**Watch New York Giants vs. Detroit Lions postgame reactions:
Head Coach Ben McAdoo Opening Remarks: I'll tell you the same thing I told the players – put this game on me. We talk about playing complete, complementary football. By no stretch of the imagination did we get that done tonight. We've got to do better. We dug ourselves into a hole. No one feels sorry for us. We've got to find a way to get better and get better in a hurry. Q: Why on you?A: Because we're not playing complete, complementary football. We had a turnover in the first half, then we come back and turn the ball right back over. We get a stop and a chance to get the ball back, we give up a punt return for a touchdown. Just too many issues. We've got to play and feed off of each other and we're not doing that right now, and I've got to find a way to make that work. Q: Did you think you needed to give T Erik Flowers some help as the game went on?A: Yeah, we tried to give him some help as the game went on. Initially, we were focusing on the other side. We had our left guard playing right tackle. He ended up holding up and doing a nice job. Then we decided to get the ball out quick. When they're playing cover two and you give help to both sides, you have three guys running routes and you have seven in coverage, that makes it a challenge. Q: How debilitating was the sequence where WR Brandon Marshall drops the ball?A: Well, it doesn't help. That's what we talk about playing complementary team football – the offense has to handle their business, take care of the ball well. Whether it's holding onto it, whether it's catching it, whether it's throwing it, we can't turn it over and special teams has to do their job. Q: What did you see on the 4th & 3 that you didn't make?A: (Eli) had a couple different options there and he chose to go with Shane Vereen. I saw the nickel fall off on the flat route on Shane to make a nice play. Q: T Erik Flowers allowed three sacks, did you contemplate taking him out of the game?A: We talked about giving him more help. Q: At what point do you have to start thinking about making a change at that spot?A: It's more than one player. Q: What happened on the delay of game penalty near the end zone?A: Sloppy quarterback play. Quarterback and the center need to be on the same page there. We've got to get the ball snapped. Q: Why didn't you call a timeout?A: Because we have a veteran quarterback who has played a lot of football; I expect us to get the ball snapped. Usually the clock goes from three, two, one, zero. Once it hits zero, they look at the ball, then look at the clock. Usually we have a tick once it hits zero to get the ball snapped without being a delay of game. I thought we had a chance to get it off. Q: How would you assess QB Eli Manning's play overall?A: He had some good moments, and some moments that weren't what we were looking for. I didn't like the interception when we got the turnover. The defense took the ball away. You know, it happened fast for him. I thought he should've went to number two or checked the ball down. He was under duress all night. I thought he did some good things in the pocket, making some plays under duress, but the whole offense needs work. We're not in rhythm right now. Q: How'd you want to play WR Odell Beckham Jr. tonight?A: We just wanted to pick our spots, get him back in the mix, get him back in the fold. We wanted to be smart with him in his first game back. He hasn't played football in a while. Q: Talk about the touchdown drive.A: We took care of the ball. We were blocking them pretty well, completing the ball, and just moving the chains and staying ahead of the chains. Q: Why was it so hard to go back to that again?A: That's a great question. Q: Was WR Odell Beckham Jr. playing at 100 percent?A: Odell was fit enough to play in a limited role. Q: What went into the decision to play him?A: We deemed him fit enough to play in a limited role. Q: How disappointed were you that veteran WR Brandon Marshall drops a pass where he was pretty wide open?A: It's a long season. We expect Brandon to make that play, and expect him to make it the next time he gets the opportunity. Q: To have scored 13 points in two games, how do you fix it in six days?A: We go back to work. We have to analyze everything we're doing. I mean, we can't pull points out of a hat. We've got to get to work. We have to block better, we have to handle the ball better, we can't turn the ball over, we have to play complete, complementary football and we're not doing it. Q: Will you consider personnel changes?A: We'll consider everything. Q: Does that include play calling?A: We'll consider everything. Q: Are there reads not being made in this offense right now?A: When the quarterback is under duress, things change. Q: On that 4th & 3, was QB Eli Manning ideally to throw that ball not short of the sticks?A: The nickel fell off, took a chance, and made a nice play on the play. Eli had a couple different options, he felt that was his best option.
Q: On the 4th and 3 in the fourth quarter, what were the options you saw and what prevented you from picking up the first down?A: Fourth and three and had a play, I tried to get to [running back] Shane [Vereen], a little flat route. The nickel was out there, I tried to put it on him. I was hoping he had the depth, the [defender] made a good play. They had a good call for the play. I thought it would be enough for the first and obviously the guy made a good tackle and we weren't able to get it.
Q: How worried are you about the offense?A: Well. We've got to score more. Not going in the right direction enough, going backwards, not converting on third downs enough. Got down there close on the one-yard line and then get a penalty and get a delay of game at the end. So, just not executing enough on third downs in the green zone, some critical moments.
Q: What happened with the delay of game?A: I've got to call a timeout or get it snapped. Anytime there's a delay of game, it's on the quarterback and can't afford it right there.
Q: What went right on the touchdown pass to tight end Evan Engram?A: Had a good play call, had some play action. I think they may have screwed up the coverage anyway. But they sucked up on the play action, was able to get him up the middle. Had another play action later on, hit [wide receiver] Brandon [Marshall]. I thought he might score when that got down to the one and then from there, we went backwards and the penalty that hurt us. But there was some good things, we moved the ball better. I thought we played better than we did last week. Just obviously, the turnover hurt us and just not converting on third down enough.
Q: What happened on your interception?A: Can't afford it. The ball was a little behind Evan. So, we've got to look at it and I've got it put it in front of him and give him a chance to run, or move on to my next progression.
Q: Do you think you had more opportunities to throw downfield this week as compared to last week?A: Well, we probably had more plays this week, last week we didn't have the ball much. I thought we did some decent things in the pass game. Had some opportunities to get some guys down the field a little bit. Threw some shots down the field we didn't connect on, so we've got to start hitting on some of our shots.
Q: On the delay of game, was the play late coming in from the coaches?A: No. Anytime there's fourth down right there, you know they've got to make a decision on what's going on. But we had plenty of time. I saw the clock, knew we were rushing. I've got to take a timeout there or get the ball snapped and let's go.
Q: In what ways do you think that the offense can improve?A: Well, we've just got to figure out what's our best personnel, what's our best style, how we're going to be able to move the ball. Stay in good down and distance, having to convert on third down and what's going to be our best style of being able to get the ball downfield at times. Just keep working and get better. It's not about changing a whole lot, it's about improving on the things we're doing.
Q: Do you need more of an identity as an offense?A: No. I think it's always down to execution. We've got to execute better and we've got to covert on some things. We've got to find some completions at times and move in the pocket, buy some time. Just perform at a higher level.
Q: How did wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. look to you tonight?A: I thought he moved around well, made some nice plays. It would be good to get him back more and more, get him back at practice, but I thought it was a good start.
Q: Are there a lot of plays getting blown up in your face because of a lack of time?A: You know, they're a good front four. Some of the best players on their defense [are on] their front four, so we knew we were going to have to get the ball out quickly at times. They were playing some coverage where I thought I was going to have some chances to get the ball downfield and I knew I was going to have to buy some time, move around a little bit on those plays and just didn't have the opportunity on some.
Q: How do you feel about the way you've played the last two games?A: Well, I can play better. So, I've go to find ways to play better and get some completions, convert on third down. That's a quarterback's job. He's got to find ways to move the offense and move the ball and score touchdowns. So, we're not doing that enough.
Q: How does the offense giving left tackle Ereck Flowers more help on that side change the offense?A: That's part of it. You're going to have plays to help out your tackles when you're going up against a good player and that's something a lot of teams do and you've got to do to help those guys out. Got the back to chip, got the tight end to chip a little bit. But we should be able to run the offense the same that way.
Q: How do you feel about your ability to play as well as you have in past years?A: I feel I can play at a high level, I feel I can make all the throws and play at a high level and lead this team.
Q: Why do you think this team can work things out?A: Well, I think we've got good character guys on the team, it's important to them. Guys are going to stick together and keep working. The defense is playing tough and playing good defense. The offense has got to do our part. We've got to make the plays and we've got to handle our part of the equation to fix this.
Q: Did you sense that Flowers was struggling with his confidence throughout the game?A: No. I think he's out there competing like everybody. This isn't one person, this is a team, this is an offense that all of us have to perform at a higher level
Wide Receiver Odell Beckham Jr
Q: At what point did you think you would be able to play?A: Just warming up, kind of going through it. You just get out here, you have that feeling. I just wanted to come out and see what I can do. We limited it and it felt good to be able to play again. It's been a long time, so just kind of getting your feet wet.
Q: Physically how did you feel out there?A: I felt alright. I don't really know what percentage. Still just that last little bit to gain, but it will come, you know. Another long week of rehab and all of those things. Just stay positive, try to get healthy.
Q: Did you feel like yourself out there? Or did you feel limited?A: I felt like a little bit of myself, just still not there. Came out and do what I can.
Q: How long do you think it will take until you're there?A: I don't know. When are you ever really 100 percent? I don't know.
*Q: Did it surprise you that you were in and out in the beginning of the game? *A: Yeah, I mean that was the plan all along. We were on a pitch count and that's just what it was.
*Q: Would you say you came out feeling well? *A: I feel alright. I'm alright. Go home, game ready, come back in tomorrow, watch some film, rehab, prehab, get right, short week, short memory, new game on Sunday.
Q: When did you know you weren't going to be starting tonight?A: I mean I don't think starting really matters, you know what I mean? You are going to go in if it's not the first play, it's the second play. So, is that really a big deal? I don't think so. It was just a matter of getting in where I am able to get in, try to make the plays when we can and do the best that you can do.
Q: Is there a level of frustration for the offense as a whole with all of the expectations you had for this group?A: No, I just think we have to get it together. Stay positive. Stay with each other and just get better each and every day. We are only going to go where we take it. So, it's up to us, it's in our hands.
Q: Can you describe what happened on that fourth down play?A: I dropped the ball.
*Q: What was the call there? *A: Curl? Hook? Something like that.
Q: The route was a little bit short of the sticks.A: I'm just doing what the play was called. So, we ran that route.
Q: Do you expect to be better physically with the ankle next Sunday?A: Yeah, I mean you have time. I didn't have any setbacks today, so I'll be able to be proactive and stay on it and get as close to 100 percent as you can. That's pretty much all you can do and with that being said, that's what I am going to do.
Q: I know you were limited, but how much did you think you could do physically?A: Mentally, I feel like I can do anything. So physically, I don't know how much it really matters. I got my 20-30 plays or whatever it was and just try to make the most of them. We just came up short today.
Cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
Q: What's just the mindset putting this game behind and going into next week 0-2, do you feel there is any extra pressure on you guys now?A: Definitely. We put ourselves in a hole and they only get tougher. I definitely know where we're going this week, we're going into a real hostile environment and that one's going to be tough. You have to go down there and take that one.
Q: What is your overall evaluation of the defense over the past two weeks because the performances have been pretty solid?A: At the end of the day, it's two losses. Whether they're good or not, we have to find a way to win. We're going out there playing good but obviously not good enough. As long as there's points on the board we have to find a way to have more points than them.
Q: What do you think this team can do right now to get a win next week?A: Got to come out and play, man. We know the guys we have in this locker room. We know we're capable, we just have to prove that. Everybody knows we look good on paper, we have to do it on the field.
Q: What did you learn about your team today after this game?A: I don't think anybody gave up. I know we were willing to fight. The adversity definitely hit us, but it didn't tear us apart. I think we stayed together for the most part. We have a short week, and we have to flush it out of our system and keep riding.
Q: Is it surprising to be in this spot right now?A: No man, it's football. It's two weeks, we have 14 more. We're going to figure that out in the middle somewhere.
Q: Dating back to last year, this is six straight games as a defense you guys have given up less than 20 points. You're 3-3 in those games, does that not sound right to you?A: I don't think about that for the most part, man. Our job is just to go out there and try to get the ball back as much as we can to our offense. Whether what happens over there, that's not on us. We just have to keep playing through it.
Q: How difficult was that sequence where it looks like Brandon [Marshall] has that catch along the sideline and he doesn't reel it in and then a minute or two later you've got the punt return. How debilitating was that going from a tight game to all the sudden a two-touchdown game?A: It was tough but it wasn't over yet, we still had some football to play after that. It was a tough point in the game. I actually talked to the team before the game and I talked to them about adversity and how there was going to be some type of adversity we'd be facing and that was it. I don't think we responded how we wanted to respond collectively as a team. Q: Why don't you guys think you're stopping the run as well as you did last year?A: I think we're just a little leaky. I don't think we're percentage-wise as good as last year. We were maybe 85% good at stopping the run and maybe it's a little less now. The last drive they broke a long play on us so of course that put them over the 100-yard mark. I think they were at 90-something before that. We've got to do a better job collectively and number one on defense, we've got to be able to stop the run. If a team has a lead at the end of the game we've got to be able to get our offense the ball back in the four-minute drill and we didn't do that tonight. Q: How big of a hole do you consider yourself in at 0-2 with your next three or four on the road against teams that are considered to be pretty solid teams?A: We're 1/7 of the way through- I don't know, I'm making numbers up, but we've got 14 games left. We can go 14-2. That's still a possibility. In all seriousness, it sucks but we've got a short week so we actually can't even think about this game anymore because the 24-hour rule is technically over because Tuesday we've got to move on to the next team, which is tomorrow. This is a short week, we've got to move on. We're going on the road to play a division team so we've got to have a short term memory and forget about this game, which sucks, but at the same time that's football and we've got a long way to go. Q: How concerned are you about giving up 3rd downs in the first half?A: That's very concerning. The first two weeks I don't think we did a good job of getting off the field on third down, but I think that has to do something with first and second down as well. I think we have to do a better job of stopping them on first and second down and getting in some more advantageous third downs, longer third downs, where we put some pressure on and do what we want to do instead of being on our heels and letting their offense dictate what we're going to do.**
