**

Head Coach Tom Coughlin**

I think we improved a little bit tonight; nothing earth shaking, but we did get a little bit better. We're going to have to get a lot better. We came out throwing the ball, and obviously we were not as accurate as you'd like. We ended up throwing the ball away too many times, but we did have a lot of plays. A lot of people got experience out there tonight. Nassib kind of fought his way through some tough goings early on and played better towards the end. I felt there were some outstanding individual plays, but again, it's in front of us. It's not all there right now, but to win is a good thing. To win at home is a good thing.

Q: Injuries are a part of the game, but you continue to see injuries around the same position.
A: It's amazing with the way that's going. We earmarked it as a problem position for us with the safety position and we had two guys hurt tonight in that spot. Hopefully we'll get a couple of guys back to practice that weren't able to play. It's just hard to even comment on.

Q: Bennett Jackson?
A: Sprained knee. I don't know any more than that.

Q: It was pretty clear you were trying to get Odell Beckham Jr. going early on in the game. Was it disappointing that it didn't happen tonight for Odell?
A: We had a number of plays for him and tried to direct things in that direction, but everybody has got to play better.

Q: Last week, the defense said they weren't playing as fast. What did you think of their speed tonight?
A: I think we played better. Their first offense did a pretty good job. They hit us with that short yardage run, which is the one I remember the most. We're talking about trying to stop the run. I think they had 55 yards. We had 75, which is not where we should be. The way it comes down was a lot of snaps and probably too many passes, but for the most part we did okay against the run with the numbers being what they were. We played faster tonight.

Q: Steve Spagnuolo is putting together his defense, but do you think you should be seeing more of a pass rush now or do you think that will come together later on?
A: I don't know what the numbers were, but we got some pressure on the quarterbacks tonight. I would say that was better. I don't know what the exact number is, but we did get some pressure.

Q: How would you view the overall defensive effort tonight at first glance?
A: The thing we did was hold them to field goals. In doing that, that's a big play, is to force the field goal and it's a four-point differential. We didn't always stop them, but we held them to field goals.

Q: How would you assess the play of the offensive line?
A: Obviously we're trying to get some cohesion with the offensive line. We let them play a little bit longer. We had 30-something plays in the first half and we left the first line in there. I have to see the tape in order to tell you the exact comment on that, but I think for the most part they did okay.

Q: What's the thinking of having John Jerry at right tackle?
A: He's got to be able to play a couple of spots. The same thing with (Geoff) Schwartz; we played him at tackle and guard.

Q: Did you think Schwartz looked good health-wise? Are you happy he made it through the game healthy?
A: That's not the gauge. The gauge isn't he made it through. It's how he played. I can't tell you until I look at the tape on that.

Q: Was timing the overriding issue with the passing game or does it go beyond that?
A: That and practicing together. We haven't had a lot of practice together and some of the guys, as you saw… (Geremy) Davis, I thought did okay tonight. (Corey) Washington had an opportunity to do a couple of things. Dwayne Harris made a couple of plays for us. James Jones made a couple of plays. So when you look at it that way, knowing what we were coming into in terms of who wasn't going to play and how long Odell was going to play; these guys got a lot of snaps out there tonight. For the most part, I'd say they benefitted by it.

Q: What was the disconnect between Eli and Odell?
A: They will connect. Whatever you're looking for there, I don't know. Accuracy.... A little bit off with the ball. You saw one ball inside and it looked like it was going to be a sure completion and he couldn't quite get to it.

**

QB Eli Manning**

Q: What you got out of tonight's 22-12 game?
A: What did I get out of it? Well I think it's always good to get live action. Saw some blitzes, picked up some things. We got to do a little bit better. Just moving in the pocket, finding lanes that a couple balls batted down. I think we had some opportunities for some big plays that we just missed, a little off. So we just got to keep working with those guys getting on the same page, getting the right timing. We're dealing with some guys with some injuries and missing some time and missing some practices. We need all our guys out there so we're getting those quality reps, those quality times. Anytime you go against a defense they're going to have different looks, different coverages that they're going to play that our defense doesn't. So sometimes you don't get a whole lot of time to practice certain throws because they don't come up as much and in a game you do so we're going to look at that. I thought we were close on a couple plays but obviously we got to get better. We got to execute better, I think our communication on the same page and everybody doing the right things was pretty good. We just got to execute the plays better.

Q: Based on personality, your offense has potential has potential to be very good this year but it's only as good as its offensive line. You looked like you were pretty protected when you were in there…
A: Yeah I thought the offensive line did a great job today. Picked up some blitzes well, some other protections, some stunts, some different things, picked it up well. If there was anything that we improved on (was) our third down. We converted some third-and-longs, hit some third and 10s, hit some third and 13 I think, a third and 8 that we converted. Holding it, moving around, taking down to our backs. We got a lot of people involved and did some things, changed a lot of plays so I thought we had a good communication in those things. I thought the offensive linemen did a good job in the run game and pass protection.

Q: How frustrating is it second preseason and obviously, Victor hasn't played, you have some other guys that are hurt. How frustrating is it to you not to have all those tools to work with in preseason?
A: I think it's probably—I guess you got to look at the bright side. You're working some other guys and getting some work with some guys you never know might have to play for us this year. They're getting reps in practice, quality reps. But yeah obviously you'd like to have Victor and Rueben out there as soon as possible and get them back in the mix of things but I thought receivers did a good job. We were close and missed Odell on a few things. I thought we were close on a couple, missed Preston Parker on two of them that we got to get. Every preseason is, I think, so important for me just to get that rhythm. We're now getting guys that are rushing at you, you got to find lanes, you got to find moving the pocket and I got to work being a little bit more patient and hanging in there and throwing things on time.

Q: Why did you feel like there was a disconnect between you and Odell tonight?
A: First one I think I just underthrew maybe a little bit, a guy got a hand on there. The next one just I thought it was close to hitting that one on the deep one. We had the one that they ruled incomplete just got to get that one a little higher up there. We just got to keep practicing and keep getting those reps in practice and keep making those plays.

Q: Is that partly because you missed in the spring? You guys really weren't…
A: No. I mean I think—I don't think we were far off on a number of them. I think we were pretty close it's just about I think for both of us getting back to being in that game situations and things were flying and just keep repping things and getting good looks at it. It's just a matter of being out there on the practice field and just keep working in these preseason games, keep working on things and we will get better. That's the point of preseason games to see where we stand and get some of those things out of the way and see what you need to fix up and there are some things we got to fix.

**

Guard Justin Pugh**

Q: It seemed like you guys were working much better together. The whole line was working much better. Psychologically does that give you a better feeling even going into this week of practice and next week?
A: For sure. Like I said last week, a lot of things went well for us last week that people really didn't get to see like we were just a foot off of blocking a guy and it would've gone for a touchdown -- so those are things that we saw and we were able to build off of that. Like I said this is a great group of guys, great room, we're having a lot of fun playing with each other, everyone picks each other up and it's something that I am very excited about being a part of this and excited to see where it is going to go from here.

Q: These games aren't games that you have game planned for. Once you start game planning does it make it a little bit easier to run certain plays and do certain things?
A: Yeah of course you have a whole week of game planning going in against somebody; you pick up more tendencies you know. With Jacksonville we spent two days on them before we went out and played them. Sometimes you want to run plays just to get them run so you can have a look at them and see what they do against defenses. Some of the plays we would check out of out there and get into a better play but we are trying to see how…have a guard pull and get me around there and try to see to get me some reps in games of pulling around and blocking somebody so those are things that happen in preseason that people have to realize and we are going to keep getting better and keep growing [but] these games are going to make us better in the season.

Q: How do you feel about having to settle for field goals?
A: That is the part that is disheartening about tonight. We come away with seven and it is a totally different feel, the game would have been way different but it was good to have those drives we've got to put six on the board and that is going to be our goal to finish better when we get those drives going. LB Jameel McClain

Q: John Beason was nicked up, how'd it feel to be back in the middle?
A: It was just good ultimately to go in there and get my feet wet. It's been a while since I got in there and hit somebody, or did anything like that. John will be all right and that situation will be what it's going to be, but my goal is to always be ready and that's what being a pro is at the end of the day.

Q: How much progression did you see from the starting defense compared to what you saw last week in Cincinnati?
A: There definitely was some good progress. We definitely stepped up in a lot of places, but one area specifically where we can step up is third and one, third and two, those short downs. We can step up there and make those plays, but other than that I've seen the defense take a big leap beyond what we had the first week.

Q: With all the injuries that continue to happen week after week, how demoralizing is it and how do you keep your heads up?
A: You keep your head up and you just keep playing, that's the name of the game. It's unfortunate nobody wants to see either side get injured, but that's what football is. It's the next man up 24/7. Guys stepped up and stepped into place, and the guys that got hurt they'll be back Lord willing, they'll get themselves right and they'll come back and well be a stronger team. You do get some strength by having people forced into roles automatically.

**

LB J.T. Thomas III**

Q: Do you feel extra effective tonight? It seemed like you were very active.
A: Yeah I spoke a little bit about it earlier. I think I concentrated on something that coach asked us to do earlier and that was to 'let it go and to play a little bit.' You've got guys taking in a new defense sometimes you tend to slow down a little bit and that is something that [Spags] encouraged us to not do tonight and I think that is where we took a step forward as a defense.

Q: In that first game were you thinking too much?
A: Yeah and with a limited amount of snaps sometimes it takes a couple plays in order for you to get your mojo going and tonight the ball got rolling for me early and I was able to continue with the momentum and that was something that I played off of and then other guys started making plays; [Beason] with the big pass break up in the end zone [and] Devon Kennard with the big fumble recovery. You hope that when you make plays that it becomes infectious to your defense and that is what I look forward to being able to do for us.

Q: How much of a loss would Jon be? Did you get a sense of how bad [his injury] is?
A: I have no idea. I haven't had a chance to talk to Jon about it but of course everyone here knows that Jon is an essential part of our defense and he is our leader, he is the guy who we look to for leadership and of course his style of play.

Q: Coach Spags talked this week about playing faster and not worrying about making mistakes. Do you think that helped you play looser?
A: Yeah it definitely helped me and I think it helped the entire defense as well. I think it is important for us to keep that mindset as the season continues, is to continue to play fast and be the aggressor when we are on the field.

Q: Can you just take us through that forced fumble sack on that first half play?
A: Yeah we ended up blitzing over the weak side of the offensive and [Jeromy Miles] timed it up nicely and the back had the kick out to him before he got to me so I was able to stay tight and run the pass rush game and come free. I am a guy that is all about the football, I'm about creating turnovers so when I bend the corner you see me with the opportunity to have a sack it was most important for me to get the ball out and get out to the ball.

OL Geoff Schwartz

Q: How'd it feel?
A: Good. It was good to be out there, it's just nice. I feel like I'm back doing what I love to do. Game day is what you prepare for all week, and it's good to just be out there with my teammates just trying to get better. Just exciting to finally be able to just do it.

Q: You didn't start, but seems like once you got in there you stayed for a long time?
A: Yeah, I played for a while. I felt good. It was kind of like, "Hey, how you feeling?" I was like, "I'm good to go," and just kept going until it was time. It takes a lot of reps to kind of get back into rhythm, especially after last year. I didn't play last week, so I needed the reps. So I'll take them.

Q: How'd you think you did? You went at guard and tackle, right?
A: I don't know. I'm pleased with my effort for what stage I'm in right now. I'm happy with the way I did. There's always room for improvement. I think anyone will tell you that it wasn't perfect. I know there's plays I wish I had back, but I'm happy with the overall body of work tonight.

Q: And you feel good?
A: Yeah. I mean, I don't even know how many plays I had. I think it was more than I thought. But they asked me, "Are you good to go?" I said, "I'm good," so I just kept playing.

Q: So you didn't feel anything?
A: No, none at all. So I'm pleased with the way it went.

Q: How important was it to get that many plays?
A: I mean, it's important going forward. I missed last week, obviously, and a whole week of practice. I need as many reps as I can just to get myself in game shape and just practice. Every time I did something today was something that I haven't done last year—I didn't play right guard last year. I haven't played right guard since 2013, so any reps I got today was extra reps to work on the things I need to work on. I'm not going to tell the coaches I don't want to go in. They tell me to go in and how you feel, and I go in. I was happy I was able to get a little more reps than I thought I would.

Q: Did you feel like you were pretty happy at right guard and right tackle?
A: Yeah. I like right guard, I played that the longest in my career. I feel more comfortable there. Obviously, I can play tackle and I've done it before. Preferably, I've said it before, I like right guard. In a pinch, I can always play right tackle. It's not a big deal for me at all.