Tom Coughlin
Q:How was Landon Collins able to keep engaged while he was on the sideline? Sometimes young players have difficulty with that.
A:He's in every meeting, he's in every plan, he's interested. After what he's missed on the field, he has an opportunity to listen to the coaches talk about it in the classroom. He's up to date on everything that we're doing.
Q:He was also kind of engaged with the players, running to the ball, things like that. How important was that to see? Just to not see him on the sideline in his own world.
A:Well, that's his game. He's got to be involved like that. To keep him as involved as we possibly can, even though he can't take snaps—that's the challenge. Of course with a young guy, who has a sense that he's missing time, he should be more engaged.
Q:He'll go full today?
A:He'll go limited.
Q:What about some of the other guys?
A:What about them?
Q:Victor Cruz, Rueben Randle—do you expect them out here?
A:They say Rueben [Randle] will go tomorrow. And I don't know when to say Victor [Cruz] will go.
Q:Cooper Taylor and Nat Berhe?
A: [Cooper] Taylor goes today, and Berhe's going today. Yeah, he's going. They're all limited. Anybody that's been out, their classification when they first come back is limited.
Q:Any better idea on Jon Beason?
A:No. Nope.
Q:Are you concerned about Victor at all?
A:I'm concerned, yeah. Because obviously there were a couple of slotted opportunities there that didn't take place, or one. Of course this would have been the second one, if he's not ready to go. So, yeah, yeah, I am. But I would like to see him get out there, and be able to stay out there. That's what our real intent is. As soon as that can be done, that's possible, then that's what will happen.
Q:Would you say he's out for Saturday or it's too early?
A:I'm not going to say anything like that. No, it's day to day.
Q:It's not the knee right?
A:No, it's not the knee.
Q:You said originally that you thought it might be dehydration-related. Did it end up being more serious than maybe you thought?
A:No. I can't classify it. I just know that he can't go.
Q:Ashlee Palmer, what'd you like about him?
A:Worked out very well. And I do like the fact that he's played without injury for quite some time. That could've been the reason right there.
Q:What do you like about the combination of Jay Bromley and Kenrick Ellis? They seem to be working well together.
A:Well, they're big, solid guys inside. What I like is they enjoy playing and they seem to be able to hold the point in there pretty good. So we just need to keep those two getting better.
Q:What has Andre Williams shown you in year two, specifically, in how he has grown?
A:Well, he's obviously second time around—he knows more about what he's doing. He's more comfortable doing it. He is a powerful runner, and when given the opportunity, he's demonstrated.
Q:Do you notice a different level of patience with him?
A:That's not necessarily the first word that would come to—but he did demonstrate it the other night.
Q:Johnathan Casillas' neck, is that a serious thing or day to day?
A:You know, I don't know what to make of that, because he came out and practiced. He was not supposed to have any contact. Evidently, he did get a little bit, and then he got sore again. They're just not going to let him go until they feel like he can play and not receive any kind of injury.
Q:Steve Weatherford didn't seem to have a great night the other night. How open is that competition?
A:Well, it is open. It should be looked at that way by everybody. I don't care how many years in the league, when you come to camp, it's competitive, and you've got lots of people trying for the same job. So we certainly would like to see it the way we hope to expect it on game day and during the regular season. So I'm hoping that improves.
Q:When you got a better look at the film, you saw Odell Beckham had five targets with no catches. Was that all just timing that you assume will come? Or was there anything you saw as to why he didn't get to those balls?
A:To me, he had a chance for one ball that was thrown out in front of him. He had a drop. Again, to me, it's timing, it's rhythm, it's all of those things. But that would be where I would start.
Q:I would assume you don't worry about a guy like that with what he's done.
A:I worry about everything. I'm worried about everything. You give opportunities and guys make plays and they don't make plays. Then you analyze why they did or why they didn't and present it. You'd like to see it the other way. There has to be a little bit of a sense of urgency right now. You're a couple weeks away from lining up. So, I mean, I'd like to see things done well, done right. Obviously, whoever it is, doesn't matter, Odell—it doesn't make any difference. When it doesn't go the way it's supposed to go, and we've been at this for a couple of weeks, why doesn't it go that way? So you have to look hard at that. And the one thing—it's not an excuse—but again, when you see some of the younger guys doing some things and catching the ball and so on, advancing the ball, they've been out here. (Geremy) Davis has been on the field all this time, you know? The practice part of this thing has got to be understood and it's got to be done right. It's got to be done with a sense of urgency.
Q:Back to Victor, how do you view the importance of him getting into a preseason game?
A:Well, it's great, but if it doesn't happen, then it doesn't happen. You know, Odell didn't have a preseason game last year. So you want them to play, that's what the plan was. If it doesn't work out that way, then what's the next thing? We can't worry about something that, right now, is not within our control.
Q:Would you contemplate playing him in the fourth game if he couldn't be ready for this game?
A:Well, I'm considering that the whole time. I'm saying, 'When can we play him?' Would I contemplate it? Sure. I mean, we just have to have X number of days together practicing before that's going to happen, though. We're not going to make a decision the night before the last preseason game to play him. It has to be something that builds up to it, so I know he's ready to go. I wouldn't put him out there without that.
Q:There was a report yesterday that Jason Pierre-Paul is planning a return.
A:I don't know anything about that. I don't know anything about that.
Q:He hasn't told you?
A:He hasn't told me.
Q:Getting any of your corners back? Chykie Brown?
A:No.
**
Landon Collins**
Q:So the head coach says you're going to be back today Landon?
A:Either today or tomorrow. It's on the training staff to how today goes.
Q:How are you feeling compared to after it happened?
A:The injury? I feel great. I'm ready to get back on the field. Just take it day by day. Hopefully get back to practicing today or tomorrow.
Q:Is there anything you can't do? Cutting or anything like that?
A:Last week it was just cutting, but this week is—I would say fine.
Q:How were you able to stay involved in everything?
A:Just stay in the coaching staff meetings, our meetings, and one-on-one's with the coaches. Definitely with my teammates and making sure we're all on the same page. If I see something, I can tell them what to do, and if they still have questions—we still always ask each other questions about everything.
Q:I'm guessing that's a new skill for you because you haven't really missed much time with injury, right?
A:Not really. It's not really new to me, no, because I did it in college. It's the same thing when you get here, you've got to stay accountable to what you do.
Q:Were you worried when it happened that you would miss more time?
A:Was I worried? I was just worried about just how long I'd be off the field. This is where I love to be at. I hate being off of it.
Q:Do you feel like you might have fallen behind at all?
A:Fallen behind? It's up to the coaching staff, that's not a question I can answer.
Q:How have you and Brandon Meriweather hit it off?
A:Oh good. He's a character. We're definitely fine. We contribute well to the team. Definitely for a vet, he definitely gives me some keys about what's going on and how to read the game. Definitely helped me out with what to know.
Q:When you say character, what does that mean?
A:Oh, just a funny guy. Just somebody you don't think will be that way, but he is.
Q:He's kind of a link to Sean Taylor for you, I would think?
A:Yeah definitely, coming from the U.
Q:Have you guys spoken about that?
A:Not yet. We haven't spoken about that.
Q:Can you two be on field together?
A:Who?
Q:You and Brandon. You look more like two strong safety types. Can one of you play the other?
A:Position? Yeah, we definitely can both play either one. He can play free, I can play free. He plays strong, I can play strong. Depending on what the team needs and what we need to be at, at the time, we definitely get that worked out.
Q:What kind of pressure is it knowing that you're a rookie and you're basically being asked to be the starter right off the bat?
A:It's no pressure at all. I mean, you take that as a challenge. Every day to day, you try to get better. As much as you learn and get from the vets, the faster you get on the field, the faster you know, and the better you are.
Q:Do you expect to play Saturday?
A:Do I expect to play Saturday? I do. I do expect to play Saturday.
Q:How important is that for you? The third preseason game is obviously the closest you get to the regular season. How important is it for you to get into that game and get it under your belt?
A:Every game is very important. Especially that one, just to get it underneath my belt so I can get experience of how fast the game, the pace, and just have an understanding of my teammates and what they see so we can always feel off of each other.
Q:Despite missing the time, do you still have confidence that it won't be too much of a learning curve, starting as a rookie?
A:No, not at all. I'm still learning day by day. You can learn even if you're not on the field. You can learn visually and by talking. So just doing that each and every day. And especially with the iPad's—we can definitely get that in.
**
WR Victor Cruz**
Q:How do you feel?
A:I'm feeling good. I'm just continuing to go through the regimen with the training program and training staff. I'm taking it one day at a time.
Q:Do you think you'll be back practicing soon?
A:That's the hope. It's all up to the training staff, to see what they say, how they feel I'm progressing, and then taking it from there.
Q:What has kept you from coming back at this point?
A:It's just still a little bit of inflammation there and just some things that they want to see clear up before I get back on this field and be 100% again. No worries, I'm just happy there is nothing wrong with the knee, and everything is good. The calf I can deal with.
Q:Is the calf injury related to dehydration?
A:I don't think so. If I threw up right know, I would probably throw up a gallon of water. I pretty much drink water all day long, so I don't think its dehydration. I think it's just something that happens when you're out here, you're going hard every day, and tweaks and little things like that happen.
Q:Are you convinced you're on track for opening day?
A:I do. I think obviously getting a couple days of good rehabilitation in, fixing the calf, and doing some things with the training staff, the things they have me doing in there, icing it, keeping it elevated at night, and things like that should keep the swelling down, and I should be out here ready to go for Dallas.
Q:How do you balance how important it is to get healthy and how important it is to get in a game?
A:It's a little bit of both. You want to make sure that you stay healthy and that you're out there at 100%. You never want to go out there and not be at your best because that's how you get injured. Obviously the next phase for me was getting back out on that field and getting back to playing again. I feel like once I'm out there, once the adrenaline is kicking in, once I get hit one time, I mean it's football at the end of the day. It's a game I've been playing since I was young so I just have to go out there and do it. I think part of that is being healthy, which is what I'm working hard towards.
Q:You've has some big games against the Jets, so how hard is it going to be to not be able to go out there Saturday if you can't go?
A:Not too difficult. Obviously I want to be out there with my team, be out there battling, and obviously helping them reps-wise, and getting a victory. Other than that, it's about maintaining your health, maintaining what you want to accomplish as a goal from a team perspective, and that's being ready for week one, when everything matters, everything counts, and we're out there helping our team win.
Q:Does the fact that WR Odell Beckham Jr. has no catches just look like a timing issue?
A:Yeah, I think so. I was a little unhappy last week, I felt like some of those defensive backs were kind of gunning for him, and it was sad to see that go down because I couldn't help him. I couldn't go out there on the field and run routes with him. I couldn't help him get some of the pressure off of him and things like that. Yeah, I think it's still some timing things that we have to work out on this practice field, but that comes with the reps, and that comes with more game time decisions, game time feel, and every day is a better day to get that timing down.
Q:When you say gunning for him, do you mean extra stuff?
A:Yeah, I mean like certain stuff I was seeing on the field. Just when guys have the opportunity to get an interception and they don't even go for the ball. I get it, it's preseason, you're trying to get a job, and I understand that, but let's just keep it within the game a little bit.
Q:Do you think that's something he's going to have to deal with being such a high profile guy?
A:Yeah, I dealt with it a little bit as well, and I've spoken to him about it. It's just something that he's just got to deal with and kind of battle through. It's not easy especially early in the preseason to go through something like, but it's guys like myself, and the entire receiver room that kind of helps him and gets through.
Q:It seemed like he was aware of it.
A:From the line, you can see it as you're running your route and you're running a vertical route, and you take a peek at the safety before you look at the ball, and you just see him head down trying to spear you. You can see that from a mile away. He's a smart kid, he understands that, but it's just unfair. It kind of made me upset watching it.
Q:How did you deal with that?
A:You just have to kind of battle through. I had guys like Hakeem (Nicks) and different guys would tell me different things about how to handle it. You have to power through it and you have to kind of expect it every game. It's a difference between coming in and not expecting it and then getting it and you're surprised. You have to come into the game expecting that's how you're going to be treated and kind of make your adjustments off that.
Q:How do you feel about the fact that you've been in and out?
A:Obviously I want to be out there on the field. The goal is to be healthy and be out there with my teammates playing, getting the reps, and understanding this offense more and more as we progress this preseason, but I feel good. I think the time that I was out there I felt good, I was running good routes, and I was making things happen. It's just a matter of getting back out there, so I think that's my goal to be ready week one, and in the interim make sure I'm getting myself ready back here when you guys are not watching. I feel good, I feel confident that I'll be okay come week one.
Q:So you're just waiting for us…
A:To disappear, if you will, although that's pretty inevitable and not going to happen.
**
Wide Receiver Rueben Randle**
Q:Is the tendinitis something you think you are going to have to monitor this season?
A:It is just all about me keeping my body warmed up and make sure I'm properly stretched and not putting all the pressure on that knee tendon, so I'm just going to do a couple more exercises to make sure I keep that tendon loose.
Q:You've had this since high school. What kind of changed this time?
A:It just flared up pretty bad this last time and I just needed a little bit more rest than what I usually need, so just taking precautions, nothing really serious.
Q:The three receivers -- you, Victor and Odell -- haven't been together at all. Is there any concern about the chemistry?
A:No, we all have a pretty good grasp of the offense. It is just going to be about us going out there and executing once we are all healthy enough to stay on the field and get on the field at the same time.
Q:How important is it that you guys find a way to do that before this preseason is over?
A:It is going to be key. I think we are all working to get to that point and I think we all should be returning this week anyway so --- we'll see what happens.
Q:How is Victor doing? Coach Coughlin said he wasn't going to practice today.
A:I'm not concerned; he seems fine with the rehab. With me, they are taking precautions and don't want to make it worse than what it is, so I don't think it is anything that anyone should really worry about.
Q:Do you expect to play Saturday?
A:I think so. As far as I know, I should be playing, so we will see how this week goes.
Q:How careful do you have to be? Obviously you came back last time and I don't know if that flared it up more?
A:It feels better now. I think I kind of rushed it earlier last week in [Cincinnati] but it feels much better now that I've had about a week or so off so I'm just excited to finally get back to practice.
Q:With tendinitis, is it just a matter of getting it loose?
A:Yeah, you know you put a lot of pressure on the knee, especially as receivers with all the cutting and things we do, so we had to find the ways to not put all the pressure on that one tendon and they have done a pretty good job in the training room of giving me some exercises to make sure that doesn't happen.
