Offensive Coordinator Ben McAdoo
Q: SVP & GM Jerry Reese said the offense needs to be a little more aggressive… Your reaction?
A: We want to be more explosive. We are looking for explosive plays. We feel that [explosive plays] are a part of great execution and extra effort. Regardless of how they come you want to be more explosive. Right now we're at about 10.3 percent of our plays [being explosive]. We are short about 2.7 percent of our goal. Anything above that we will take. We are working on that.
Q: What do you define as an explosive play?
A: If I give you that you could do the charting for us. We are going to keep that in-house. It is different depending on what type of play call it is.
Q: So it is the maximum you can get out of each play?
A: Yes.
Q: You are not that far off or you are very far off is what you are saying?
A: 2.7 percent seven games into the season is a fairly substantial number. It is nothing we can't overcome, but we have some work to do there.
Q: There is still a development aspect to it then?
A: Yes we need to execute better. The thing that has been hurting us the past couple weeks is that we are not getting enough plays. Our goal is 70-plus plays a game. There is a good picture of what it looks like when we play well, when we execute and we come out on top in games. The number one thing is we have a 70-plus play average. Maybe about 71 or just under when we play well and come out on top. We need attempts at the plate. That is number one and that starts with execution, whether it is running or whether it is screens, whether it is passing the ball or whether it is third down execution. We need more attempts at the plate.
**
Q: Do you guys look at the Washington game as the game where you put everything together and that is how you want [the offense] to look? **
A: Washington we were beneficiaries of great field position and turnovers. We executed fairly well and it was a good night for us. I thought when you go back and look at the Atlanta game we fought through some things early in the game, and we executed well and got stronger as the game on. I thought we executed fairly well there in that game as well. That is the picture. We have to do a better job playing disciplined football and doing it with poise and making sure regardless of what happened on the last play it doesn't affect the next play. We are always going to put ourselves in position to execute, not get behind the chains so we are not chasing things that aren't there. When you win the down and you have a chance to move the chains you get more attempts at the plate. Things usually work out a little better that way.
Q: Especially since the [Victor] Cruz and [Rashad] Jennings injury the group around Eli [Manning] is very young… Does that limit or effect what you do or can do in the offense?
A: It doesn't limit you, but it may change some things you do simply because you want to tailor what you do to the players and their strengths. No it doesn't limit us. We have a lot of confidence in the guys that have come in and played for the players who have gotten nicked. Whether they have gotten nicked or are out for a long period of time. Our young guys are very conscientious guys. They are hard working. They are bright. We expect the more that we play and the farther we get into the season that is really going to show up and help us.
Q: Can you look at the Pittsburgh game against the Colts and say they did this, this and this well and we can do the same thing?
A: Anytime you look at an opponent you try to look at the plan of the previous team you are following. Pittsburgh was on fire that night. They had a great night. I had a chance to watch that game playing tackle football with the kids on the floor, but that is a different story there. I had a chance to watch the game and get bits and pieces of it when it was on TV before we got to the game film. They did a good job protecting. A lot of things start there. It starts with protection. They protected them up fairly well. They have some speed athletes that when you protect Ben [Roethlisberger] has a chance to extend plays. They ran away from some man coverage and he made some great accurate throws on the move, extending plays. They played well.
Q: You talked before about wanting more explosive plays… Is there anything you can do to facilitate that by changing anything that you do or is it a matter of you do what you do and then the players have to do the rest?
A: We are all in this together. I have said that since day one. What I can do is I can give us some more opportunities where maybe the primary read for the quarterback is something that has a chance that we can throw the ball down the field. Maybe you can, maybe you can't. A lot of things go into that. Anytime you call a play, a pass play, it fits into a different category. It could be a down the field throw. It could be a shot play. It could be a completion mentality call. It could be a seam beater. The coverage, the access, the match-up, the protection and his feet tell him where to go with the ball. The play call doesn't tell him where to go with the ball. That is what I think Eli has been doing in the transition. He is doing a fine job with that – listening to his feet. He had a good day today with his feet, and I expect that to continue. The last thing we want to do is force anything. We want to let the game come to us. We are not going to press. You don't get anywhere pressing.
Q: When you say 13 percent is there a specific reason why?
A: It leads to wins… It puts you about top-five in the league.
Q: With Andre Williams what do you hope he picks up from his first two starts?
A: When you take a look at his body of work so far we need to do a better job of getting him to the linebacker level and beyond. Once he gets to the second level and has a chance to run through arm tackles he is a tough guy to bring down. We are working with him to slow his pace down a little bit. Cut at the feet of the offensive line. A lot of young runners aren't very patient. I think that will come with time and reps.
Special Teams Coordinator Tom Quinn
Q: What is the one area that you feel like your group needs to improve and get better?
A: A couple of areas that we focus on, obviously, punt coverage. Frustrating thing is we had three really poor efforts, the other ones were pretty decent, three yards a return, and the other ones are monstrous. You have to cut those down and the other thing is what we were talking about earlier, having the end matching the distance, and tackling. Having the correct leverage and not following each other down the field.
Q: Why is there such a difference between the two teams in the results of the punt coverage team versus the kickoff coverage team?
A: Maybe the consistency of the kicks. Kickoff is probably a little more control and you have a little better idea of where it is going. It is a head scratcher because it is the same guys running down.
**
Q: The same crew pretty much? **
A: Yeah, trying to take what we do with kickoff and apply it to punt, it is all the same guys.
Q: Were you encouraged by what you saw for the bye week with your return game. You seemed to be more…
A: It started to click a little bit, yeah. It still frustrates you because you think you left some yards out there where you could have made a bigger impact than you did, better field position for the offense, decent, but it could have been a lot better.
Q: Has Michael Cox earned himself that spot?
A: He did it for us last year, and he is a physical, north-south returner. That is what we like about him. We were pleased with him last year for us to have the luxury of having him on the practice squad and bringing him up, a guy that you know, is big.
Q: What about Odell Beckham, Jr. as a punt returner, how is he doing?
A: He is starting to come along.
Q: See anything different from him?
A: He is getting more comfortable. You hope he keeps growing each week, keeps getting better each week as he gets more comfortable, and the blocking gets better.
Q: Is the idea to sort of pick and choose spots with your guys back there?
A: We do it based on what their play time is and what they have done previously. Any time we can get him back there, we will put him back there.
Q: Your options are Odell Beckham Jr. and Rueben Randle?
A: …and Preston Parker. Those three, it is nice to have those three.
