Q. How are the guys' attitudes coming back after the bye week?
A. I think everybody is excited about what is ahead of us. We have seven games left and it's a lot of season. We know we've got to play well and it starts this week with Atlanta. Everybody is looking forward to playing this game and getting back to winning and having some fun.
Q. Realizing Atlanta, Philadelphia and Dallas lost, does that give you some added energy?
A. I am excited because no matter what, no matter what happens, all we can control is what the Giants can do. We've got to control our play and go out there and play well. It starts this week; we've got a big game versus a team that we don't play very often. They are coming to Giants Stadium. It is our job to go out there, play well, handle our business and everything else will work itself out.
Q. What do you have to do to beat them?
A. Just play well. Protect the ball, we've got to score when we get into the red zone, we can't make mistakes. We have to stay on track and just be patient. Take our completions. When there is time to hit some big plays and change the momentum of the game and change the field position, we need to make those plays.
Q. Could you give us a thumbnail of what characterizes this Falcons defense? Are they like any other style of defense that you have seen this year?
A. They are just very smart, they don't make many mistakes. They have the things they do and they go out there and they do them very well. They are mostly a zone team, I'd say, but they will change up kind of from game to game on whether they are going to give a lot of pressure or not. We just have to see what their game plan is going to be. They are very talented and consistent with what they are doing. They don't give up very many big plays.
Q. Often dome teams are built with speed on both sides of the ball. Is that the type of team that they are?
A. Yeah, they are very fast. Linebackers run. Their front four is very active, a lot of movement. They can get to the quarterback without bringing pressure, without blitzing the linebackers. They are quick. They run to the ball very fast.
Q. During the bye did you get a fresh look at everything that has been going on the past four weeks?
A. We looked at the whole season. You look at the good things, you look at the bad things. You make some corrections, you see what you are doing well and what you need to improve on. You learn from all those things. It is a good time to analyze your play and where you can improve and what you need to fix for the next seven weeks.
Q. What are some of the things that a self-scout helps you with?
A. You just look at your tendencies. What you are doing in certain situations. Look at the specifics of where you need to improve. It is a lot of things. You look at your own tendencies and things that you might need to break that other teams might not be catching on to.
Q. Given the way the standings are, Atlanta appears to be a team that is going to be in the playoff mix. How much more importance does this game take on given that you are right in the middle with them? A. It is an important game for us because we have to get back on track. Obviously it is a big one for them. We are in similar situations. We know they will come in ready to play. They have lost three of their last four and so they are going to feel they have something to prove, just like us. We've got to get back on track and start looking forward to the second half of the season and looking forward t
