Head Coach Joe Judge

(Opening Remarks)

Obviously, we came up a little short today. I'm proud of the way our guys fought, I'm proud of the way they played. We have to make sure we clean up and eliminate some mistakes and keep making more positive plays going down the stretch. I'm proud of the way they fought. They are an improved team from last week, and I'm proud of how they worked last week, I'm proud of the improvement they made. We have to keep pushing on and making strides going forward. Obviously, we're going through a little tough stretch right now with the division, so we can't afford to make these mistakes. Obviously, we're anxious already to get back on the grass and start working. We will start immediately with watching the tape tonight as coaches, improve what we can, then we'll fly back tomorrow and get with the team on Wednesday."

(On his reaction to the fight with WR Golden Tate III and CB Jalen Ramsey after the game)

"I have to see and find out all the details. I don't have anything right there, not yet anyway. Obviously, we want to do our fighting between the whistles for 60 minutes. I don't know all the details, so I am going to hold and reserve comment on that until I find out everything."

(On the decision to punt on the fourth-and-4 with 10 minutes left)

"Yeah, we were playing good defense, we had field position and we wanted to win right there, put them on back there – I thought it was a good time to put the ball to our defense and let them play."

(On how he builds on an effort like this going forward)

"The same way we build every week. You go in there, you show them the tape, you show the evidence of what we did right to make improvements, you show them what happened wrong that we have to clean up, and then you shift your focus to the next opponent. You have to keep on moving – you can't ride a roller coaster in this league. It's a long season, there's a lot of ball to be played. Like I said, we are an improved team from last week. I'm proud of the way the guys worked the entire week. I'm proud of how they fought today. We have to make sure we don't have self-inflicted wounds that stop us from having the wins we need."

(On what he thinks is stopping his offense from getting in the end zone)

"I have to go ahead and look at all the tape. I was proud of the way they moved the ball today on that. I thought we were more balanced. When we had to run the ball at the end of the game, we were able to make some chunk runs. We threw the ball in tough situations, had to make some passes. We stuck with the plan throughout the game, so we have to obviously take a look at that. Any adjustment we have to make, we will. But today it was a different situation. We just stuck with the plan."

(On how much Giants DB Adrian Colbert helped as his free safety, and how it was to lose him on the touchdown play)

"I think 'AC' did a good job for the most part in the game. Obviously, I have to look at the tape and kind of dissect every play. But, he came out, he played a good game, (Giants S) Julian (Love) went back in there – we have a lot of faith in Julian as well. So look - all the guys that come to the game for us, they're all going to play. Everyone's got a role in every game. So, whoever's in there has to be accountable for the plays on the field."

(On the offense scoring three touchdowns in four games, and what makes him think his team can improve offensively based on what he's seen so far)

"Yeah, the focus is going back to work right now and doing everything we can to match against the opponents going forward. We have to build on what we have and who we have available, and we have to make sure we put them in the best situation to be successful."

(On if he saw what went wrong on the touchdown from WR Cooper Kupp, and if there was a miscommunication)

"Obviously anytime that there's a touchdown, nothing went exactly right, so we've got to look and make sure we identify the breakdown correct it going forward."  

(On if he talked to QB Daniel Jones about the last throw and if he thought he could have run there with the timeout in his pocket)

"Again, obviously it's easy on the sideline or to watch it on TV, than different what he may see in his own eyes. We'll go through the tape collectively with the team tomorrow morning before we take off and head back to New Jersey, but I haven't spoken to Daniel specifically just yet about that."

(On if he thinks this season starts next week against the Dallas Cowboys because the way the division is lined up)

"I think it's important for us next week as we start our division run that we play our best football."

(On what he thought of the play from his offensive line, and if he felt they got better, and if QB Daniel Jones and the receivers are contributing to the pressure)

"Well first off, there's never one person who's responsible for everything, ok? It's a team game. All the pieces have to fit together and everything complements each other. In terms specifically to the offensive line, I did see an improved unit this week. I think these guys are getting better overall. You play a team like the Rams, who have an outstanding pass rush. You just can't lose your mind when they make plays. You have to move on to the next play and keep pushing forward to be productive. That being said, we have to eliminate some of the easy plays we made for them early in the game. When it came down the stretch, I liked the way the offensive line really played and stood in there. I thought they held up for the most part against a very stout rush. Obviously not enough to take some of the production off the line that the Rams have, but you play good defense like the Rams, they're going to make some plays too."

(On Jones' interception at the end of the game was concerning to him considering he has 17 interceptions)

"Again, I have to look at the tape a little bit more specifically before we talk to the players and figure out everything that happened in those last plays. But again, we're building more of our team going forward. We have confidence in our players and we have to keep working to put them in positions to be successful."

(On why T Cameron Fleming replaced T Matt Peart to start the second half)

"We're just going to play all the guys who are at the game. So, there's really nothing that happened in the game that dictated anything that we did substitution wise on either side of the ball. We go in every game, we take guys at the game, we have a plan for how we're going to use them. Maybe it's situationally in a certain substitution package or for a certain play and maybe just want to get them out there and get them a couple of series under the belt. You know, these are young guys. Obviously, they didn't have a preseason to really gain experience. So, we have to build them then throughout the season and I've used them selectively to give them some experience on the field."

(On if there was any thought to keeping Peart out there)

"I'll have to take a look at everything that happened right there. But look, we're going to look to use all of our players, every game, you know, where everything is the best chance for us to be successful."

(On his thoughts about having 11.75 points per game through four weeks)

"I say we have to keep improving. Right now, our defense is doing some good things out there, we have to keep improving in the kicking game. Offensively, I like some of the things you saw down the stretch…We have to get the ball to the end zone more, but we just have to keep pushing on forward, keep making corrections and adjustments, and getting better as you go down the stretch."

(On if there was a concern going into this week given Tate and Ramsey's history)

"(WR) Golden (Tate) is a competitive guy. We talk to all of our players every week about different things. I'll keep some of the conversations between our players, just between me and the players. We don't want to have happen again at the end of the game what had happened. That's not the way we want to be as a team. I don't know all the details yet. I have to look into that more before I really have any comments to make on it."

(On was there a conversation with Tate about Ramsey prior to the game)

"Again, I'd like to keep those conversations between me and Golden (Tate) or me and any of the players. We have conversations on going into the game. I respect the question; I understand fully where you're coming from. I just have to keep certain things protected with me and the team." 

(On trusting the defense in the two fourth-down situations where he chose to punt)

"It's just the best decision we thought at the time for the team. Our defense was playing good. You know, we're winning the field position. You want to put them on down on a long field and let our defense play. I think we've gone for it on enough fourth downs. We're not afraid to go for it at the right time, but I have to call it based on what I think is best for the team at that time."

(On the positives he saw from the defenses play)

"Look, I love the way our defense is playing right now. Obviously third downs has a big emphasis for us as a team, they improved on that today. You know, they've been a good early down defense as well. I like the way our front plays, our backends are improving on a weekly basis. We have good energy. We're getting great communication across the board thing. I think 'Pat' (Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham) and his staff are doing a great job calling this right here. I'm proud of the way the guys work every week to improve and get better and I like the way they fought today."

(On if there was an emphasis on physical play and what he saw from his third corner, CB Ryan Lewis today)

"I'd say first, forget about depth charts, anyone who is at the game is going to play for us. So, whether we look at them as a first, second, third, whatever, if you're at the game you're expected to play. We don't hold a lot of value on so-called depth charts. If you're at the game, you're there to play. So that's really not important to us as a team. I would say in terms of the physicality - yeah, we put a big emphasis on being a physical team. I've said that from day one, that shouldn't be a surprise to anybody. You know, we want to be a tough, physical team and that's our style of coaching. That's our style of playing. That's what we have to be collectively as a team."

Quarterback Daniel Jones

(On how personally frustrating the loss was for him and how he overcomes dealing with the turnovers throughout the game)

"Certainly, frustrating for me. There at the end of the game with a chance to score and go for two and tie up the game, and to not do that, certainly frustrating. So, we've got to stay at it and learn and keep moving forward."

(On what can he learn from moments like these or even the interception he threw in last week's game)

"You can't force the ball in those situations."

(On what it will take to get the offense to score more points)

"We just got to execute when we get down in scoring position. I think we've hurt ourselves in a lot of those situations. I have to be better and can't afford negative plays, can't afford penalties and just have to take advantage of the opportunities we have. So, just got to execute in those situations."

(On why he believes his team can bounce back and perform better moving forward)

"Because we've been able to move the ball and get down there. I think once we get down there, we need to execute. I think we got the pieces to do it. Guys are playing well. We just need to be more consistent and execute down there in the red area and finish drives."

(On how he feels about the team averaging under 12 points per game thus far)

"Yeah, we got to score more points. I think we all realize that. It's about scoring touchdowns when we get down there."

(On if he would have rather ran it on the interception play)

"You know, I'd like to go back and look at the tape there and see that play. But I think I may have had the opportunity to run and have to learn from it and move on."

(On the players mood in the huddle during the last drive of the game and if their offense has confidence)

"Yeah, the confidence is high. I think those opportunities you want as an offense to go down there and score in a two-minute drive. So, we were confident, we were excited and got off to a good start and got the ball going. So, I think we got to finish that. As far as the attitude, or the energy in the huddle, I think it's been positive and we were certainly confident going into that drive."

(On if the team was aggressive enough in the last drive of the game and if they were looking for a touchdown)

"Yeah. We were running the ball well at that point in the game and controlling the ball. So, I think that was the strategy. I think in those situations to finish the half with the ball, is important. So that was the thought there, and I thought we did a good job executing that."

Cornerback James Bradberry

Q: You guys had a great day as a defense. I don't want to take away from that, but I do need to ask you about the Cooper Kupp touchdown at the end there. It looked like you had a bead on him. Why weren't you able to get a piece of him there?

A: He kind of just squared me up. He had a two-way go on me. I stopped my feet. It was just bad technique by me. I should have been able to get him down or at least get a hand on him or something. 

Q: You guys playing this way as a defense; do you expect to win games when you play this way as a defense?

A: We just expect to go out there and dominate. That's our whole motto, whether it's a win or a loss, we need to go out there and dominate and show that we are a dominant force. If they don't score, they don't win, that's the point at the end of the day.

Q: What actually happened on the coverage on the Kupp touchdown?

A: Well, they hurried up to the line. It was just miscommunication on the back end. We're all accountable for that. We didn't communicate enough. That's what led to the touchdown. 

Q: I know this didn't involve you, but what's it like when you see guys on the ground going at it after the game?

A: That's a question for Coach Judge. I didn't really see what was going on. I just saw a big commotion. I was confused. Honestly, I didn't know what was going on. 

Q: What's it like for you guys as a defense when you see your offense struggling the way it has? What kind of effect does it have on your guys?

A: Like I said, if they don't score, they don't win. We try to take pride in that. Each time we're on the field, we try to limit the offense to zero points on the board. Unfortunately, we didn't do that. We just have to keep getting better, look at the film, correct our mistakes and move on to next week. 

Q: You didn't hold them to zero, but you held them down pretty low compared to what they had been doing. When you've got them in such a tight game, is it frustrating to watch the offense not be able to pick up the slack?

A: It's frustrating to lose in general. It was frustrating when we gave that deep touchdown pass to Coop and I wasn't able to get him on the ground. I was frustrated with that. There are going to be points in the game where you're frustrated, but you have to keep going on. If you run out of time at the end of the game, you have to move on to the next game. So, we're moving on to Dallas next week.

Linebacker Blake Martinez

Q: How are you doing? Very physical today. Overall, how would you assess the way your defense played physicality-wise, and you held this team to 240 yards, what was the key to that today?

A: Good, but also bad… Yeah, we've kind of been saying each and every week… I think a lot of people didn't take us seriously when we were saying that. It was just, every single week we're hurting ourselves, there's nothing teams are doing that we can't stop, no matter who's out there, who's on the field, who's up, what personnel we have in, we can go and compete against anybody. I think today we showed that, but we also showed the things that are hurting us. We've just got to keep fixing those things and keep minimizing those as much as possible.

Q: What did you think of the effort of your defense overall, the way you guys were fighting?

A: I think it was awesome. I think that's the type of team we want to be, and I think overall it's something we'll hold our hat high on, but at the end of the day, it's a production league, it's getting wins, and that's what we want, and I think we're not going to be satisfied until that happens.

Q: What happened from your vantage point at the end of the game with the fight on the field?

A: I wasn't even near it, so I couldn't even tell you anything about it.

Q: As a captain, will you address it with the guys?

A: That's kind of a coach's issue, and at that point, we know what we have to do moving forward, and just focus on that.

Q: What did you see on that (Cooper) Kupp touchdown? It looked like there was a mixup in coverage with no safeties in the middle of the field… what'd you see there?

A: I think there was something there. For me, I have to go back to the tape and see what went wrong. I can't exactly pinpoint right now where it was at, who it was, whatever situation right now, I can't really answer that.

Q: Defense got off to a rough start, what did you think changed? First drive, seemed like the Rams had their way but you guys seemed to tighten up.

A: Our game plan was making that type of team keep having to snap the ball. I think both their drives were 15-play drives, or close to that, and at that point we knew that type of team didn't want to have to keep doing that, and maybe went away from some things or went back to some things, whatever way you want to think of it, and at that point, we kept sticking to what we were doing and made adjustments and made plays.

Q: What's it like as a defense when your offense is averaging 11.75 points per game?

A: It's one of those things where we're all a team. I think for each and every one of us, we all have things we need to keep improving and get better at, and I think it's a process. I think a lot of people write us off, think that something's wrong, think they know how to fix everything. But for us, we're just working as a team, and I know it's going to keep getting better each and every week, and I saw a lot of improvement across the board today.

Center Nick Gates

Q: Saw you were in the middle of that scrum at the end of the game. What happened there?

A: To be honest with you, I don't know what happened. I think [Head] Coach [Joe] Judge will figure it out and comment on it later.

Q: You just saw something going on and just got involved?

A: Just trying to protect my teammate.

Q: How do you feel the offensive line played today?

A: We ran the ball better than we have in the past games, but still wasn't good enough to come away with the win. We've got to be better.

Q: The offense has only scored three touchdowns all season and hasn't scored a touchdown the last two weeks. What makes you think that you guys can bounce back from the way it's been (the last couple games?

A: Just got to keep fighting, keep going, keep protecting for (Daniel) and running the ball, and just keep moving the ball down the field and giving us an opportunity to score. We shot ourselves in the foot a couple times when we got to the red zone with a couple of penalties, and it kind of hurts you when you're down there, so we've just got to eliminate those and we've just got to play better.

Q: There was a lot made of your battle with [Rams DL] Aaron Donald coming into this. We saw you guys kind of jousting there in the middle of the game. Did you get into any kind of comfort zone as far as your physicality playing against a great player like that and did you feel like you guys matched them physically even if you didn't score?

A: You know, we had a plan for Donald, and I think we executed the plan. We've just got to be better. I think we tried to get two guys on him as much as we can and everybody else played pretty well in pass pro, but we've got to be better. We gave up what, four, five sacks? That can't happen.

Q: How about punching him in the head, you think that's a good idea?

A: Honestly, I don't know what happened. We just got into it. He's a good player, I'm a good player. Emotions get high out there.

Q: What's the feeling in the huddle there when you get the ball back after the defense forced the three-and-out and you're driving down trying to score a touchdown and two-point conversion to tie it?

A: You know, just trying to stay composed and keep doing what you're doing all game and try to move the ball down the field. What, we started at the 25 and moved it down to the 20? They knew we were passing and just stuff happens.

Q: Can you guys take something positive as an offensive line as far as just slowing down Aaron Donald?

A: One of the positive things we did was ran the ball. I think we had 130 yards on the ground, so that's a positive from the last three games before.

Q: Along those lines, you guys seemed to run the ball a lot better in the second half. What went into that and why do you think you had more success today than you had the last couple of weeks running the ball?

A: I just think everybody held their blocks more and finished downfield on their guys. Running backs were hitting holes and just running downhill hard.