Coach Tom Coughlin

Q: Do you have an update on Victor Cruz? Obviously he was out there yesterday.
A: He's going to be out there, but he's not cleared to go.

Q: What's he cleared to do? What's he allowed to do?
A: He's with the trainers. He's with the trainers.

Q: Is it just a strained calf, is that what it has been all this time?
A: That's what it is.

Q: What about Odell Beckham?
A: He's not going to work today.

Q: Are you likely to go the same route you did last week with him and see where he is the day before the game?
A: Probably, unless I get clearance to do something before.

Q: Is his condition the same as it was last week or did something happen to make it worse?
A: No, no. It's sore.

Q: You've done this with players from time to time, you kind of have to manage things. Is this the case with him?
A: This is where we are right now. It may be that way for a while, I hope not. Obviously, you practice, you get better.

Q: I think he played all but two snaps on Monday; essentially is the trade-off worth it if you don't have him during the week?
A: Oh, no question, yeah. He plays the whole game and then they deal with whatever he comes out of the game with and get him ready for the next one.

Q: Eli said Dallas showed a little different on defense against the Patriots. Do you prepare more for that or what they normally do?
A: Normal. It's part of the scheme, but it was a little bit different and they played it a different way for the Patriots offensive scheme. So we'll prepare for what we expect, including what we saw.

Q: How did Devon Kennard come out yesterday?
A: He did well. Yeah, he moved well.

Q: He'll do more today?
A: He's limited, so he'll stay right in that category. But what he does, he did well.

Q: I'm probably playing catch up on Victor, so I apologize, but did he have the MRI?
A: He gets an MRI every week.

Q: And it just didn't allow him to be cleared again? He was hoping he'd be cleared.
A: We all were. He still has a little bit of an injury there.

Q: The last game Rashad Jennings seemed to run well.
A: He did.

Q: I'm sure you didn't like the fumble, but he ran well. Moving forward, do you think maybe you need to pick a bell cow? I know you want to use all three, but if one guy is doing better than the others, do you want to keep him--?
A: Well, that sort of prevails and it did prevail a little bit last week, so it works itself out. We have four of them active; (Orleans) Darkwa is obviously a special teamer, but also ran the ball well in preseason. The more and more we use the three wide receiver set, the more 34 (Shane Vereen) gets involved, too.

Q: Is it hard for those running backs to get in a groove though?
A: For Rashad, it doesn't seem to be. For Shane, it doesn't seem to be. I do think that, quite frankly, Williams probably needs more carries. But under the present system, it's something that we have to deal with.

Q: There's a significant disparity between the success Andre is having and maybe Rashad is having in regards to yards per carry, and even Shane. What is not working for him at this point?
A: For who?

Q: Andre.
A: I don't know that it's not working, he doesn't have a lot of carries. He hits the holes, he does whatever we ask him to do there. Perhaps it's the defense, perhaps it's whatever. I don't think it really has anything to do with what he's not been able to do.

Q: How do you balance getting Odell probably the proper number of targets given his role on this team versus the fact that defenses do pay a lot of attention to him?
A: Well, you saw what happened the other day, first half-second half was quite a disparity. But on the other hand, we have other people that if the coverage is strictly dealing with 13, then people have to be able to come through for us. And that's what we're counting on.

Q: Doesn't talent sometimes trump coverage?
A: Sometimes. It can, it certainly can. Even the other day, it wasn't something that couldn't have been dealt with on a one-on-one concept. There was a guy over the top, but underneath he was able to work.

Q: Will Trumaine McBride or Trevin Wade practice today?
A: They will both practice, yup. Limited, in a limited fashion. Wade can't have contact, but he'll practice, he'll be able to be out there in off-coverage and do those kinds of things.

Q: How's Robert Ayers?
A: He seems to be doing well, but again, it's going to be the course of the week.

Q: Does he look better than last week though? Last week he worked also.
A: He's rested.

Q: When you were talking about Rashad and Andre, you said "That works itself out." Were you referring to game by game or were you referring to over the course of the season?
A: Over the course of the season, it does, but sometimes the game circumstances, somebody is having the hot hand. So I mean, it would go that way.

Q: Monday night you said you had to pick your chins up off the floor. Have they?
A: I think today is going to be better. They're better this morning.

Q: How much of what happened in the first is a source of getting them up?
A: It's not something we dwell on, but obviously it's there.

Q: Couple of players mentioned it.
A: Couple of plays, period. But you go on, you move on. It's a new game.

Q: Do you have any update on whether you expect JPP here this week?
A: I don't, no.

**

Wide Receiver Odell Beckham Jr**

Q: You missed another day of practice, how hard is that when you're trying to prepare for Sunday's game?
A: More mental reps, more mental reps. It's just kind of one of those things. You've got to maintain and get as many reps as you can, whether they're physical or mental. So right now, like I said, get as many mental reps as you can and make sure you come out prepared, stick to the game plan.

Q: Do you expect to practice at all this week?
A: Yes, definitely. Just kind of easing into it. We have our nice little recovery day tomorrow then we practice Saturday. So definitely just looking forward to that and Sunday.

Q: How are you feeling, how's the hamstring?
A: Feels good, feels great. Like I said, just focused on Sunday.

Q: Were you able to do more today than you were yesterday? Were there things that they let you do today?
A: We're going to be alright. Like I said, game plan is for Sunday, make sure you stay in the reps, the book, and know what you need to do, know your assignment.

Q: If you know the plays, and you obviously do, are the physical reps important or can the mental reps really kind of do enough for you?
A: I don't know, so to say, doing enough because I'm one of those guys who I like to run the route, I like to feel it out. You practice hard, you play hard. So sometimes it is hard to not be able to practice and just kind of have to go into it, but that's where the mental reps really kick in. I've kind of started to learn, last year a little bit, as far as I was out and I couldn't really practice, just how important extra mental reps are. You see it here, you see it, you see it, then you go to the field and it's what you've seen. Like I said, it is very important to get those reps.* * Q: How much is the Week One game against Dallas relevant, given their defense got a couple of players back a couple weeks ago and maybe look a little different?

A: It's always relevant. We know what the case was and they won the last game. This is definitely a must-win for us. So you want to come out fired up and you put your best foot forward.* * Q: I guess what I'm talking about is the kind of defense they're playing. I'm understanding that they played a little bit of a different, uncharacteristic type of defense against the Patriots because they had some reinforcements back. Is that something you noticed at all or is that not the case?

A: I don't really know if I noticed it as much, but I did notice 76 (Greg Hardy) was back and he was doing a phenomenal job at rushing the edge and creating havoc back there for Brady. But I think the Patriots did an alright job at handling that and handling what the Cowboys threw at them. So just kind of understanding the ins and outs of what exactly the game plan is and making sure we're all ready to go.* * Q: Of course you know when there is a good pass rusher and a very good defensive line like you guys have faced the past couple weeks. As receivers, you know you have to be quicker with your routes and so forth, right?

A: Yes, so to say, but at the same time, our offensive line has played, in my opinion, they played great all year and they're going to keep continuing to do that. So just making sure that they protect for Eli and as a receiver, we have to get open, we have to catch the ball. It all plays all together.* * Q: Did the Eagles do a good job of taking you out of the game in the second half?

A: I don't really know. We didn't have too many plays that we ran well, we didn't really play well the second half as a team. So like I said, we're kind of moving forward to Dallas right now. It is what it is with Philly.* * Q: Is it fair to say that Philly rolled more coverage your way the second half? And if that's the case, would you expect Dallas to do something similar?

A: I always expect it to happen now. It's not something that I should be surprised by anymore, it just kind of is the defense that teams are playing and it's what they do. With that being said, we've just got to step up and make plays, execute in all phases, execute better than we've been doing.* * Q: Do you feel like you should have been targeted more in the second half against Philadelphia?

A: Like I said, we didn't have a chance to run many plays and they came out and they created havoc. They did more than what we did, they made more plays.* * Q: The divisional impact of this game coming up?

A: I don't really think it needs to be talked about, it's kind of self-understood. We lost to Philly, we lost to Dallas and you play Dallas again and this is one of those must-wins along with, I feel, like every other game this season. We want to win them all. So come out, put your best foot forward.* * Q: It's probably like this for every number one receiver, but are you okay with part of your value being that you draw the coverage away and create opportunities for other guys?

A: I love it. Of course, you want to get the ball, everybody wants to have the ball in their hands, they want to make plays for this team. But to be able to draw two guys or even sometimes on a reverse and you see the flow of the team go this way, and you're watching your man run all the way down the field and they're making plays. It's a satisfying feeling knowing that you did your job, everybody else did their job, and the man with the ball in their hands is doing their job. Like I said, we all have to play together and we all have to make plays.* * Q: How frustrating is it not really to have an opportunity to make a play when you're trailing like that against Philadelphia and you're not really getting targeted?

A: Like I said, we've kind of moved on to Dallas and it is what it is with Philly, that game is over. You can't go back, the score is going to be 27-7 thirty-five years from now. So like I said, we kind of moved on to Dallas and we know the importance of this game. It's a short week; you've got to move on.* * Q: I guess moving on, if you're in a similar situation against Dallas, would you expect to get targeted more?

A: I don't know, I don't call the plays, I'm not the coach. We run the plays that we run and we execute them the best that we can. So like I said, we need to execute better.* Q: Did you practice the day before the game last week and are you going to practice on Saturday? A: Yes and yes. * Q: It's not your hometown team, but are you at all excited by the Mets run?

A: By the Mets run? Definitely, for the city of New York. I've seen a lot more Mets fans than I've seen now. I wish them the best of luck. I haven't even got to watch the series or anything like that, but wish them the best of luck. Bring one to New York.* * Q: How have you been keeping Victor Cruz's spirits up?

A: I think he does a great job of keeping his own spirits up and just knowing and understanding that he can't return to the field to play today, right now. He's just not ready to play. He has to get as healthy as he can. And just making sure he knows we're all wishing him well, we all want him to be back on the field. He wants to be back, it's just an unfortunate situation for him right now.* * Q: Is there anybody in here you talk to in terms of importance of mental reps, helping to stay focused when you haven't been able to get on the practice field?

A: I've kind of experienced this all of last year as far as being out every single day and having to do nothing but mental reps. So I've really, really understood the importance of it and taking it to another level as far as going in and watching film or talking over stuff with E(li) or whatever the case may be. Just knowing that the only reps you're going to get are the mental ones, so take them very serious.* * Q: What can you as a receiver learn when it's the second time going against a team like Dallas on defense?

A: You just watch the film and you see what you did or what you did right or what you did wrong. You kind of just grade yourself as a whole. And on top of that, I think everybody is going to be fired up, including Dallas as well. It's a Dallas-Giants game, in the division, it's a big game for both of us. Both teams need the win, so I think it's going to be a very, very scrappy, very, very tough game.* * Q: You've been doing the player swapping jerseys after the game. How often do you do it?

A: It's kind of whenever somebody who maybe I talked to about trading or somebody I wanted to trade with, that'll usually be the case. Like I said, it's kind of just you leave the field with your armor and it's something that I personally enjoy. I feel as if you leave with memories and hardware and that's going to be one of those things that I'll be able to have forever.* * Q: What do you do with it?

A: Hang them up, little shadow box or whatever it is. I haven't got them made yet, kind of just trying to collect them now then find exactly where I'm going to put them.* Q: How many have you done? *

A: I think like 20.* Q: 20? Already? *

A: Yeah I think so.* Q: So you do more than one? A: Yeah. Sometimes like with San Fran, we played with E Reid, I played with E Reid, so I had already talked to him about the jersey. Kap came up to me after the game and he wanted to trade, so I ended up getting one from Kap and E Reid that *

game. Maybe I'll send one out to them or whatever it is, it's just something I like doing.* Q: I think you had the most second half targets against Dallas that you had this year. Is there anything different in that game than the last five? *

A: I honestly don't know, man. I really don't know.* Q: Eli said he's not going to force feed you the ball if the coverage isn't there. Is that something you agree with? You agree with other guys have to step up? *

A: You go through your reads, you go through your progressions. I think that would probably be something you could ask him better on. The only thing I can do is just try and get open the best I can, be where you're supposed to be at the right time.

Special Teams Coordinator Tom Quinn

Q: Using Shane Vereen on kickoff returns. Is that because [Dwayne] Harris is doing more on offense?
A: A little combination of both. When Dwayne got hurt with the ribs, we needed someone to go to and Shane [Vereen] was the next guy. He's a good returner. I thought the play of the game against Buffalo was when the kick, he's waiting for it to go into the end zone and it rolls back into the field of play, and he picks it up and shoots it out, a momentum changing time, so I thought that was good. He has some juice back there, but we got Dwayne back in there, so it's something that we feel comfortable with both of them.

Q: Brad Wing had a chance for a couple of big punts last week and didn't get it done.
A: Yeah, one was an Aussie punt, one was a spiral, and an Aussie punt isn't going to be as far. You're trying to get some hang and distance and control [Darren] Sproles. One of those he didn't hit as well as he wanted to, but a couple of other ones we were really pleased with. Then one of the spiral punts he just came up on and popped it up. You face a returner like Sproles, you have to do some different things to try and control him.

Q: With all things considered then, how did he do?
A: Well, you want a 40-yard net and I think he ended up at 39.3, so off a little bit. I think basically for our special teams, coming out of the game, was just poor complimentary football. We had too many penalties, putting our offense in a hole, not helping our defense, so that was disappointing. We had a running into the punter, turnover, basically a turnover and another set of downs, so that was really disappointing, the complimenting of the offense and the defense.

Q: So the Aussie punt is the one when he kicks it and flips?
A: And it flips back? Yeah. He's usually used it when you're trying to kick it down inside the 10 [yard-line] but people have been using it more out in the field to change up the returns. He's got pretty good control with that, so a little good that he can go both ways with it. A lot of times guys can only kick that one way but he can go left and right.

Q: This is the second time you've had that extra point pushed back five yards, do you watch that a little differently when it's all of sudden 38 yards?
A: Yeah, that will be a challenge once the weather really starts to change, and you get a stiff breeze. You're going to have to go for two, I think. It's not an easy kick, especially when you get the wind. I'm glad they changed the stadium from what it used to be. That would have been a nightmare down at north end.

**

TE Larry Donnell**

Q: Dallas has two defensive players that weren't there the first time you played them. Has that really changed the way they play defense and their look?
A: They were a good defense when we played them the first time. They've got two players back, which are great players, so we have to be prepared for that and find a way to try and stop them, if we can neutralize them. We have great players, so we're going to compete and just try to have fun and get a victory.

Q: Assuming they double Odell Beckham, as the past two games have been, how much of an opportunity is that for other receivers like yourself to step up into that role?
A: It's always a great opportunity to go out there and play. I always think of it as just winning however it may be. They're going to watch Odell because he's that type of guy, he's that type of threat, so other guys have to step up and be ready to make plays when their number is called so we have a chance to win the football game.

Q: Does that excite you to know you can have more room out there to run around when they double up on Odell like that?
A: Oh yeah. I mean, when you have the opportunity to get the ball, you're always happy so it's always a good thing. It's more opportunities and more plays have to made because they're going to try to take 13 out of the game, but 13 is going to find a way because he's a special player. That's always fun to have those opportunities.

Q: At the same time, that defensive front at Dallas, getting Greg Hardy back. How much help do you think you'll have to give in blocking him?
A: I am going to have to help the guys on the edge and they're great players and we're going to bounce back this week. You've got to help wherever help is needed. So you've got to do those types of things, try to get Eli some time so he can go down the field.

Q: From what you've seen on the film from the Patriots game, do they just come right at you or are they schematically difficult to deal with?
A: They're a great defense, so they do all types of things. They're athletes on the edge, so you have to prepare for all the things they do and they're good at it. Got to try and find a way to try and neutralize them the best way we can.