LB Jonathan Casillas
October 21, 2016
Q: Have you ever seen a rugby game?
A: No, I have not.
Q: What do you know about Twickenham?
A: Not too much.
Q: You had a lot of free agent acquisitions in the off season. How do you think the results have been so far?
A: I think we have been alright. I say alright because we haven't won all the games, we have dropped a couple. Defensively I feel like we could have done a better job in certain games. We haven't created the turnovers that we wanted, we haven't gotten to the quarterback like we wanted to, so I say alright because we are a lot better than we were last year around this time and we are still getting better, so things are looking up. We had a good week last week and we are still looking to build on it and continue to get better throughout the season.
Q: Are there certain things that you think need to improve?
A: Yeah, the two things that I said. Number one, create turnovers, it is the number one statistic that predicts wins and losses and also get to the quarterback. We have tremendous pass rushers, our back up defensive ends are tremendous pass rushers, so it is up to us to go ahead and continue to get better and then have those numbers, the statistics that put up behind the turnovers and also sacks.
Q: How much of an impact was it that there was a teammate removed from this trip?
A: It was tough because no one really knew about it earlier in the season. We didn't really know about it, it wasn't really talked about too much. It was definitely a big surprise. I am reading on it, finding out after we landed here exactly what was going on. I really don't know too much. McAdoo basically went around and told everybody on the team that he is not coming with us and new information came out, but that is all I have and then what I read from I think FOX Sports is it.
Q: What is your response when you see that?
A: It is tough. What was said and what was done is not what we represent as Giants. It is a tough situation for him. I don't know all the details and I don't want to speak ignorantly right now because the only thing I read was a little bit from FOX Sports.
Q: Do most of the players know the details?
A: Just kind of talking around to the guys, some of us know about it, some of us don't. So it is just fresh to us and we just got to a new country here in the last eight or nine hours and some people are still sleeping. It is a tough situation and from what I have read on it, it is not too good for anyone that is involved in it.
Q: How do you make sure to keep Todd Gurley in check?
A: We have to keep our eyes on him. We have to understand that he is the player that they want him to be. He is a terrific back, he can run the ball very well between the tackles, he can catch the ball really well, he has great speed, great explosiveness and we have to get population to the ball. All of our eyes have to be in the right place at the right time and we have to swarm tackle him. He is a tough tackle to bring down. He is a bigger running back, he uses his body very well and we are going to have to populate to him around the ball every time he gets the ball and we have to do it as a team.
Q: You are at the bottom of the division right now. You have won some games but...
A: Well, it is still early. We have only played two division games so far and we are 1-1, so we have a long way to go. We still have all the guys left on the table and the Eagles twice, so I am pretty optimistic about it. I feel like we still have full control over our destiny. It is still so early in the season and I think we are right where we want to be. We lost a couple games, yeah. But we got a good team on the road, I feel like we are starting to click now, we are over here in London trying to represent the NFL to the best of our abilities and looking to get this win and hit the bye week with a winning record.
Q: Can a trip like this be a bonding experience?
A: Yeah, for sure. It puts us in a little bit of a controversial situation, moving from another country, the time difference, the jet lag, a couple days out, different weather than we are used to, we could use it as an excuse as well. But I feel like we have high character guys in this locker room and as of now I have seen nothing but bonding, nothing but comradery, we are getting together, we are supporting each other and as of right now it looks all positive. We won't say until after we win or lose if it was a good trip or not.
Q: Do you have anything specific that you want to see or do while you are here?
A: Well, my daughter is here, so I want to make sure she gets the gist of London. I haven't ever been to England either, but I think her experience will be my experience when it comes to enjoying London.
Q: Anything specific?
A: I am not sure. Some historical stuff. I definitely want to see the Big Ben clock, the bridge that I see in, what's that movie? The Bourne Identity. The big ole monuments that are in those movies. But I definitely want to see some tourist stuff, I want to be a tourist a little bit and look to enjoy this beautiful city.
Q: Will that be today?
A: Well, I am planning on getting some sleep today, but the more and more time I spend with her, the more and more time we don't get to sleep together.
Q: Do you have to do anything specific between now and the game?
A: Sleep as much as you can. The good thing about traveling a little later in the week is that we have a lot more time to ourselves. It is not really classroom all the time, so we are off for the rest of the day pretty much and then tomorrow we have a brief morning walk-thru, brief meetings, so you have time to catch up. But in 48 hours there is not really too much you can do to make up for it, you kind of just have to tough it out a little bit.
Q: Is that a disadvantage?
A: I don't think you can have more of a disadvantage than them. They are on the west coast, they travel all the time. I think them and Seattle travel the most out of any team in the league and they have been on the road for like too weeks, so I wouldn't say it is a disadvantage. It is tough when you have a schedule like them and you are playing far west and you play teams in the east, play teams in the north and play teams in the south and you are traveling all the time -- we don't have that. So for us to take a couple days before to come to a nice, beautiful country like you guys have, it is alright with me.
Q: Has the fact that it is the first L.A. vs. New York NFL game in a while been talked about?
A: You know what? Not really. It hasn't really been talked about. I think it is huge. St. Louis, I know they are disappointed that they lost a good team. The Rams are getting better. They are competing every year in the NFC West, a very tough division and now L.A., they have their big running back now, they have a quarterback that can get the receivers the ball, they have the shiny receiver in Tavon Austin, so L.A., they inherited a pretty good team.
Q: How would you feel about a franchise being in London?
A: I would like it because I would like to come out here. That would be nice, but it is like Seattle and L.A.. They would have to travel and be away from here, that would be tough. You are talking about losing a day when you get over here and then even though you are going over there it is still a six and a half, seven hour flight and that is just to the east coast. What about the west coast games and you have to play Denver, you have to play Seattle. That is going to be really tough for any team coming from another country. I mean I would like it. I would like to come out here every once in a while and come see you guys. That would be nice.
Q: Did this trip throw off your normal routine at all?
A: Well, I didn't sleep as good as I wanted to on the plane. I thought I would be able to sleep, but I didn't, so I think I am going to try and catch up on some sleep. But besides that, I stuck to my normal regimen, packing up a little bit earlier than expected, but nothing has pretty much changed. You try to drink a lot more water though because of the flight and the dehydration factors, but that is about it.
Q: It is the first game at Twickenham. Will you get to enjoy yourself with that experience?
A: Well, I always enjoy myself on the field. Always take it in. This is my 8th year, so I have been around a little bit, I know when I can kind of sit and take things in and then I also know that it is time for business. We didn't come out here to play in a football, we came out here to win a football game against a really good football team, with really good coaches. So I will enjoy Twickenham. I will enjoy it a lot more when we win the game though, for sure.
Q: On L.A.'s travel to the game.
A: Well, not really, because they are used to it. I am not saying that they are used to it. Well, I did say they are used to it. But they have been doing it. It is not the first week that they have done it, is what I am trying to say. They have to be acclimated to it and they have to adjust to it, but I am pretty sure we are going into Week 7 right now and I am pretty sure they are at least getting the gist of it and they probably can deal with it a little better than any other team.
