Post-Game Transcript: Head Coach Ben McAdoo

Head Coach Ben McAdoo

Postgame vs. Washington, September 25, 2016

Opening Comments:

Give Washington credit. They were a more disciplined football team than we were today. Minus-two in the turnover ratio. Way too many penalties. I have to do a better job. Let’s open it up.

Q: Coach, talking about those penalties – how surprising was it for you with 11 penalties for 128 yards? Did you see that coming?

A: You know, nothing surprises you in this league. We knew they were going to throw the flags and throw them early and often. We need to be a more disciplined football team, and we’ll get that fixed.

Q: What did they do to be able to move the ball so effectively against you guys?

A: They have a lot of good weapons. We talked about it all week. I’m going to go back and take a look at the tape. We had some guys go down, but that’s no excuse – next man up. I thought the effort was there; we just need to execute better.

Q: What do you say about that when you look up and it’s a penalty like that on the blocked punt?

A: It’s a learning moment, and a tough time in the game. It was a big play opportunity for us, but I have to take a look at it on the film.

Q: Any special words for [Weston] Richburg – the first player thrown out under the new rules?

A: I will want to see it on film. He looked like he was behind the play. We knew it was going to be that type of game.

Q: Eli [Manning] seemed a little bit off and then the interceptions. Can you just talk about his game in general and whether that surprised you; or what happened?

A: The first one, he was hot and he had to get the ball out. I thought the tight end may have been able to break the ball up across the DB’s face there, but again, that’s a split-second decision he has to make. Eli’s got to body him up a little more in the throw with the type of coverage that was there. But, no, Eli didn’t seem off today.

Q: You said you could anticipate this game when it came down to getting flags. Is that a response to last year with [Josh] Norman?

A: Yeah, with all that’s being written and said about the game, we knew that the officials wanted to come out and get control of the game, and make sure it didn’t get away from them early.

Q: Was it disappointing in that sense to have those penalties in the second half?

A: Yeah, it’s disappointing. Absolutely. We need to be better than that, and we are better than that. We’re going to address it this week and we’re going to fix it.

Q: Do you feel like your team lost its composure there?

A: I don’t feel we lost our composure, but I feel we can play more disciplined football. That’s what got us over the hump the first two weeks.

Q: Is it frustrating to beat yourselves with these mistakes and penalties?

A: I’m not frustrated. It’s one of 16. It’s an opportunity for us to learn and grow as a team, and we’ve got to bounce back next week.

Q: On the touchdown pass to DeSean Jackson, they had reviewed it. It looked like he had bobbled the ball. What did your guys upstairs see in their replay?

A: We thought it was going to be overturned. I don’t think they had enough evidence to lean that way, though. There wasn’t enough angles.

Q: Were you close to challenging the punt return? It looked like he may have stepped out of bounds.

A: I was close, but I didn’t see anything conclusive and neither did anyone upstairs.

Q: Ben, what about the last interception by Eli? Was [Shane] Vereen the primary there?

A: It was a triangle read, and Vereen popped on it. We had a chance to have a completion. Vereen may have gotten held up there with his right arm. I don’t know, I think the ball was a little bit behind, but the kid made a heck of a play. I’ve got to give him credit there. There were some things to fight through and some contact, which is normal on that type of route. The throw and catch would have had to be perfect for that to be a completion.

Q: Last week, Eli [Manning] was aggressive, and Victor [Cruz] was able to win on that play that won the game essentially. Today, especially the last two minutes, why not go to your big guys downfield? Why not give them a chance to either win a ball like that or get a penalty flag?

A: We were. I think the next to last drive, Odell [Beckham, Jr.] had the ball on a third down there – I think we made a play in that two-minute and change.

Q: But the last possession, you didn’t.

A: Victor [Cruz] caught a ball on the backside of a scissor route.

Q: How much do you view this as a missed opportunity? You could’ve been 3-0; the defending division champs could’ve been 0-3.

A: It’s one game. It’s one of 16. We’ve got to watch the film; we’ve got to learn from it; we’ve got to move on.

Q: You said you knew the refs would throw more flags because of the Norman/Beckham hype. Do you think that hype is part of the reason why your guys were a little more undisciplined than you expected? They get caught up in it a little too much?

A: I just think that’s the way the game went. We have to be able to pull ourselves out of it when it comes to that.

Q: How do you think Odell [Beckham, Jr.] handled himself today on the field and off the field considering there were some emotional situations?

A: It’s an emotional game. We had a talk with him at one point and I think on the field he handled himself well.

Q: Can you see anything with Shane Vereen carrying the ball on the second turnover?

A: He’s gotta quit putting it on the ground.

Q: Any update on DRC [Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie]’s groin?

A: No. No updates at this point.

Q: [Eli] Apple’s injury?

A: Hamstring.

Q: What about [Rashad] Jennings’ hand? Was that a late decision?

A: It was a decision that was made throughout the course of the week.