Coach Tom Coughlin

Q: How is Justin Tuck?
A: He's got a tight back.  They're just taking the precautions.

Q: Is he going to play on Saturday?
A: We'll see.  We expect that to be the case, but he'll have to do a little bit of improving.  

Q: How's Justin Pugh coming along?
A: Good, good.  I hope he gets cleared this weekend for next week.

Q: James Brewer and Cooper Taylor?
A: They won't make it this week.  Hopefully, the doctor was pretty optimistic about Taylor.  I think once guys start feeling better with the … then they come along pretty quick.  So we'll see.

Q: They're all concussions?
A: Taylor's a hamstring.

Q: How about Nassib?  What have you seen from him so far and he'll play I assume on Saturday?
A: Young guy with a lot of ability that's trying to fight his way through all of the learning.  He did some good things again today.  

Q: Last week you had Justin Tuck playing a little bit of standup.  Is that something you guys have been exploring, maybe with him and a couple other defensive linemen?
A: He's probably been doing that for the past five to seven years.  Just to move him around, get him into position, bring him in different spots.  There are multiple guys who can play that role, but he's been doing it with the first team.

Re: play of Brandon Mosley in camp
A: He's had some very good practices.  He occasionally suffers from a lack of experience when something new confronts him.  He's been impressive.  He's a tough kid.  He's battling.  

Q: How much have you liked what you've seen from Cullen Jenkins out there at defensive end?  It's been a few days now.
A: He's a tough guy to block no matter where he is.  He's very effective, very good.  Moves well.  Just gives us a nice piece of versatility to be able to play him basically wherever we need.  

Q: With the lack of contact, is it tougher to evaluate linebackers?
A: We didn't have any lack of contact yesterday. We did all right in that area yesterday, but that's what these games are for. They'll get plenty of chances.

Q: Will the starters play a quarter?
A: Yeah, probably.

Q: Have you considered bringing in another team in for practice?
A: I've done that before, but not recently.

Q: Why not?
A: Well, it's why and then why not? We have 90 or 86 or whatever we have. We have plenty of work to do right here. It's very early in camp. You'd like to think we'd be a little more refined. You bring another team in here and I don't know that you're going to get as many snaps as these guys get every day. You also have to be very, very much aware of who you're working against. We used to do this all the time. Years ago everybody did and so on and so forth and then it kind of disappeared a little bit and I think most people feel like the four preseason games are plenty, but if there's an advantage, then I think people go ahead and do that.

Q: What about starters for the Steelers game?
A: Usually they'll have a limited number of snaps, but we'll play. Those that are healthy will play.

Q: With Bear Pascoe getting snaps at fullback, are you confident in Adrien Robinson and Brandon Meyers to do the job at tight end?
A: Yeah. Bear has done it before. He's done it in big games and he's done it through the playoffs. He's been there before and that's fine. He'll do a good job.

Q: Deon Grant said he was retiring as a Giant today.
A: I just saw a glimpse of that. I did not really know that, but it makes me smile. He's one of our guys. He did a great job when he was here. Mr. Versatility. He played linebacker. He played back in the secondary. We had a package basically designed to get him and others on the field at the same time and he responded very, very well. He was a very, very smart player; a guy who could direct traffic back there. The guys really respected him. He had the ability to recognize when things weren't championship quality and he would call people's attention to that and guys respected him for that. I look forward to seeing Deon again and see if we can get him in here and talk to our team, too. He does a very good job of that.

Q: Have you seen your quarterback's rap video yet?
A: I just heard about that. I have not sat down and taken a look at that. I don't know what the music awards are, but I'm sure he'll be in the running, he and Peyton.

QB Eli Manning

Q: Did you get a lot of reaction from your commercial?
A: Yeah. It was playing a little bit in the locker room. I think a lot of the guys were surprised about it and so it got some laughs. I got some heat for it as well.

Q: What was it like watching it for the first time?
A: We had fun. Peyton and I had fun doing the skit and obviously it got a lot of laughs together… just every time we kind of looked at each other and wondered what we were doing. We got some laughs, so it was a fun day.

Q: Do you think this is going to lead into a second career?
A: No. I think I'll stay with my day job and keep playing football for as long as possible; a one hit wonder probably.

Q: Did you have a favorite line?
A: No. It was all fun and for a few hours I just said I'll go with the flow here and see what happens and hopefully it will turn out well and I thought it turned out well.

Q: Just one day in New Orleans?
A: Yeah. Just one day, a few hours and knocked it out pretty quickly.

Q: You were in full makeup.
A: Yeah, a lot of makeup. Just kept it on for four or five hours doing the commercial and take it off and back to normal life and try not to think about it.

Q: There were a lot of funny lines. Did you have to do a lot of takes like when you went through the painting?
A: No. The painting was a one and done. I had a couple of alternate lines we tried out, but it was pretty quick. We kind of knew the lines going in and obviously had a lot of different scenes, so we were pretty quick and we weren't laughing. We kind of took everything pretty seriously and got it done fairly quickly.

Q: What was the best reaction from one of your teammates?
A: It's just been funny. I guess the song is a little catchy and just a few guys going through the cafeteria line and they don't even know I'm behind them and they're kind of humming the song or the words. That's it. They're kind of just going around and just singing the song every once in a while.

Q: Have they asked you to sing it?
A: No. I haven't sung it. They haven't asked me, so I'm glad it hasn't been on any team meeting or on any of the TVs. On a few phones they've been playing it a little bit, but I usually kind of walk out if I see it playing.

Q: What do you expect out of the first preseason game?
A: I just want to go out there and have however many series we get and just be able to run our offense efficiently, be able to run the ball, throw the ball well, make good decisions, make sure guys are in the right spots. Obviously, we've been practicing for a number of weeks and now go against a new defense, a new style of defense, a 3-4 team, and so just make sure everybody is on the same page or that we're effective and we're able to have some good drives.

Q: How can you tell that Brandon Meyers will be an integral part of your offense?
A: I think Brandon obviously had a lot of catches last year. He is smart. He is kind of learning this offense that is completely different from what he's been used to. There are a few things, there's some teaching points, but he's starting to understand it. He's starting to comprehend everything and he's doing a good job of getting open. He is athletic. He runs good routes. He catches the ball well, so hopefully he can be a big part of this offense and get us a bunch of catches.

Q: Can you tell how things are coming along with Brandon?
A: We've been through this a few times with some new tight ends over the years and Brandon is working hard. You can tell he's passionate about football and doing the right things and having a great understanding. He works hard during practice and meetings asking questions. He's doing everything right and I think he's done a great job so far in getting open versus our defense, making good reads, and so it's all coming around and obviously the more times you run plays and get different looks and have different reactions and doing the right thing, you coach it up and he'll continue to get stronger and stronger, but he's off to a great start and looking forward to a big year from him.

Q: Can you talk about the receiving corps and how deep the team is at that position?
A: I've been proud of our guys at receiver. Victor has come in and had a great camp so far doing a lot of good things, but Rueben Randle… A lot of talk has been about Rueben and he's gotten a lot of reps and has really stepped up and has great talent. Louis Murphy is another guy who we brought in this offseason and he's done really well at route running. He's got a lot of speed and has been catching the ball well and understanding the offense and so you can see his dedication. Obviously, Hakeem, having him back and yesterday kind of the first practice in a while… It's good to have him in the mix getting comfortable and having him full stride. So I've been impressed with the receivers and I think we have a strong group of guys who practice hard, they're focused, they're serious about doing the right things and they're smart and have a great understanding of what we're trying to do and it should be good.

Q: Where has Randle made the most strides?
A: I think just kind of an understanding of our offense. He always had the natural ability. You tell him to run a go route or run a comeback and he can do those things. But now kind of understanding concepts and sometimes you've got to run a certain route a certain way to get someone else open and understanding zones, whether it's man or what to do or zone or what to do. If it's two-man versus two-zone… All the different reads and adjustments to his routes, those types of things is where he's made strides and so I think he understands it, therefore he's playing faster. He's more sure of himself. I'm more confident in what he's doing in reading his body language, so just having a better understanding of everything going on.

Guard Chris Snee

Re: Eli-Peyton Direct TV video
It's good.  They had to be cracking each other up the entire time they were making that.  It was good, I'll give it to them.

Q: Did you make a T-shirt of the SNL one?
A: I didn't.  I forgot about it, to be honest with you.  Thanks for reminding me.

Q: What did you say to Eli about it?
A: I just asked him how much they actually laughed.  How many takes they had to do and he said they had a lot of fun with it, which I'm sure they did.

*Q: Usually, when those two guys are together in commercials, it's usually Peyton stealing the show.  In this one, it seemed like Eli really was the star of this commercial. *
A: They were both good, but you're right.  Changing it up a little bit, I guess.  I don't know.

Q: Have you ever heard him rap?
A: No, no.  Never heard Eli sing, period.  When he controls the radio, it's usually country or something nobody really wants to listen to besides him.  

Q: What did you think of Eli's performance?
A: I thought he did well.  It was funny.  I knew nothing about it until I came into the locker room, but guys were laughing watching it on their phones.  Then I saw it and now it's all over the TV.  It was pretty funny.

Q: Do you have a favorite line?
A: I just laugh at the way he looks.  No favorite lines yet.  I'm sure I'll listen to it more closely.  

Q: Can you tell or have a feel for how quickly someone on the team that's not at your position is picking up the offense? Like for example, Brandon (Mosley), can you tell how he's adjusting to the offense and how he's picking things up?
A: Can I tell?

Q: What can you only really tell from your position … type thing?
A: Yeah, I mean I can tell.  Just by watching how quickly he's moving.  More of like an understanding you have of the offense, you're able to be more comfortable and just play football.  Brandon's coming along well.  He still has a lot of stuff to learn.  He didn't get all of those reps last year in practice.  He's pretty much in the same situation that Pugh and Herman are.

Q: I'm sorry. Brandon Myers is who I meant, not Brandon Mosley.
A: It seems like he has a good understanding when it comes to blocking assignments and things like that.  He has a guy in David Diehl who talks to him quite a bit.  It's good to have a guy next to you that knows everything that is going on.  

Q: How did you come through yesterday, physically?
A: Good.  It felt good to be out there and working a little bit.  I'll probably do the same today.

Q: Any team today? Or just individuals again?
A: I think it's going to be pretty much the same.

TE Brandon Myers

Q: How are you finding the offense so far?
A: It's complex but it's good once you start to get things down, get on the same page, like I said, learn all the calls, but it's been good.  Like I said, we're out here practicing every day and trying to get the little things down.

Q: You came here with 80 some-odd catches last season. A lot of us didn't know about you because of east coast, west coast.  Are you a guy who's a seam guy?
A: It was just our offense last year, we ran a lot of west coast offense, a lot of in the middle trying to find the holes in the zone, that's what they asked me to do.  This year Coach Pope obviously said 'more in the seam,' stuff like that, 'down the field' so whatever they ask me to do that's what I'll do.

Q: I mean a tight end is also known as a blocker, how are you-
A: Yeah, obviously that's something that I try to work on every day, trying to be an  every down tight end.  You know, I'm going against some bigger guys as a lot of tight ends are, just trying to work on that, like I said, so I can stay on the field.

Q: Eli for years has come in here and he didn't know who his pass catching tight end was going to be. Has he said 'wow, I'm glad I've got somebody who I know can catch the ball?'
A: You'll have to ask him about that. I'm not sure

Q: What's it been like to work with Eli, what do you like about him as a quarterback?
A: It's been great.  He's a proven winner, he has great command of the offense.  Any time you can do what you're supposed to do and be in the right position and be on the same page as Eli, he's going to find you.  He's great about that, so it's been good.

Q: You've played four years and you haven't gotten to the playoffs yet, does this feel like your best shot to do it?
A: Absolutely.  Get an opportunity to win some games, play in the playoffs, maybe go a little further or whatever, but I'm excited.  We've got an organization from top to bottom, the guys in the locker room are being great, so that's what everybody's goal is, which is nice.

Q: Can you tell a difference going from one organization to another? This is a more traditional, winning organization than the Raiders?
A: Yes, definitely.

Q: When you're good at one thing, then they always talk about 'well, maybe he's not good at the other thing,' so like you say, you've caught all those balls, do you think you're solid as a blocker, too?  Do you think you can do all the other things you need to do as tight end?
A: Definitely.  It will be important to stay healthy this year and Coach Pope is the best in the business, or one of the best, so he's been teaching me a few different things that maybe I haven't had in the past.  The key is to go out there every day and just kind of take what he tells you and the technique and the line and stuff like that to work on what he's been teaching us.

Q: Do you think you can improve in that regard as a blocker?
A: I think, yeah.  Blocking, all aspects of the game, you know.  If you're not going out there and improving every day, then you're not really doing your job as a professional.

Q: The offense already has Cruz and Hakeem… Rueben seems like he's emerging a little bit… do you worry at all, or wonder at all, if there will be enough catches?
A: Not at all.  That's not my style, really.  Like you said, win some ball games, make the playoffs. That's really all that matters to me.

Q: What's the biggest adjustment coming from the west coast to the east coast? Have you found a place to live and all that kind of stuff?
A: Yeah it was challenging at first, it's not the easiest.  Luckily my parents drove all my stuff out here from the west coast.  It was difficult, but once we got here, we found a place to live, it's been an easy transition.

Q: What'd you think of Eli's video?
A: Oh, it was pretty good.  Yeah, it was good.

Q: Find the right school system and all that?  You have kids?
A: I don't have kids, no.

Q: What are you guys hoping to accomplish the first preseason game?
A: To be successful and move the ball on offense.  We've been working out here for a few weeks or whatever… just the little things, obviously things are going to intensify as we go.  Just move the ball, put some points on the board, and just grow with each other.  You can practice all you want but once you get out there in the game, it's a little different, which will be good for us, especially for me, being my first year here.

Q: Did you sign a one-year contract or four?
A: One year.

Q: Why not longer?
A: You're asking the wrong guy.

Q: You figure, who wants to move around a lot, I mean…
A: Right, yeah this is the way it works.

Punter Steve Weatherford
Q: What's your impression of "football on your phone"?
A: It was awesome. It's good to see Peyton in a different light. We see, maybe not to that extreme every day, but he's a funny guy and I don't think a lot of people know how quirky and funny he is. I thought it was awesome.

Q: You mean Eli?
A: Yeah, yeah, sorry. Both guys. But actually, when watching the video, surprisingly, I think, it's a consensus that Peyton is a little bit more outgoing, a little bit more outspoken, but I thought Eli stole the show there. I thought it was awesome.

Q: What do you think of his acting abilities?
A: He's good at whatever he does, man. I'm just a little jealous.

Q: You have a favorite line?
A: When he jumped out of Alexander Graham Bell's portrait, "who cares? (dude's) dead!" I think we probably had as much fun with it in the locker room as all the media, all the fans did because nobody sees him in that light. It was fun. It was a lot of fun for everyone I think.

Q: Are guys singing down the halls now?
A: Everybody. It's not getting annoying yet though. I don't assume it will for at least a week.

Q: What about game one, just a chance to stop playing each other, to get out there against an opponent. Is this a good opportunity?
A: Yeah. It's really difficult, especially as far as the trench play's concerned, to see where guys are at exactly. It's a lot easier to see where wide receivers are and defensive backs and quarterbacks but as far as the big boys, this will be a good barometer for where we're at there. I think, just watching practice and being in the meetings and hearing the coaches' feedback on everything, our defense looks amazing. So, it will be interesting to see them actually go against somebody that they can be real physical with because we're trying our best out here to try and take care of each other, as hard as that is because you've got guys competing for positions on this team. I'm really looking forward to it.

Q: How is Josh Brown fitting in with you and DeOssie?
A: He's doing great. I've known him for a few years, he's a hard working guy that comes early and stays late and fits in well with the plans that coach Coughlin and coach Quinn have for special teams. He's not a guy that makes a lot of waves, he's a professional, he's been doing this for a long time so he's fitting in really well.