterday, and I'm excited for it.

Q: And for you, how do you think the communication, the secondary, it's a lot of new pieces thrown together, and the expectation's high because of the contracts, but everybody you're still learning together chemistry-wise, so you don't want to put the cart before the horse. How do you think the chemistry with you and (safety Tyler) Nubin and (cornerback Paulson) Adebo and the changing cornerback rotation, what do you see from the secondary 3-2 games?

HOLLAND: I think it's going great. I think we're improving every week. I think we're trusting each other more and more as the season goes on, so I'm really excited about our direction.

Q: I want to back up to that last play of regulation a little bit. Did you guys have – you know what kind of kicker (Cowboys' kicker) Brandon Aubrey is. Did you guys have a yard line in mind where you're like, we don't want them to get any farther than their own 40, their own 45? Was there a spot you were trying to defend?

HOLLAND: The 50.

Q: The 50? And that's right about what he got to?

HOLLAND: Yeah.

Q: As a defense, we were just talking about the offense, and we saw what Russ did, and there's plays that both sides, offense, defense, left on the field yesterday. But there's a lot of expectations on your defense this year. Just how frustrating is it when you have the lead three times in the fourth quarter and you don't come out of the game with a win?

HOLLAND: Who – what expectations are you talking about? Who are these expectations -

Q: I'm just saying there was a lot of talk about how good the defense could be -

HOLLAND: Who's talking?

Q: Just the media, the speculation that's been out there.

HOLLAND: The media, for me, doesn't really matter. I know I'm disappointed because I know the caliber of players that we have in the room. But any speculation, expectation, media talk, none of that resonates for me. For me, myself, and I know what standard we have of guys in the room, absolutely it's frustrating. I definitely wanted us to be able to come out on top, no doubt. But there are things that we were met with that the Cowboys' offense did that we're going to learn from, and we're going to be better from it. So, am I upset? Absolutely. Am I disappointed that we didn't come out with the W? 100%. Am I discouraged? Not at all. Because I know that the type of people we have in the room, the individuals we have collectively in our mindset, is only going to create an even better, more successful defense. Yeah, I was upset yesterday, but this morning I woke up, watched the film, and I know what we need to work on, and I know how we're going to improve, and I'm excited for it.