Transcript: Head Coach Tom Coughlin

Head Coach Tom Coughlin

October 20, 2014



We are all very disappointed in yesterday’s loss without a doubt. There are some things that I take away from the game that are encouraging. Nevertheless, 14-14 at the half, a really good football game, we come out drive the ball to their 35 yard line, and then it starts. We go backwards , back to the 43 yard line, end up having to punt, 3rd and 17. Another time we come to the 4o yard line, to the plus 40 yard line and we have a holding penalty, and now it is 1st and 20, and it backs us up to midfield again. The point I am trying to make. If you put those 2 together with their 80 yard drive and 93 yard drive at times in which we needed a stop, we needed the touchdowns, we needed a touchdown, field goal, whatever, we need points. If you put that together with their drives, we needed a stop and also add the fact that we handed them one, yeah they handed us one but we handed the ball to them at a 21-14 score when they had the ball at the 27 yard line and quickly made it 28-14. The second half , the elements, the productivity , the when you need to do something, what I call the harmony that has to exist. In other words, all three phases help each other. Those were example of things that didn’t happen for us and as a result when were not able to win the game. There were a couple of things that I was pleased with, I think there is a chance that our return game will be better once we return from the bye week. I think Odell Beckham Jr. who averaged 10.5 yard on punt returns and Michael Cox who had a 40 yard kickoff return. It has been a while since we’ve seen something of that nature. If we can capitalize on that and look towards that in terms of creating the kind of field position we need.



We forget the three wins we had were greatly created by field position. The takeaways, putting us in good stead, whether it be the 40-yard line to start from or whatever. As a result, it resulted in scores. We did have the most take aways for a while there and we had a lot of scores off of that. Well, yesterday you saw that again. Prince Amukamara makes a nice interception, runs the ball all the way back down, we score on the first play. Those things all are indicative of perhaps something we could do, but we are not able to. We obviously gave up some passes that were touchdowns, where some outstanding catches or throws were made. Whether it be to the tight end, whether it be to the receiver down the sideline. The second touchdown was not something that I was pleased with. I thought our coverage could have been much better on that one. We did have an opportunity offensively, on fourth down we made a big play, they gave us a chance again to be in position to have the 21 points which at five minutes to go we kick the ball off thinking we might be able to get the ball back. We should have been able to, all three timeouts, it don’t work out that way.



All I am saying is we had our opportunities, we had our chances, we did not get it done. Dallas is playing very well. You got to give them credit for that. We didn’t run the ball well. I was not pleased with that all because that was something that we were going to try to accomplish going in. We didn’t block the run up front very well offensively. We didn’t block the run very well, we did block the pass well, we had good clean pass protection yesterday for the most part. That contributed to what gains we were able to make in the passing game. There is some frustration involved, yes. I think as I mentioned last night that I thought that we played hard, we gave good effort that it was very important to us to go to Dallas and win. I thought all of those things were good. We didn’t get it done from a standpoint of making the plays when they were necessary to be made. I thought Dallas made more plays than we did and obviously they made more big plays. We did have some, but not to the extent that they had.



Q: How do you go about winning back the line of scrimmage which seems to be an issue the last couple of weeks? Is it physical or is it other things involved?

A: A lot of it is physical. For example, from an offensive standpoint, I figure you are talking both sides. Our defense has been punched in the mouth with the run game too, which is not pretty to see. You are right, that has to be controlled, you have got to be able to stop the run, you got to be able to do that. They are running the ball as the number one team in the league we you are certainly well challenged. Until that gets straightened out then obviously we are not going to be in position to get the wins the way we want them. The same goes with the other side of the ball. We talk about running the ball, we are going to run the ball. We stuck with it, much to the… of some, but to this extent you have to remember; we had two fumbles yesterday which resulted in us being minus one in the turnover ratio, we did not have an interception. We haven’t had an interception in a couple of weeks and that has been a very important part, I think, of our ability to control our game. If we can get it in control we will do it that way. What to do about guys who can’t catch the ball? Put it away, cover it up, and get it stripped that is another issue. We have had our issues with that. To go back to the front, the fronts have got to play better, we have got to be more physical on both sides of the ball, we got to do a better job at stopping the run. There we too many big runs in the game, cut back runs, things of that nature. We had one explosive run come out there, where if we would have blocked a corner it would of gone in the end zone, which is indicative of a little bit of what we can do. However, we were prepared knowing full well that it was going to be an issue, they move their front very well, they do a really good job of that. Dallas does, we didn’t block the run very well when they moved the front, we did block the pass pretty well when they moved the front.



Q: Do you think Eli Manning has played well since Week 2? Has the offense found its rhythm?

A: We suffered through a couple of things there. For a couple weeks the tight ends contributions were not there. The tragic loss of Victor Cruz, that certainly didn’t help at all. That I have to say, would have been a touchdown over in Philadelphia if Victor Cruz was healthy there. With Odell Beckham Jr. coming back and then being escalated right away to a major role also. There were something, had one error in that regard yesterday. The tight end did reemerge as a weapon and the passing game which we needed. We have worked our way through some things with some different people. We have to continue to do that. The things that would be good is the opportunity maybe to have more in the nature of the big play. We have some people that can run and maybe we can get that going as well.



Q: Can you talk how Eli Manning has managed...

A: He has, and he has done it with poise. He has don’t it under control, he has helped, you know how he works with those receivers, how he has worked with Odell Beckham Jr. for example , but he’s been the link, the cog. If you will that has allowed that part to get a little bit better. Are we there? No, there is a lot things you would like to see better in terms of what’s happening in that regard. He’s done a really good job of managing that part of it.



Q: He has been really cautious with the ball -- almost spiking the ball on some screen passes at Dallas. Do you see those as successes?

A: It is a lot better than what happened last year in the screen game down in Dallas. It is not benign cautious. If it is not there what are you going to do? Get rid of the ball. I think he had four throw aways yesterday and three drops and if you take some of that together, I think his numbers go up.



Q: It seemed like Tony Romo had a lot of time in the pocket?
A: He did have on occasion, yeah I agree with you. We did have a couple of sacks though.



Q: Why do you think that was? You haven’t got much in regards to results of sacks in your linebackers and safeties. Why do you think that is? Is that something that you need to get more out of?

A: In an ideal world yes. You have to understand and also what you are trying to defend. Early in the game we thought we were making some progress with a four man rush, that we could play coverage behind that. There are occasions like you said, it is a pressure call, it is a pressure down, circumstance calls for that. Let’s get some people involved in the rush. The ball came out really fast, he did a nice job of that. Or they blocked it up and through just one or two receiver routes. The timing of their play action passes I though the one to Escobar was outstanding. That was not only a great throw, but also because of the fact that Dez Bryant was on the other side of the field and your safeties kind of leaning that way. You have to think about what you are trying to defend.



Q: Two tight ends were combined for 8 touchdowns in 7 games. Was that a surprise to you?

A: Well it was always an objective was that something that happened relatively fast? No, but let’s face it when we got all excited with our success in Washington, and thought we had great balance and then disappeared a little bit and hopefully it will come back up again.



Q: Where is this team right now?

A: We are probably somewhere between the kind of night we had in Washington and how we were yesterday. I am not going to comment on the Eagles game. We have nine games to play. Hopefully we will be able to talk about this team being a lot better than you see it right now. Certainly for that to happen – you get in circumstances where you start to think you are pretty darn good on defense and then these kind of things happen for a couple of weeks. To sure that up is really important for us. It is really important. Offensively, the consistency factor, I think relies on the ability to run the ball and utilize all that goes with it [such as] play action and etcetera. If you notice off of the action yesterday moving the quarterback Eli made a very nice throw for the touchdown to Daniel [Fells]. That had some resemblance to a run. I think we need it.



Q: How much of the dip in the running game has to do with Rashad [Jennings] not being there?

A: There is no question that is a part of it, sure. The young man we have runs hard.



Q: It was the second straight week for JPP [Jason Pierre-Paul] facing a top left tackle. How do you think his game went?

A: He played hard and I thought he played well. I thought [on] both run and pass he was very effective coming in from the backside on some of the runs and his energy level was high. He had outstanding endurance in the game. If you were to find someone who gave the kind of effort you were looking for and played well he would certainly be at the top of the list.



Q: Given all the new pieces you have and the new offense and such did you kind of figure at the start of this [season] that this would be a team you wouldn’t see it best from until later in the season?

A: I can’t say that. I am one week at a time kind of a thing. I was hoping we would be 7-0.



Q: You talk about this team hopefully being a lot better. Is the talent there for that to happen?

A: You have to maneuver some of the talent around, but I think the talent is there. We have to get the best out of them every time we line up. There isn’t any doubt about that. You can’t make up for the loss of the players we have but every team has those issues.



Q: What is the deal with Jon [Beason]… Where do things stand with him and how do you move forward? He came back but hasn’t been able stay on the field…

A: Those are the facts. There is nothing we can do about the facts.



Q: Anything you can do moving forward differently?

A: He will go back to see Dr. Anderson I am sure.



Q: Is there a possibility that he might have to shut it down?

A: That wasn’t what they talked about the first time, so I would say we will have to wait and see on that.



Q: How much after [Geoff] Schwartz and Jennings come back after the break will that help you?

A: Schwartz has a long way to go. He has been standing on the sidelines for a long time now. We are going to have to get him on the practice field extensively before that happens. You are talking about a running back coming back from a MCL. This is not an easy thing for Rashad either. He is well aware of that. It is his makeup that we are counting on. Again he is doing everything in his power, I can guarantee you that.



Q: What about Dominique [Rodgers-Cromartie]? Does he just need rest?

A: It is going to be a continuous kind of a thing here with [Rodgers-Cromartie]. Will the rest help him? Sure it will.



Q: What was the though process of using him the way you did yesterday rather than resting him?

A: To try to win a game. We are playing a game against a good opponent. We are going to try to take all of our fire power and win a game.



Q: Would he need something surgery wise in the offseason?

A: I am not a doctor. I wouldn’t tell you that. If I knew I’d tell you…. Maybe.



Q: Would you consider yourself hopeful Rashad will be back after the break?

A: I am full of hope.