Introductory comments:
"Last night, the main positives were obviously that we won the game. It was a big game that put us 1-0 in the division. We had an awful lot of very, very good plays throughout the game. We had lots of team success in terms of the way our defense played, the way our offense played, kickoff with Lawrence Tynes booming the ball, which I should’ve talked about last night. With our rookie punter punting two balls.We didn’t like the way we started the game offensively, and certainly didn’t like the way we finished the game offensively. The turnovers are an issue. We thought we had that under control, and obviously we didn’t. We didn’t start the game real fast offensively, and I thought we got ourselves in trouble with pressure on the quarterback right away. A couple of picked balls, one was probably an errant throw but certainly the other was a tipped ball. That provided outstanding field position for Dallas. Also, the fact that I thought one of the more critical series was right there was holding them to a field goal with 10 points. I think that was just as important as, later on, the four plays from the six yard line that they did not score on.As the game ended up, obviously, if they took the field goal there, that would’ve reduced the margin and made the opportunity to have a long field goal tie the game real late in the game. There were a lot of plays and a lot of things from last night, and certainly one of the things we have to do as an offensive team is to figure out how to finish the game better and be in control of the game better and manage the game. Even if it comes down to having to punt the ball, if we can punt the ball and punt the ball away from the outstanding returner, then the opponent has to drive it a long way. They did have one long drive late in the game, which was their drive following the field goal. Other than that, we were giving them opportunities to revamp and regain some momentum. That was the issue that we were concerned with.We are very excited and very happy about winning and we think that to be able to come down there and fight our way back from adversity and the way in which the game began for us. To have all three phases supporting and encouraging each other, with the realization that an outstanding comeback did take place, the idea that every play is so critical.The fumble just before the half that set up what we call was a 43-yard field goal, whoops, wait a minute, we’re going to call holding there. Then, it becomes a 53-yarder and Tynes makes that up. That was very, very critical, as you know when the game was completed. Just as we always talk about it, it’s a long game, you have to play yourself the full four quarters to give yourself a chance to win.There are some axioms that we believe in that the number one thing being the turnovers. We did not follow last night. We will say this: we did play hard, we are very physical, we were physical last night, we rushed the ball, we defended, we pressured the quarterback. We got outstanding, physical play all around. The big tackle by Chase right at the start of the second half was a huge play. We play hard, we don’t always control things the way that we should. I think that’s something that we certainly do have to address."
Q: You’ve been 5-2 in six of the past seven seasons, what do you need to do to keep it going?
"Well, we have to continue. You’re picking your words very well, at 5-0 like it was a year ago, but I think it’s a totally different team. I think this team is capable of playing outstanding football and being able to support ourselves with all three phases. Our return game is not what we want it to be, but I think that our defense has played very well and our offense has played very well. What we have to do is continue to play together and show the quality of team that we are. We put ourselves in position with outstanding teams as we go through the second half of the season after the bye that we play our brand of football. We have become a smarter team, and we should do a better job of taking care of the ball."
Q: What did Tynes do before the game that allowed him to kick so strongly? You should make sure he does that every week.
"Well I made sure that he ate a diet according to exactly the way I described it and I made sure that he drank the potion that I made for him and it obviously paid off."
Q: Have you ever seen him kick the ball better than that?
"No. He was smooth as silk, too. That’s the thing that I really wanted to impress on him was how smoothly he struck the ball. Lawrence is a pretty good golfer but sometimes he tries to just drive it and sometimes the harder you go for it, the less you like the result. I thought he was really smooth last night – didn’t bat an eye when he lined up to take the 52 yarder."
Q: Do you have the feeling that if this team stays healthy, its best football is ahead of it?
"I do. I really do. I think that a lot of it has to do with the way in which we continue to prepare and practice and then the attitude about these things and the amount of focus that we can put into a day’s work. I don’t think that the way that we have this thing organized – it’s a quality amount of time spent here in preparation and if you take full advantage of it and follow as I call it ‘the protocol of preparation,’ you put yourself in a position at the end of the week where you really feel good about where you are. It just enhances your confidence along with the way in which you play and the wins that you can accumulate if you keep things safe and balanced and realize that every game is a different game and preparation, every team is capable of beating another team week in and week out in this league. There is so much parity – all you have to do is look around and see it – if we maintain a good, solid attitude, a humbleness about ourselves and our recognition of the quality of work that we have to do to put ourselves in a position to win, that we can go forth and play our best football in front of us."
Q: Is there anything new on Kiwi?
"Not to my knowledge, no. Not since arriving here at six in the morning and grinding away at the tape. I haven’t heard anything more."
Q: Are you sure that the field goal towards the end on fourth and one was the right call?
"Am I sure that was the right way to go? Yeah, I was sure that was the right way to go. We had an opportunity to… There are a couple of ways that you could think about that. I’m not aware of any discussion out there, but we put ourselves in a position there to go ahead and advance and as it worked out, we wouldn’t be tied by a field goal. I thought that was the right way to go. Certainly if we had tried and been stopped, they would have had to drive the ball a long ways – there’s no doubt about that. But I think that’s the call, to go for the points."
[Full transcript via ia Giants.com]