Coach Tom Coughlin
Q: Did you get news on Jon Beason that he's now out?
A: He talked with… he called and he was at the doctor's. Our medical people, after listening to the conversation, just figured that this wouldn't be a week to put him out there.
Q: It must be encouraging, it doesn't sound like it's super long term, right?
A: He'll probably have to fight through something like this for the duration, let's put it that way.
Q: There's still no timetable as far as you're aware?
A: Timetables, I don't know. I haven't had any conversation with… I think it will be, here's a guy that's tough and gritty and he'll go out there as soon as he can.
Q: He said yesterday that scar tissue would be the best-case scenario as far as a diagnosis. Is that what Anderson said?
A: I don't know because I wasn't…. the doctors haven't talked yet but Beason has called Ronnie. That's how the decision… it's no different. Nothing's unusually different in the whole case, so let's just put him out of this game and then we'll see where we are.
Q: Is Jameel McClain your option there? He played there for all of training camp.
A: We have a couple of options, sure.
Q: It sounded like you had some music going at the beginning of practice. That's not something you usually hear, every now and then. Is that maybe a treat for the players every now and then to have some music?
A: The players wanted that. We've done that before, we did it years ago. Just a little bit of noise in the air like a stadium pregame is the way they put it.
Q: Did the players come to you and ask for that?
A: We talked about it with the leadership council.
Q: Did you mind sharing your tapes?
A: You know, that's what they wanted me to tell you, that they took the music off of my… I don't even know what they're talking about. Pat: iPod, Coach. TC: What's an iPod? I see everybody with these things sticking out of their years all the time. What the heck? What, you need music to run? You can't exercise without that stuff? What the heck?
Q: Are there things you have to do to keep them from putting too much pressure on themselves? You have to balance sense of urgency with relax and things like that?
A: We're doing as much as we can along those lines. You've got to go play the game. No matter what they come at you with, you have to react and adjust and put yourself in a position to win a game.
Q: Did you find the rest of the meeting with the leadership council... did it yield some more positive things like that? Maybe some things that you want to try going forward?
A: Well, to this extent, that was it for now, but we meet all the time.
Q: Some of your guys mentioned that they had a players only meeting earlier in the week as well. Why do you think that could be productive for this group here?
A: Well I think they were just discussing the predicament that we are in and what they would like to do to get out this predicament. The idea that we have beat ourselves, let's stop doing that. From what I know, and I wasn't there, it sounded very positive.
Q: You said after the loss to the Lions that you thought about talking about last year…
A: No, no, no.
Q: The slow start and decided against it. Did you change your decision this week?
A: Talking about what, the start from a year ago? No. What made you think I changed my…?
Q: You said you thought about talking about last year and decided not to.
A: That was probably talking without thinking. I don't want to talk about last year. I do not want to talk about last year.
Q: With Larry Donnell, is this an offense that's tight end-friendly or is he just getting open or what?
A: I hope it's both. He's getting open but he's made some outstanding plays.
Q: Are you interested to see how he'll react when defenses maybe start scheming against him a little bit?
A: I just hope he keeps getting better. I hope there's a reason for defenses to recognize him. That's what I hope.
Q: I don't mean this to be overly deep but has Donnell perhaps provided an example on what a player can do with opportunities in a new offense, whatever the offense is?
A: I think that's accurate and I also think he's been around here for a while, he's paid a price and he's worked hard. I'm glad to see a young man that has gone through the practice squad and so on and so forth, who is talented, who we knew was talented. I'm glad to see him have a little success here early on and I hope it continues.
RB Rashad Jennings
Q: Do you have to put a game like last week behind you quick and get back to work?
A: You have to. You have to. It is uncharacteristic of me. Nobody touched me. Out of one thousand times, it won't happen again. Just like life, mistakes happen. You learn from it. You see what you could have done differently and you make strides that it doesn't happen again. It was a costly mistake of where we were. We were on the 17-yard line and I had an opportunity to tie up the score. We were moving the ball and keeping our defense off the field. We had them on their heels and it was a costly mistake.
Q: Did it stick with you… Did you think about it the next day?
A: Of course. I am still thinking about it now that you brought it back up. I am re-living it. It is frustrating. I wish I could rewind the tape, but I can't. Fortunately, I have another opportunity coming this Sunday.
Q: What is the balance you guys have to have between the situation you're in and putting too much pressure on yourself and then just relaxing and just being able to play the game without thinking of all the ramifications?
A: I don't see it as a pressure. I don't think pressure really is the right word. Or if it is, pressure breaks pipes, but pressure also makes diamonds. The makeup of this unit is going to pull the best of everybody. The way we have been practicing the whole entire week, the dedication on the offensive side… They have been spending more time in the film room with each other outside of the walls. Taking more responsibility and ownership over every single play and every single call made. We are coming together because that is not us. We have a nasty taste in our mouth. We worked too hard to have this kind of outcome. It is time for us to put our best foot forward. It has to start now. We don't have that many chances. Nobody needs to press, we just need to execute and play ball like everybody can.
Q: Going up against a Houston team that has been running the ball really well… Does that give you guys extra motivation to show your running game as well?
A: Me personally, as an athlete. I don't let another man dictate my attitude towards the game. I don't ride the highs and the lows. I stay even keel when I play this game. Why I am playing the game, this is the only way I can thank God for giving the opportunity to do something I love. That is why I dedicate so much time outside of the walls. I do everything I possibly can because this is a gift He gave me and this is the only way I can say thank you by working really hard at it. With that said, that is where my motivation comes from. By far as wanting to compete, yes. As far as when you see another team moving the ball; you take that as a shot and say, 'hey, we can move the ball.' Also we don't let any other man dictate us. There is a difference between a thermostat and a thermometer. Which one do you want to be? We should be setting the temperature. Not dictating or explaining what it is out on the field. We have to attack on offense. Go back to executing. Nobody needs to press. Play ball like we know how and I think we will be happy with the outcome.
Q: Do you feel like the offensive line and everybody else is doing their job, but you guys haven't capitalized… Is that accurate?
A: As a running back, it doesn't matter if a hole is there, it doesn't matter if it is the biggest one in the world. Your job is to move the chains, period. The run game, I think the responsibility when it is not productive should go to the running backs, and when it is productive should to go to everybody else. That is my story and I am not changing it.
Q: Coming into this season there were a lot of question marks about the tight ends on this team… Are you surprised with [Larry Donnell]?
A: He is a good. We know he is a great player. He is just going to continue to develop. You never know how a game is going to pan out. There might be a game where we run it 40 times and there might be another game where we pass it 5
RB Andre Williams
Q: Going against their [Houston Texans] rush defense.
A: I would say it challenges you going against….the Houston Texans defense. It is definitely, the 3-4 is always different. You are going to have to worry about the linebackers and how they are fitting in the gaps. Two gaps sometimes and J.J. Watt is somebody that we are worrying about. Just making sure that Eli Manning is protected back there, but we are taking it just like another game.
Q: The running game had a really strong preseason and the first couple of weeks, it seems to slow down a little bit. What do you think needs to happen to get it going again?
A: I think we just have to execute better, play faster, play with more confidence, and just make sure we stick to our fundamentals, but I think this week is going to be a good week for a run game.
Q: Important to get the run game going so that the shorter passes and even some shots downfield can take place.
A: Exactly. The offense has to complement each other, the run game has to complement the pass game, and the pass game has to complement the run game in order for there to be a balance and both to work out.
Q: Even though you are an offensive player, they are a smashmouth kind of team. They are a grind it out kind of team. Sounds like from all your teammates, that is the kind of game this is going to be. You as a running back, you want to be involved in that kind of game don't you?
A: Exactly. You got to win the physical battle, win the hitting game, and where the defense down. I always pride myself in getting stronger in the fourth quarter, wearing down the defensive backs and hopefully we can get the run game going to the point where that is the type of game we can get into because I feel like we will have success.
Q: How important is ball control in a game like this? Keep that defense on the field just so you can tire them out.
A: That is exactly it. Ball control, making sure that you can control the time of possession that is always good for an offense. Definitely it is going to make sure we execute and stick to our fundamentals in order to do that.
Q: Can you keep them off balance with your up-tempo style?
A: I think we can as long as they are not getting to many big plays or keeping Eli Manning protected. I think that is definitely something that we can do.
