I wish we could be on the other side of the win-loss column, but we'll continue to work hard and just try to take the ship to the next level after the break.

NEWS > Where do Giants stand in Power Rankings > Assistant Coaches assess the team > Giants determined to rally after bye > When will injured teammates return? VIDEOS > Watch Assistant Coaches' interviews

My motivation right now is that I'm not where I want to be. That's my biggest motivation. I want to be a great player, so I put in extra work and I work hard in practice to make sure that I can take those steps and become that. When you're a rookie, in my position, you pretty much have to wait for someone to get hurt before you have the opportunity, and you don't want that to happen. But that's the way the game goes. I don't know the length of Cullen Jenkins' injury or how long or what kind it is, but if my name is called, if my number is called, then I'll be ready.

I've suited up just the one time this season, and that's something my teammate Johnathan Hankins also kind of went through as a rookie tackle last year. We definitely talk about that, especially when I first started not playing. He and everybody around here told me, they were like, "Man, listen, you're going to have your opportunity; you've just got to be prepared and keep working hard." And that's what I have been doing. Watching Hankins go out there and make plays does nothing but motivate me. In my head, I'm saying I want to get better, and I can envision nothing more than me and him both being young and being two of the best defensive tackles in the game, period, and working hard in the future. So we just want to keep that going.

Over the bye week, I'll just get away from the game a little bit. I'll see some of my family members, some of the loved ones and just enjoy it. And when I get back, possibly my role can be increased by a lot, and I just want to put my best foot forward to help this team progress and go on a run.

For more posts from Jay, stay tuned to Giants.com throughout the year. You can also follow him on Twitter @JayBrom96 and Instagram @jbrom96.