Coach Andy ReidQ: What's your sense of the team that's going to be coming to Kansas City this weekend at 0-3?
A: We don't get caught up in the record. They've got a phenomenal head coach. They're a good football team and so we're preparing ourselves for a good football team. That's the bottom line.
Q: Has this year been like a breath of fresh air for you? Are you more excited about this season?
A: That's a loaded question right there because I get excited about every season, but I'm enjoying the situation here and this football team and the coaches and the organization.
Q: Do you feel that after so many years in Philadelphia you needed a change of scenery?
A: I don't know that. It didn't work out there. I made the statements. I'm just going to repeat what I said. But for that situation for me, change was good. It's different for everybody and every situation.
Q: When you got to Kansas City, did you look at it as a team that had just won a couple of games or did you feel like it was a team primed for a turnaround?
A: I looked at it as an opportunity to work with the Hunt family. The Hunts, the Maras, the Rooneys; these are old traditional football families from the old NFL, I guess you can say. You can keep going with a couple of the other families. I really didn't get caught up in the record and this and that. I thought after the people that were talking to me this was an organization if the opportunity arose… I wasn't out searching for teams… That if the opportunity arose with one of those teams I had… this was the team that was talking.
Q: Based on last week, do you know what to expect from the Giants this year? It wasn't much of an effort.
A: I don't get caught up in that. I know they're well-coached and I know they've got good players. I know we have a lot of work to get done and so that's what we're doing. We're studying the Giants and we respect the heck out of them, but we've got to get better as a football team. That's what we're doing. That's where our energy is going.
Q: One of the things Tom Coughlin said was to look at the difference in turnover margin between the Giants and Chiefs. How much has the ability to take care of the ball helped you guys get off to a 3-0 start?
A: You guys know this. Turnovers… That's a big stat in the National Football League. I understand what he's saying there. I got it. I understand that. It's important you hang on to the football. I think we all know that, though. I'm not saying that in any way to disrespect anybody. I think that's just a fact in this league.
Q: How unique was that Eagles' offense you played last week? How different is it from anything you've seen in the NFL before?
A: First of all, I have a lot of respect for Chip Kelly. He's done a marvelous job of getting that offense incorporated in a short time. It's exciting. It's an exciting offense.
Q: If you were asked for a scouting report on Justin Houston, what would you say?
A: A guy that comes to work every day and works. I appreciate that.
Q: How about the same for Tamba Hali?
A: He does the same thing. He's a hard worker. A very hard worker.
Q: When you have a guy on each side of the line like you do, does the opposition have difficult choosing which guy to focus on?
A: This is no disrespect to the other teams, I don't know how they're working that. My focus is that I'm making sure they improve. We all have room to improve. They have room to improve, so that's where my focus is. I haven't really looked at the other part.
Q: How much of an advantage is it to have guys come from both wings?
A: You guys know. Look at the Giants, who have three or four or five guys that can just bring it. That's a strength. That's good to have.
*Q: Has Alex Smith been everything you hoped when you made the deal for him? *
A: He's a great person and he manages the game very well. Understands it, he's a tough kid, he gets the respect of the players. I was around Eli at a Pro Bowl and for all those years as an opponent. Some are that way, some are that way and they are strong guys. And good leaders.
*Q: Do you look forward to a moment with Tom Coughlin before the game? It seems like the two of you have such a great deal of respect for each other. *
A: We do. We keep it brief on game day normally, but we talk throughout the year. I have a ton of respect for him, not only as a football coach -- he's a hall of fame football coach -- but also as a man. He's a great person.
Q: Your parting in Philadelphia seemed very friendly on both parts. Was it just time for the organization to move on and did you feel that for you it was just time for you to move on?
A: I think every situation is different. I think that's very important to understand. I had a great relationship, still do, with Jeffrey. We're just one of 32 teams and they're all different. Personally, I think he felt and I felt that change could be good.
Q: And for you, in your life, change has been good?
A: Well, until I talked to you guys. Now it's a little bit better.
QB Alex Smith
Q: Is there a secret to how you do not throw interceptions? It seems like every quarterback wants to do it and you succeed better than most.
A: I wish there was. I think for me it takes throwing a bunch to have learned from it and I've certainly done that in my career. I just think hard work. You look through your progressions. You have good players around you. You're so dependent on the guys around you at quarterback just to even have a chance at success. It starts with the guys up front, the guys outside making plays. I certainly had a couple this year that were contended and luckily receivers being aggressive with the ball in the air really helping me out. No secret.
Q: Is it a fine line being aggressive and trying to force things?
A: Absolutely, and there's a fine line between being too passive. If you're going out there trying not to turn the ball over that's a problem. You need to go out there and execute. You need to go out there and make plays, but within the structure of you doing your job and there needs to be ball security and for me that's two hands in the pocket and making good decisions. It's seeing the defense, trusting my reads, my progressions and then throwing the ball where it's supposed to go.
Q: Is there any chance you may not take the Giants serious after watching the tape from last week?
A: Heck no. Certainly not me, and I've heard so much in the locker room already. I think we're all very aware of that with the caliber of the team we're facing. This is a high character team that we're playing, a team that's been through bumps, a team that went through bumps and came out and won the Super Bowl the same year. It's a veteran team. We know this team is going to bring their best week in and week out and that's what we're preparing for.
Q: Does last week make them more dangerous?
A: That's tough to say. I have no idea. I don't think losing is ever good, but it's certainly maybe a wakeup. I know this is a prideful group. It's a prideful team that we're playing and I'm sure that was a little bit of a wakeup call and I'm sure these guys are going to come out to answer the bell this week, so I've got to be ready for it.
Q: Their pass rush hasn't been as effective as prior years, but do you see them doing the same things that made them good?
A: That's a great question. I feel like they've had success versus everybody. For the most part, this is a talented front. Over the years, this has been a talented defensive front. They're a group that can really get after the passer. Statistically, for whatever reason this year, they haven't put up the numbers that they have in the past. It certainly doesn't mean they can't do it and they're no less talented. The guys have done it in the past. They have it in their history and they can really get after it when they want to. I'm preparing for the best. This is a really talented group. I think it's easy to get caught up in records and the media and what people are saying. This is a good defensive team.
Q: You've gone through a number of things in your career. How does do you appreciate the new start?
A: I just appreciate it. I've been through a lot and you appreciate the opportunity to be one of 32 guys to get to do this and know how fragile that it is and not to take it for granted. So bust your tail every single day, every week. You got to go out there and prove yourself every week. That's the bottom line in this league. You're only as good as your last game. You got to go out there and continue to prove it week in and week out.
Q: What's it been like playing for Andy?
A: It's been great. I love the time every single day and that's really what I've been trying to do is just come out and just play good football, but continue to learn and get better. Coach Reid has a specific way of the way he wants things done. He sees a lot, especially at the quarterback position he sees a lot fundamentally. So just continue to try and work on those things every single day. Everything he says, all his coaching points; continue to try to take them in and get better.
Q: I don't know how much you actually get to watch the opposing offenses that you face but, when you were watching that Eagles game how unique and different is their offense compared to anything else in the NFL?
A: I certainly watched it. I heard all the talk about how fast it was. In my perspective, it was fast tempo, but I didn't think it was any faster than a lot of the no huddle offenses that have been around the league the past few years. I think the difference would be was that it was predicated on the run game. Just from watching, most of the game was really based off of the run. The pass came off of most of the no huddle stuff you see around the league today. It is more pass first sought.
Q: Has your team surprised you? What were they 2-14 last year and you seemingly turned it around very quickly?
A: I wouldn't say surprised. I knew the type of talent and character we had in the locker room. You just never know. There's so much that goes into winning in this league and the margin of victory is so small. With a team like us, it takes winning some tough games and getting the ball rolling and getting some momentum because like you said, we haven't won a bunch of games in the past. You just have to go out there and do it.
Q: Was It at all tough to imagine that you would have an opportunity like this while you were watching from the sidelines last year? Did you think something would come up?
A: Yeah. I had no idea where my opportunity would be, where it would come. No idea. I guess I did have faith that it was going to come at some point, that I was going to get another opportunity. Didn't know where or what, but I was determined to stay ready and continue to work so when it did come I'd be ready. When this came up I jumped on it. This was a no brainer for me.
Q: When you look at the Giants do you see the team that played Carolina last week, or the team that you have faced the last couple of times? I think they won the last two times you played when you were in San Francisco, correct?
A: Yeah. The last two times there. Certainly for me, playing against them I remember those games. This is a good football team. Good defensive unit. Last week, the score got out of hand, but even look at the Denver game. I think that score is deceiving because I really feel like that defense played good football for almost three quarters and really held a Denver offense in check to ensure they played well this year. Some of the stuff can be pretty deceiving and a lot of fourth quarter points coming up.
Q: Are you in a position where you have to manage expectations after getting to the quick start?
A: I think that in house, I really feel like we have a great group. A group that understands what's gotten us here and that we're not there yet. We have to continue to do the little things that we can count on to get better. The group has really stayed short sighted, so that's good. The outside mentality changed a little bit. Everybody wants to be quick to jump to conclusions and make their own assumptions. This is football. This is a week to week deal.
Q: A couple of years ago when you beat the Giants in the regular season, I remember that you bristled when they called you a game manager. Are you insulted by that phrase?
A: Yeah. At this point it has been thrown around so much that it doesn't faze me. I think it's kind of funny. They can call me whatever they want. I'm going out there trying to win games, just trying to score more points than they do. Maybe in my younger years that may have offended me, but certainly not at this point.
