Head Coach Joe Judge

Q: Obviously, I'm sure you know a lot is going on about this headset issue, so let's clear up a few things if you could. When you had issues last night, did somebody notify the NFL? Because the NFL is saying that they weren't notified of issues.

A: Let's just clear it up real simple. We've talked with the league, they're looking into resolving the issues that we've had throughout the year. We'll talk continuously with them. That being said, I made it very clear last night, I'm not an excuse maker. I was asked a direct question in terms of why you weren't (calling) timeout in certain situations and that's the reason. That's all I'm going to say about the headsets, so beyond that I'll answer your questions about the Chiefs and moving on to the Raiders.

Q: (Quarterback) Daniel Jones the last drive, that second down play, he takes the sack. Looked like he was maybe able to unload it there. Were you happy with that sack or do you feel he maybe should've unloaded?

A: You're not happy with any sack in any situation. Obviously, in a two-minute drive we've got to do a better job all around the board of executing and making sure we put ourselves in the best decisions with plays and executing as best as we can. There had been a lot of plays before that that could've led to different opportunities. I'm not going to slice that one down to being the pivotal point.

Q: Your team has passed the test of being competitive this season, but how do you take the next step and learn to win? What does it take to win?

A: People ask that all the time in terms of learning to win. To me, it's about the execution for the entire 60 minutes. I talk a lot about (how) there have been certain games, last night being one, where we can't do things that eliminate our chance to have success by eliminating opportunities for ourselves or giving opportunities to the opponent. That's really what it comes down to, just playing with good fundamentals, good execution, making sure we're sound in the situations. As coaches, we have to put ourselves in the right call to be successful and then we go out there and we have to execute on the field. It all ties together. There's not some magic potion, there's not some motivational speech. It's about going out there and doing your job for 60 minutes to make sure you do it well.

Q: It looks like you guys stood pat at the trade deadline here. How did the deadline work? How many calls were you guys a part of as far as talks? And why did you decide not to do anything?

A: I think the decisions we made were what we thought was best for the team long-term with where we're at. Each trade deadline day, you get a lot of calls going around, but we talk about it all the time, today is the last day. You've had the opportunities leading up all the way through here to make any kind of roster moves or trades that you possibly could do. You get a lot of calls bouncing around from other teams inquiring about either something they maybe want or something you'd be willing to move, things of that nature. For us, we thought the decisions we made were the best for the team going forward, so we were good with just moving on with (the players that are here).

Q: The injuries last night, do you know any more about (Wide Receiver) Sterling Shepard's injury, (Wide Receiver) Dante Pettis and even (Wide Receiver) Kadarius's (Toney) thumb?

A: For KT, I know he got stepped on. It looked like he had a slice in his glove, had a pretty good gash on his hand, but he was able to return and play. I haven't gotten anything final on that, whether that will be limiting this week or not. It seems like he came out okay (otherwise) on that. In terms of the other guys, they're actually still in the process of getting looked at by doctors. Like I said last night, hopefully Shep's isn't too, too bad. I don't have a final diagnosis on that. Then, we'll see what Pettis's looks like as he comes out, as well. Should have more information on what it'll be as far as tomorrow or when we get into practice with the team to see if they're going to be limited or available at all for us.

Q: Following up on the trade deadline, you gave a really interesting answer last week about how you look ahead to future depth charts. Why wouldn't you make a trade with a guy who maybe is a free agent at the end of the season? Why wouldn't you try to get something back when it looks like for all intents and purposes with where you are record-wise, you aren't going to be able to get to where you want to be this year? Why not move on from a guy that is a free agent and get something in return?

A: I think it comes (to) all the information that's available in terms of what any kind of move would entail. Like I said, every decision we make is what's best for the team long-term going forward. There's a number of players we have that are free agents this year. There's nothing that's ruling us out from being able to bring players back and continue to be a part of our team. We want to build with guys that are here, want to continue growing with the guys that are here that are established in our program as being team guys, guys that we believe have the skillset and the makeup that can help us be successful in this program as we continue to build. The decisions we make are always what's best for the team. Are there calls and interest and different things that come up? Absolutely, but as you go through those conversations, you've got to consider everything involved. 

Q: Big picture, you guys are back home this week and the fan base has grown quite restless. I'm curious going back to your opening press conference when you said you wanted to build a team the area would be proud of, that fans could feel like they can invest their money in the product. I'm wondering if you feel like 25 games in, you've done that.

A: Yeah, absolutely. I believe we're building towards a program that's going to be very successful for the duration of time. There's a lot of things that we're building and doing very well right now that I think we can continue to build on. There are things that we need to keep on correcting. I also talked in the press conference about doing it the right way and that takes time. We've got to make sure that we continue working hard and taking a step forward every day, building with the right guys in this program and making sure we continue to do the right things to give us the chance to have success. That doesn't rule out things we have to correct and improve on as a team, things we have to do better as coaches or players to make sure we go out there and execute and have our opportunities to have success on the field, but we're going to make sure that this team does it the right way. What I see is a team that goes out there and fights and competes for 60 minutes, comes to work every week intent on having success and playing as a team representing this area with the method of how they play, which is tough, hard-working and sticking it out for 60 minutes. Everything I said – I don't just say things. When I say something, that's my word and that's what I'm working towards. 

Q: Those taunting penalties have been a story throughout the league all year. Last night was the first time you got hit with them. What was your message to (Wide Receiver) Collin (Johnson) and (Fullback) Eli (Penny) on that? It looked like they may not have been actually taunting somebody, but they opened themselves up to those calls, right?

A: We've just got to understand that you've got to handle business the way business is being done. Sometimes, you get in chippy games and you've got to be smart and not put yourself in a position where you've given them an opportunity to throw a flag. That's the message right there to everybody, we have to make the right decisions and if you give them an opportunity, then there's a chance that they could throw something. We have to be better than that.  

Q: To have that interception that was overturned by the offsides call – I know you're not a guy who says the game is decided by one play, but to have that key play overturned by something as basic as that, does that add to the frustration level?

A: I think we just have to keep stressing doing all the fundamental things the right way, and that's something we can't have that eliminates an opportunity for us with a big play right there. To me, you move onto the next play when that happens. You have to play the next play and keep making them snap it again and have success that way. We've got to finish the game out. Something goes one way or another. Obviously, that was the right call in that situation. Sometimes there are calls that are maybe on the fringe and you may not always agree with, but you can't sit there and waste your time and complain about it. You have to keep playing the next play. We've got to make sure we don't have those mistakes that eliminate the opportunities. We've got to keep working and do a better job of coaching those and do a better job of executing those on the field so we can go out there and be successful.

Defensive Back Julian Love

Q: (Head) Coach (Joe Judge) made a comment about how some of the timeouts that he had to use on defense were because, I guess, they couldn't get the calls in, the communication was wrong. Did you sense that on the field? Did you guys realize what was going on there?

A: Yeah, it was definitely unfortunate. One of them there was some technical difficulties on the sideline, so you hate to see Coach have to burn some timeouts. That's not what you want as a team. You want to obviously have those towards the end of the half, so yeah, that's something we've got to be better on as a whole.

Q: Could you just talk about the interception there? I think that was you on the tipped pass, can you walk us through what happened there?

A: Yeah, obviously, it was about a 12-, 13-play drive. I don't know what happened. (Chiefs Quarterback Patrick) Mahomes started to scramble and kind of threw a rocket. It deflected off one of their players helmets, and it was in the air – it seemed like for a while. I just tried to sprint over and get under it, which thankfully I did. It was a good break for us, especially stopping the drive and being resilient as a defense. That's something that we harp on, so that was definitely an important takeaway. 

Q: What's the disappointment level? You've been here three years, but the Giants have started 2-6 or 1-7 in each of the last five years, so your career, plus two years. A season's pretty much lost at that point, so what's the frustration level in just being here again when you know that was a focal point – a better start coming into the season?

A: I think it's frustrating in a sense of we all want to be better. Obviously, we want to be in a much different place than we are now. It's really now going forward a question of kind of who's going to stay committed to the team and what our mission is. Obviously, our record doesn't define us as individuals, it doesn't define us as people, so that's kind of how I take it. What's my path going to be? Am I one to kind of just shy away from the challenge and shy away from people talking down on us, or am I somebody who is going to continue going forward and step up? I think that's how we all have to approach it as men, so that's kind of my mindset. Obviously, it's not where I want to be. It's not where we want to be as a team, but we're going to take the step forward together, and that's what's important.

Q: People say in sports – and I know you're a sports fan – the sign of a bad team is when the offense plays well, the defense doesn't. When the defense plays well, the offense doesn't. When they both play well, special teams doesn't. Does it seem like that's what's happening to you guys? If I point to that you held the Chiefs to 20 points, you should win that game. Held the Falcons to 17 points, but then you guys score 29 against Washington and lose. Does it just seem like you can't put everything together?

A: It's definitely tough. We talk about playing complementary football and kind of having a complete game as a team. You look across each of those games that you mentioned, especially last night, there's instances on offense, defense, and special teams where we just didn't execute when we needed to most and that's what it's about. I really believe that good teams find a way to win. Unfortunately, yesterday we were in good spots a lot of the game on offense, defense, special teams, everyone. There are obviously crucial penalties and crucial mistakes that were made that hurt us in the end. Against a team that's been successful in recent years like the Chiefs, I would say it bit us a bit. It's eliminating that going forward. I mean, even if we win that game, I know Coach Judge is going to be on those little details of kind of finding a way and not shooting ourselves in the foot. That's kind of my take on it. 

Q: I know at 2-6 it seems the playoffs are far away, but one of the things I looked at today and kind of shook my head was seven teams make the playoffs and the seventh team now is the Panthers and they're 4-4. Do you sit there and say, 'hey, we only have two wins but if we can put something together, we've still got a chance'?

A: I'm a person who's always trying to look at the glass half full, trying to think positive on the situation and I think we know what we have in front of us. I think obviously yesterday was an important game for us we felt, but the rest of the season I think there are a lot of games that are attainable for us. As a team kind of collectively like I said earlier, it's like, all right, are we going to get in our feelings now? Obviously, we're not where we want to be, or are we going to keep pushing forward and try to make a push for this thing? Everything we want is in front of us and it really just is the mindset of each of us as players (and) as coaches to really just kind of come together and get this thing right. That's how we all feel, and I know it's going to be harped on this week. We're a resilient group, so I know for sure we're going to keep battling to try to get what we want.

Q: Speaking of frustrating, did you get a sense that you guys were frustrating Mahomes last night? What was the key to limiting his explosive plays that they're so used to getting?

A: Obviously, you play a guy like him, a former MVP, we tried to do a lot with him in terms of disguise, different looks, playing really top down. We wanted to keep him guessing, keep him scrambling. Our defensive front did a great job all game I thought of kind of getting after him, getting him off his spot and intimidating him to at a point where he was scrambling when there really wasn't like a true man in his face pressure. So, that was something I was very proud of our front for doing. In terms of the secondary, just kind of being aggressive, kind of just being resilient, trying to get your hands on their guys and trying to play top down. Obviously, we definitely need to be better in terms of all the checkdowns that he ended up going to and the run game. But in terms of kind of limiting what he does best, we thought we did a solid job. Just continue to do that and just eliminate the game wreckers going forward or minimize the game wreckers, that's kind of our course of action.