Q: What kind of motivation will losing to the Giants on the last-second play be for this week's matchup?
A: Those guys executed. Don't want to take anything from them, but it was definitely a game that we felt we let get away from us. We match up good against these guys. They're rolling right now, they're a great football team, but we thought we match up well against them. We definitely look forward to getting out there on the field and coming out with a win.
Q: In what ways do you matchup well with them?
A: Personnel-wise, that's the reason we won two out of the last three times and had them right where we wanted them until we gave up that 77-yard play. Personnel-wise, we feel like we know them, they know us. We like our matchups, we like our guys vs. them; I'm sure they probably like their guys vs. us. It's going to be a nice, dragged-out fight.
Q: You had the "rocket scientist" comment after that game; did you expect Eli to respond to it?
A: Well, I actually didn't hear any responses, so I don't really know what was said from him or anybody else…Anytime you have two guys, stepping up on guys…I could've made that throw. Eli's made a lot of great throws in his career, but like I said, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the guy was wide-open. Like I said, they won the game, they won the game. Can't take anything from them. The goal of this league is to win, and they won, they beat us. We won't blow that again this time around, that's for sure.
Q: What did you learn from that final play to Cruz as a secondary?
A: Really nothing to learn, we blew the coverage, like I said. Just over the past couple of weeks we've been trying to work on being assignment-perfect and taking care of your responsibilities, that's all you can do. When you start trying to do too much is ultimately when you start making mistakes. If we can just hone in on what we can do individually, we'll be alright, we'll be fine.
Q: How bad do you guys need this game given the current standings?
A: It's huge for us, it's huge for us. In the past couple of weeks, you know, we started out 3-6, before these last two wins, and to be 3-6 and still have a shot, a slim chance, but still have that chance, it was amazing. The guys in this locker room are definitely rallying behind that. This is another game for us. This is another game, another step in the right direction, so it does mean a lot for us. It means a whole lot for us because it keeps that hope alive. Everybody in this locker room understands what's at hand and they're definitely going to give it a shot. We feel like our backs are up against the wall and we do need this game.
Q: Victor Cruz said that you guys are a couple pieces away from being contenders, do you agree?
A: We definitely feel like we're a playoff-caliber team. We haven't done the things on the field to actually get to that step, so until we get there, it's kind of hard to call us that. Watching them last year, beating them twice last year, and watching them go on a little run, we know crazier things have happened. Like I said, we're continuing to take it one game at a time, and try to catch our own little run.
Q: How much does a healthy Hakeem Nicks change the dynamic of this game?
A: He's a beast. He's a beast, there's no doubt about it. He's a great player, him and Victor Cruz. They're great weapons. We played him healthy before, it's not like every time we've played him he's been hurt. We've got guys in this locker room that are banged up too. We know as professional athletes, every time you step on that field, you're 100%. You're subject to all the criticism that comes along with it once you put that helmet on and go out there and play. Definitely looking forward to it. Like I said, he's a great football player and has great hands and runs good routes. Him and Eli seem to have great chemistry. We know we're going to have our hands full whether the guy is 100%, 90, or 85. He's going to come out there ready to play.
Q: Last time you faced them, RGIII gave the Giants almost everything they could handle. Is he better now than he was the last time you faced the Giants? He's only missed, like, nine passes over the last two games.
A: Absolutely, he's better. It just comes with time. It comes with time and him seeing more defenses, being able to be in certain situations, overcoming those situations and those obstacles. Just like anybody, you give him ten problems, then he'll start to get the hang of it and by the time you give him ten more, he's going a little faster. Early in the season, he was still trying to figure it out. We feel like now, we've seen a lot more since that. He's been in a lot of situations since then and he's risen to the occasion. He's been nothing but the confident professional around here. I made the statement last week, he has the trust for a reason. The kid does the right things on and off the field. Guys love following him. He'll continue to lead us and go out there and make plays for us.
Q: You know what it's like when you face a team for the second time. As a defense, you kind of get a feel for another offense. For him, facing this Giants defense for the second time around, would that be advantageous in favor of the Giants defense?
A: I think those guys will really understand how fast he is and how he can get around the corner. How he can move, I think he kind of understands how fast those guys are too. Pierre-Paul is really that good, Osi and all those other guys are really that good. A lot of the mistakes he made this first time were when he thought he could squeeze things or make things happen. It didn't work out in his favor. I think he probably has learned from that and he'll be better from it, just like the Giants. I'm sure a couple of guys might have come in on a blitz or on a contain but didn't quite make the play. The second time around, they'll probably know what to do in order to make that play.
Q: The Giants offense had a little bit of a problem during the two losses. What could you take from that period when the offense was in a slump in order to stop the Giants?
A: I haven't watched too much film on it just yet. I don't know what two games they lost. I had that last impression of them just going out there and beating up on Green Bay. They looked great. They looked like they were clicking on all cylinders. That's the team we're going to have to be able to beat, that confident team that's clicking. That offense looks primed and ready to roll. I don't really know from a weakness standpoint what their weakness is. Like I said, the last impression I had was that Green Bay game I watched and they looked pretty good.
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