Transcript: Head Coach Tom Coughlin

Head Coach Tom Coughlin

October 23, 2013



Opening Statement: We start out today again with the injury list. It’s sad to report that David Baas, as you know, has been put on IR. It’s a very unfortunate thing. I feel bad for David. I’m trying to get his spirits up. He’s down. It’s a very frustrating outcome to the season for him. Hosley will do a little bit. We’ll see how that goes. Jacobs, no today. Paysinger and Shaun Rogers, no today. But Adrien Robinson, Cooper Taylor, Terrell Thomas, Corey Webster, they’ll work. David Wilson, of course, will not.



We prepare, starting this afternoon, (for an) in the division game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles, of course, offensively have put some outstanding numbers up. They continue to do so and the last week wasn’t one of those types of days for them. However, they still lead the league in rushing. They’ve got all kinds of numbers. I think the one thing that I would say is the way in which their defense has played. If you take away those first four games and just zoom on these last three games, they’ve played extremely well on defense, averaging and giving up only 19 points a game and have done a good overall job. Their special teams is consistent. They have an outstanding (special) teamers, returners. If number 10 (DeSean Jackson) goes back their on punt return, obviously we all know what he’s capable of doing there. We’re in the division. Chip Kelly has got them off to a good solid start this year. He’s done an outstanding job and here we go.



Q: Have you filled the roster spot for David Baas?

A: Not yet.



Q: Are you expecting Michael Vick will be the quarterback?

A: I am.



Q: Last game, Vick was able to find some running room. Was he running a lot before that or do you feel they hadn’t shown that until your game?

A: No. I think they had the read option. Everybody tried to defend the read option for the games prior to us. Michael Vick was in that position. That’s part of their offense and he kept the ball in those circumstances. He also kept the ball when he saw a lane open up in front of him, so he had a lot of yards in the first half rushing, which can be frustrating, but no. We had responsibilities for him, particularly in the option game, and of course, trying to keep him enclosed in the pass game, but he took off and did a nice job of that, which is part of the style of that offense. They depend on that. If you look at all the quarterbacks running that particular scheme, they seem to depend on that part of it as well.



Q: How different was the film of the Eagles offense in the first game of the season compared to anyone else you have seen around the league?

A: There’s a lot of people that have copied the hurry-up style, perhaps not for an entire game, but there are segments of teams that are running that particular style of offense, which is what I call the ‘mach’ snap of the ball, averaging around 20 seconds; some people are doing it faster. From that standpoint, that originated with Chip, I believe, and you knew that was coming, so it wasn’t any surprise.



Q: You’re the first team to get a second look at it. Will that help?

A: I hope so. We actually did a good job in a lot of ways in the first game, to be honest with you. It’s 22-21 at the start of the fourth, but the tempo of the game, we were able to keep up with the tempo of the game, and if you’re asking from that standpoint, yes. However, do you have to prepare specifically? Do you have to make adjustments, as such? Do you have a strategic plan in mind when you play against that style? Sure, you do.



Q: On special teams, do you feel that the players are winning their one-on-one matchups? What’s going on there?

A: The unfortunate thing is that it almost goes week to week. One, I will say you’re playing against outstanding returners week in and week out. If you look at last weekend, the kickoff aspect of their game was outstanding. The punt return aspect of the game wasn’t where they expected it to be; however, the year before that same guy had a long return for a touchdown. In our situation the other day, they did a good job of holding the side that the return was at. Our coverage wasn’t good. When you looked at the return of the touchdown we were following color behind color, instead of where we should have been dispersed. They got a nice block right off the bat on the gunner, a nice block on actually the right wing. The sideline was there for him. He went to the sideline. We didn’t have anybody coming over from the big field into the sideline to defend against a punt that I thought was a very good punt. It was outside the numbers. It was in position where we should have been, so you’re back to the drawing board.



Q: What do you think a win does for your team, just to get that win now?

A: Positive reinforcement. It’s outstanding, hopefully a confidence builder. Continue the enthusiasm. We’ve had really good enthusiasm and the enthusiasm will continue. Hopefully we’ll build on the win.



Q: Could you talk about Jim Cordle and how he has played?

A: He’s done an outstanding job. Originally he started to play, then Baas came back, then he had to go in for him during the course of the game, as well. He’s very smart. He keeps up with everything. He’s prepared to go. He has a nice demeanor about him, in terms of going into the game at whatever point. We would hope that would continue.



Q: How much did you study Chip Kelly when he was with Oregon, before he came to the NFL? If at all?

A: You weren’t here before the first game, were you? And you didn’t read any of the notes, either? We spent the offseason, like everybody else did. You look at your opponents. You decide who you’re going to have to play against.



Q: I mean apart from that?

A: That’s it. That’s what you do in the offseason. I’m trying to explain that to you. That’s what you do. You take your opponents. You start with your divisional foes, boom, ‘there’s a divisional foe. They’ve got a new head coach. What’s his background?’ You study.



Q: You hadn’t looked at it at all before that?

A: Yeah, I looked at it before just like everyone else had, because of the numbers they were putting up as a college team.



Q: Do you see Hakeem’s performance on Monday as just a poor game, or are there any big picture concerns with him?

A: Just get him going. Let’s go, let’s play better.



Q: Is there an explanation for, seemingly, several balls bounced off his hands.

A: I haven’t had a sit down with him. (The players) were off yesterday, except the medical. This is the first day. I haven’t talked to him about it, but the competitor that he is, he’s very much aware. Quite frankly, he’s always gobbled those balls up. Explanation? I wouldn’t offer an excuse, and I’m sure he wouldn’t, either.



Q: Physically does he look like the same player to you?

A: I hope so.



Q: What do you see?

A: What do you see? Just like we do with everyone else: Improvement, improvement, improvement. He’s got to improve. He’s got to get better. He’s got to get to a point where the reliability factor is there as strongly as it always has been. Has it been there up to this point? No, but we’re saying let’s work. Let’s get back to work and get this done. We count on this guy.



Q: Are you concerned that he maybe has some big picture thoughts running through his mind?

A: I’m not. Anybody who thinks that way, fundamentally, you better take care of your business on the field. You better get your job done to the fullest of your ability.



Q: With the running game, there are still some bumps and tackles behind the line of scrimmage there. Is that frustrating, why those breakdowns are happening on some of the negative runs that you get?

A: There was penetration. We didn’t handle a lot of the penetration. When you do have that, you’re not going to have the kind of success you’re looking forward to. We had the number of carries we wanted, but we didn’t have the yardage.



Q: Did Brandon Jacobs have a setback with his hamstring, or was just not comfortable?

A: I think we were all hoping that he felt good. He was feeling good, feeling good, and then all of a sudden, he got sore. Then there wasn’t enough time.



Q: The way Trumaine McBride is playing, is he now your starter or is Corey Webster going to stay?

A: When this situation came up, our corners were pretty much wiped out, yes. He started and he played well. As long as there’s any kind of concern for health issues or length of service or how many snaps, then he’s heavily counted on.



Q: You used Antrel Rolle in the slot last time. Do you expect to continue with that?

A: We’ll see.



Q: Is it unusual to see a linebacker come in here, not having any training camp, and being able to provide something for your team like Jon Beason has?

A: Not with the quality of linebacker that we have. The quality of the player that came in, no, I’m not surprised.