Head Coach Brian Daboll
BRIAN DABOLL: Certainly a tough game. Got outcoached, got outplayed. Made a change in the fourth quarter when it was 28-3, we had 100 yards, just to create a spark. Daniel (Jones) will be the quarterback going forward. But, obviously, we didn't do enough offensively. Hardly had any yards, no points. Defensively, I thought we battled hard. We had two big runs in the first half and then that fourth down (pass) to (Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver) A.J. (Brown). Then the game kind of got away from us. They ran the ball. Just not a good day, all the way around. No excuses. We got to play better and coach better.
Q: You talked about a spark in the fourth quarter. Did you think about maybe early in the game, to find that spark, making a change?
BRIAN DABOLL: The score didn't get out of hand. I thought we had some chances there to make some plays. We just didn't make them. I wasn't going to take him (quarterback Daniel Jones) out then. All the way around, not just the quarterback, the coaching, everything, just wasn't good enough.
Q: There have been games in the past where it has been lopsided and haven't score a lot. So why today made you think…
BRIAN DABOLL: We had 100 (total) yards. I was trying to create some type of juice and maybe make a few plays and swing the momentum a little bit. But that didn't happen.
Q: What do you think is wrong with the offense right now? Obviously, you said 119 yards in the game…
BRIAN DABOLL: Just not good enough all the way around.
Q: Is there anything that you look at and say, this area we need to get significantly better in?
BRIAN DABOLL: The two areas that we continue to work on, actually three, over and over again, are third-down, red zone and explosive plays. Another game where, I don't know what our longest play was, it couldn't have been too long, 14 yards. I don't know what it was. But, it's hard to generate points when your longest play is 14 yards or your longest play last week was 15 yards. So, you can do that one of two ways: catch and run or push the ball down the field and give our guys some chances or go up and make some plays. We're continuing to work on that. Those are two areas that we put a lot of time and effort in and we're not getting the results equal to the work and the effort that we're putting into it. Those are two areas.
Q: You mentioned earlier in the week when (tackle) Andrew (Thomas) was out that you can't replace him. But, you obviously had to replace him. How upsetting was it to you that the offensive line played so poorly? I know he's not there, but…
BRIAN DABOLL: I'd like to go back and look at it and really evaluate it. We tried to do some different things that we haven't done. Mainly, we jammed a fair amount, particularly in those throwing situations, and tried to give some presence to the edge on the left side. But, to sit up here and give you an evaluation of it all right now, that would be unfair.
Q: Why not change the offensive line mid-game before you change the quarterback?
BRIAN DABOLL: The quarterback, it was 28-3. I gave you the reason why I did it. There were some things that… Again, I don't want to get into the evaluation process. We'll go back and we'll take a look at it.
Q: Did you have any issues with effort today?
BRIAN DABOLL: No, I'm going to go back and watch it all. These guys have been busting it. Again, when the score is what it is, make no excuses. None of it was where it needs to be.
Q: Specifically, (cornerback) Deonte (Banks) on the (Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen (Hurts) scramble seemed like he did not…
BRIAN DABOLL: We'll go back. We'll take a look at all that stuff and whatever we need to address, we'll address. But, the guys are putting effort into it each and every week. We're just, unfortunately, not getting the results and it's a results business.
Q: So that wasn't something that you needed to address in the moment?
BRIAN DABOLL: I'm not going to get into the sideline or coaching part of it. But, none of it was good enough today.
Q: Why not bench a guy for that?
BRIAN DABOLL: I'm not going get into… None of it was good enough today. I'll leave it at that.
Q: How concerned are you about the way this looked? Obviously, (Philadelphia Eagles running back) Saquon (Barkley) was on the other side. We knew where ownership stood on what they felt of him. He has a big game against you and you guys can't do anything…
BRIAN DABOLL: He played well. Like we said, if he gets in space, he's going to make some yards and he played well, particularly there in the second half. The first half, he got that edge. Played well. We prepared for it, just not good enough.
Q: Right at the end of the first half, and I know you didn't have any timeouts, you made the decision to kick a field goal instead of maybe taking a shot at the end zone. What was your thought process there?
BRIAN DABOLL: Just thought it was the best thing to do.
Q: What about punting it in the first quarter, I believe you were on the 40-something, on 4th-and-3?
BRIAN DABOLL: I thought it was the best decision.
Q: Why?
BRIAN DABOLL: I talked with the guys upstairs and made the decision we thought was best for the team.
Q: As you were calling the plays, do you get a sense that you could not do a lot of the stuff that you wanted to do because Daniel (Jones) was not secure in the pocket at all?
BRIAN DABOLL: You're always changing based on how the game is going. But, make no excuses, not good enough.
Q: Do you see any common threads for the struggles offensively today that lingered from the Bengals game?
BRIAN DABOLL: Like I was saying earlier, explosive plays and 20-yard plus plays. When you have big plays and a drive, it really ups your chances. Converting on third down, which we didn't have, I don't know… We were 3-of-14, was it? Something like that. It's hard to sustain drives if you're not creating big plays and you're not converting on third downs. Some of that is a result of first and second downs, some of the sacks and negative plays that we took. We haven't been going backwards a whole bunch. But, not good enough any way you look at it.
Q: When you identify those as the issues, you're obviously going to try to fix it. Whatever you tried to do for this week didn't work. So do you go back to the drawing board and try to…
BRIAN DABOLL: We try to get as many reps as we can in those critical situations. You only have so many reps you can get. But third down, red zone and pushing the ball down the field, those are things we work at every single day. It's not where it needs to be.
Q: A game like today can leave players demoralized. Are you concerned about that in your locker room?
BRIAN DABOLL: No one was happy about the result. I think we have a strong group. You need to have a strong group in this league. There's a lot of ups and downs. Unfortunately, we've had more downs. But, our guys will come back. We'll regroup and we'll do everything we possibly can do, like we do each week, to be at our best on Monday night.
Q: With (Deonte) Banks, do you think not benching him when the (Dallas Cowboys wide receiver) CeeDee Lamb play happens allows something like this to happen?
BRIAN DABOLL: We'll keep the conversations about technique, fundamentals, effort, anything like that, in-house.
Q: You really haven't been able to create explosive plays with Daniel (Jones) in three years. What gives you confidence that you can do it?
BRIAN DABOLL: We have some guys around that I think can create explosive plays. We'll just go back to the drawing board and do the very best we can to try to improve that area. Which, for two weeks in a row, but it's been a little bit longer than that, we haven't created them and we need to.
Q: Do you consider Daniel (Jones) a limitation to what you can do on offense?
BRIAN DABOLL: No.
Q: Did you get a chance to talk to Saquon (Barkley)?
BRIAN DABOLL: After the game, I said congratulations to him. I just saw him after the game real quick. He was surrounded. I waited for him for a minute and told him congratulations. Had a good game.
Q: You came out throwing today. Obviously you saw something that you wanted to try to exploit…
BRIAN DABOLL: I thought we had some space in there. I thought there was some opportunities. We just, for whatever the reason may be, we just didn't get it done.
Quarterback Daniel Jones
Q: What was the most difficult aspect of this game offensively?
DANIEL JONES: I think just our execution wasn't there. Third down was obviously an issue, sustaining drives and getting in a rhythm, so frustrating. We'll look at the tape and see where we can improve and certainly look at myself and see where I need to improve.
Q: Is it frustrating getting pulled?
DANIEL JONES: Yeah, it was frustrating. You want to be out there playing with your teammates and fighting to score points and move the ball. So, I was frustrated but not my decision. Yeah, frustrating for sure, I want to be out there playing.
Q: Did they bring more pressure than normal?
DANIEL JONES: They brought some pressure here and there. Maybe a little bit more than they normally do but nothing completely out of the ordinary.
Q: What did (Tackle) Jermaine (Eluemunor) share with you on the sideline?
DANIEL JONES: I think just talking about going forward from here and where we need to go. Kind of supporting each other and having each other's back. I think we have a good group of guys and it's a critical time for us to come together and support each other as players. Ignore the noise, wherever that's coming from, and stick together as players and teammates and move forward, address what we need to address and continue to improve.
Q: How much of a hand grenade was it to have that touchdown pulled off the board at the end of the first half when you hit (Tight End) Theo Johnson and they called the penalty?
DANIEL JONES: Tough break there with that penalty. I'll go back and watch it, we will see what it looks like on film. But yeah, tough to lose that one.
Q: As the play developed you didn't see any contact?
DANIEL JONES: We will go back and look at it. I thought he (Johnson) ran a good route, I thought he got open and tough to lose that one.
Q: What is your personal approach to trying to recover and rebuild after a game such as this?
DANIEL JONES: Obviously there are physical things on the field that need to be addressed and you do that in the film room, you do that at practice. There is also a mental piece of it and how we move forward, how we continue to build confidence and build belief and spirit. All of those things are important as we go forward.
Q: One thing we always talk about with an offense is having some balance, could not get much of a running game going in the first half either. How much of a detriment was that to try to do what you were trying to do?
DANIEL JONES: We did not run the ball much in the first half. Tough to get much going when you don't run it. Still opportunities, got to convert the opportunities.
Q: What was your immediate reaction when (Head Coach Brian) Daboll took you out?
DANIEL JONES: I was frustrated. I want to be out there, I want to be playing with my teammates and trying to score points. Yeah, I was frustrated and yeah, didn't like it obviously.
Q: Do you feel like there are a lot more issues, the offense is not functioning for a lot of reasons and it's—for lack of a better word—not fair to pin it on you?
DANIEL JONES: As quarterback, I think it is my responsibility to get everything going and build rhythm, build momentum, execute the opportunities that are there, and I take that seriously. I will certainly look at myself first and see where I can improve. Football is a team game and it takes everybody playing well but I got a big role in that and take that very seriously.
Q: Did you feel secure in the pocket today? It seems like this was as shaky a pocket as you've had all season.
DANIEL JONES: Like I said, we will go back and look at it. I will see where I can get the ball out of my hands quicker, I'm sure there were some opportunities to do that. They have a good pass rush, so credit to them with that. But yeah, will go back and look at where I could have helped out.
Q: Daboll said he pulled you to try to give the team a spark. Considering that, how concerned are you about your standing long-term as the starting quarterback of the Giants?
DANIEL JONES: I'm just going to continue to prepare and try to play as well as I can. Daboll, it's his team and it's up to him to make those decisions. Obviously, I believe in myself and believe in this offense, so I'm just going to focus on myself.
Q: Did you guys (Daboll) have some conversation when he made his decision?
DANIEL JONES: Was not much of a conversation, no.
Q: What did he (Daboll) say to you then?
DANIEL JONES: He just said he is going to go with (Quarterback) Drew (Lock). Looking for a spark, that was about it.
Q: Was it difficult to see (Running Back) Saquon (Barkley) thriving for them?
DANIEL JONES: Um, I mean he played a good game. I'd say overall our defense played well with the exception of some of those runs. They played well, yeah, tough to see Saquon do that. He's obviously a good player and we know that very well.
*Q: Is there a common denominator in the inability to create explosive plays week after week for you guys? *DANIEL JONES: I don't know, we will look at the film and see where we missed some. It is my job to convert those opportunities and give guys chances to make plays. I will look at where I can do better. I think at times this year we have created explosive plays, so going back to look at where those opportunities came from and how we can generate some more.
Q: After the game just now, Brian said that you are the quarterback moving forward. Does that help in any way or does getting benched sting too much that you can't even think about it?
DANIEL JONES: I'm just going to prepare, go about my week doing what I need to do to prepare to play good football. How he sees that, the decisions he wants to make, that's on him. That's a better question for him. I'm just going to focus on myself.
Q: He said you are the quarterback going forward.
DANIEL JONES: I am confident in myself and I'll be ready to go.
Q: How are you feeling physically?
DANIEL JONES: I am good, feeling good.
Defensive Lineman Dexter Lawrence
Q: When you see fans burning Saquon's jersey in the parking lot and booing him in the building, what is your reaction to that?
A: Like I said during the week, I know what kind of player he was to this organization and who he was to me, so I have nothing but respect for him. I can't control how other people feel about him, but I know who he is.
Q: Dexter, what were some of the issues that you saw up front on defense as to why he [Eagles RB Saquon Barkley] got so many large-yardage chunk plays?
A: All 11 had to do our jobs and we knew that coming into the game. We got out of the gap sometimes, and that's when he broke for those big runs. On a scramble, he broke a sack and broke it for a big run. We all have to do our job and that is what it's going to take .
Q: Did you get a sense that he wanted this one [game against the Giants in his first time back at MetLife Stadium against the Giants as an Eagle] more than any other game?
A: I'm don't know if I got a sense, but that would make sense, if that makes sense. I played with him for years, I know his attitude towards the game, and that's the way he approached it today.
Q: He [Eagles RB Saquon Barkley] took the high road after the game saying that he has nothing but respect for the [New York Football Giants] franchise. That doesn't surprise you either, does it?
A: No. That's the kind of guy he is; I respect the guy.
Q: I think towards the end of the third quarter, Hawkins [Giants CB Tre Hawkins III] got hurt and there were a few minutes where he [Eagles RB Saquon Barkley] was standing in front of you guys [the Giants Defense], what was he saying?
A: We were just talking back and forth a little bit. Nothing too crazy, just talking back and forth.
Quarterback Drew Lock
Q: What's the situation like when you get the call to go in?
A: When a backup gets to a certain point in the game, running into the fourth quarter, you kind of expect that change to happen. Never assume, but you just have to be ready. Then he told me 'You're going to go in, try to get something going.' You obviously hope that doesn't happen. I was excited to get back out there. The last time I got hit, which wasn't ideal, but it felt good to be back out there, get the jitters out a little bit, play football.
Q: From your time as a starter, have you ever been in DJ's [New York Giants QB Daniel Jones] shoes, I'm sure you probably have, right?
A: Oh for sure.
Q: How tough is that?
A: I can't give you a game when it happened, but I can assume it probably happened. It's tough, it's tough. The toughest part is the week of work that everybody puts in, the work we put in- including him and how hard he works and with the extra meetings with everybody. It's what everybody's doing, right? We all work hard, every team works hard, just got to come out and keep chugging, keep playing and be ready to go next week. 2-5. Someone wins this week and gets to 2-5, they're feeling pretty good. We lost and are 2- 5, feeling tough.
Q: Drew, I know it's the job, when you're a backup quarterback in this league you're getting put in these situations, you know, first team reps? Anything like that, but do you put pressure on yourself? Any expectations when you come in there? Because the offense is struggling the way it is, you're trying to do anything to give you guys some life.
A: I'm obviously trying to fulfill the expectations of the guys around me, wanting to play well for them, but I'm also wanting to fulfill my expectations of what I can do. Regardless of what type of situation you get put in, at the end, it's tough, it is what it is. That's what I signed up to do. Hopefully this is my last time doing that in that situation, because we go go out, sling it a little bit. Try to get something going, try to get something rolling. It just is what it is really. You got to go out there and try to throw it around when you're in a situation like that.
