Quarterback Davis Webb
December 6, 2017
Q: Is it disappointing to you that last week former head coach Ben McAdoo said he planned to play you at some point this season, but now interim head coach Steve Spagnuolo says they haven’t developed a plan of how to handle the quarterback situation yet?
A: No because it was never in my control. That was something that coach McAdoo and [former general manager] Mr. [Jerry] Reese discussed, but again, we’re about this week. Coach Spags is the new guy, Mr. [Kevin] Abrams is the new interim GM, all we’re worried about as a group is just beating Dallas. So, we’re excited to have Eli [Manning] back in there and lead this team to Sunday and this franchise and I’m excited to watch him play.
Q: How much do you want the opportunity to convince the organization that they don’t need to draft a quarterback this offseason?
A: It’s not up to me. I don’t get to pick and choose what happens, all I get to do is control what I can control and that’s being a good quarterback for the scout team right now and being a great teammate to Eli and Geno [Smith] and help all of our receivers get ready and I’m still doing the same cutups, still getting up here early and staying up here late. So, it doesn’t really affect me and again, that’s out of my control, so I don’t really think about it.
Q: You don’t think about it even though it is your career?
A: Again, they can. It’s not going to bother me, I’m going to continue what I’m doing and I think I’m doing just fine.
Q: Does the back and forth between Manning and Smith as the starting quarterback make the quarterback room awkward?
A: Not at all. We have a great room, everyone’s very supportive of one another, especially E and Geno and it’s just been fun. It’s been fun to watch those guys compete and help us win games. But now we’re excited to watch E play this Sunday against Dallas and it’s a big division opponent and we’re excited.
Q: Can you speak to how Manning has handled this entire situation and what it means as a rookie to watch that?
A: Yeah, I think I’ve gotten a firsthand experience about everything you can imagine going negatively this year. But again, that’s in the past, right now we’re worried about beating Dallas, we’ve got a new opportunity and we’re very excited. And Eli was all first class all last week, especially in the game, helping Geno, and him and I were pretty much hip-to-hip on the sideline discussing throughout the game what was going on. So, he’s been a great teammate, but again, we’re worried about beating Dallas.
Q: Does the fact that the people that brought you here, McAdoo and Reese, are no longer here affect you at all?
A: Nope. Again, I’ve said this four or five times already and I am very persistent that I stay in the moment and commit to what I can commit and control, and that’s being up here working hard and just learning as much as I still can from Eli and Geno, [Quarterbacks] coach [Frank] Cignetti and [Offensive Coordinator] coach [Mike] Sullivan and just really be a sponge around those guys and continue to develop into the quarterback I know I can be.
Q: What kind of a learning experience was it to be ‘hip-to-hip’ with Manning during last week’s game?
A: I don’t know, it was just quicker responses after each play. Eli and I talk about it after every drive when he is playing, so we have to go through each play as its own identity. But again, we got to talk about seeing through Geno’s eyes and what we would have done, or things that Geno did really well, which he did a lot of good things last Sunday.
Q: What does it say about Manning that he went in this week and asked Spagnuolo for his job back?
A: I don’t know, that’s an Eli and Coach Spags conversation. For me, it’s just about who gives us the best chance of winning. That’s all that really matters in this league.
Q: How did your competition with a points system go with Manning last week, which he mentioned he swept you in?
A: It’s okay. I think I’ve been doing pretty good all year. So, I’ve gotten better and yeah, Eli had a good week last week. Maybe he was motivated [laughs].
Q: Can you talk about what you learned this past week about being a pro?
A: Yeah, Eli and I eat breakfast and lunch [together] just about every day and we’re pretty much hip-to-hip most of the day when it comes to watching film in the QB room, or I have a lot of things for him, to get him ready for each and every Sunday. So, we talk a lot of football stuff and off the field I’ve learned a lot about him and as a teammate, I have nothing respect for him. I told him that numerous times last week. But again, I’m excited to see him play this Sunday. Everybody kind of freaked out last week and now he’s get a chance to come back and help us win a game against Dallas.
Q: Did anybody say anything to you about potentially being #2 on the depth chart this week or next?
A: Again, that’s a Coach Spags question.
Q: Do you feel like you are a better quarterback today than you were in preseason?
A: Yes. I’ve gotten a lot better and worked really hard.
Q: What are you better at now?
A: I think my knowledge, going through a 16 game season, we’ve played 12 since [preseason]. So, 12 weeks later, learning from Eli and coach McAdoo and coach Sullivan and coach Cignetti, all of those guys really helped my development each and every week. Throwing with coach Cignetti each and every Sunday before the games, working on progressions, working on different plays. I’ve gotten a lot better and I think it’s shown every day.
I really like the last couple of questions too. What a great way to introduce the final question - asking if he's improved and then in what ways. I know we all want him to improve on his progressions, among other things.
Practice is on the field.
It would be huge if Webb could become the man for us.