Head Coach Ben McAdoo
December 20, 2016
Q: What did you see from Janoris Jenkins?
A: He moved around a little bit on the field today, he was limited.
Q: You mentioned last week that because it's a short week you would be making some adjustments to the practice schedule. How do you think the team has responded so far?
A: I think we did a nice job yesterday coming out and getting after things mentally. Moved around a little bit more today, put the helmets on. Moved quick enough to get our jobs done on and off the field.
Q: Is Jenkins going to be able to go?
A: We'll see, it's still early to tell.
Q: Is he still really sore or is some of that alleviated?
A: There's still soreness, yeah.
Q: What will you do tomorrow?
A: Tomorrow will be different. It'll be a combination of fresh Friday and travel day.
Q: What did you do today?
A: Today was a situational football day. But we got on and off the field a lot quicker than we usually do, it was about an hour and a half.
Q: We saw Janoris and Jonathan Casillas wearing ski hats, they actually got out and did some stuff?
A: They were moving around a little bit, yes.
Q: Washington losing yesterday makes you guys a virtual lock to make the playoffs. How does that feel?
A: It's a short week, yesterday was a good mental day and we moved around a little bit. Today, had to take care of our bodies. This afternoon, get our rest and sleep in tomorrow and be ready to get our work done and travel and be ready for Thursday night.
Q: Making the playoffs is a goal and an accomplishment and part of what you're trying to accomplish here. Why do you not want to acknowledge that?
A: Doesn't have anything to do with the game on Thursday night. We have to be ready to play a game on a short week Thursday night against a division rival.
Q: Is it that you don't want the playoffs to be the end goal? You're thinking that it's just a step or why?
A: It's just something to talk about, it's a distraction if you let it be. We need to be focused on the game on Thursday night, on getting ready to play Philadelphia. That's what this week is all about.
Q: Do you consider it an accomplishment to make the playoffs or does that not even register for you?
A: Doesn't register at this point, no.
Q: B.J. Goodson played a few more defensive snaps than usual on Sunday. Do you think he'll see more playing time?
A: We liked the way he moved around. He was physical, played heavy-handed. It was encouraging to see.
Q: Are you going to add a quarterback now that Ryan Nassib is on IR?
A: It's a short week at this. Not this week, but never say never.
Q: What happened there?
A: His arm flared up, his elbow flared up again. It's unfortunate.
Q: Is that something he's dealt with because it just kind of cropped up midway through the year.
A: I don't know, it was sore, it was bothering him and flared up again this week.
Q: Is it something he'll need surgery for?
A: Yeah, he'll have surgery by the end of the week. He and Shane Vereen will both have surgery at the end of the week.
Q: Taking a look at the Eagles, what's the biggest difference you can see from watching the tape?
A: The Eagles team, they're getting healthy up front on the offensive line. That's something that they definitely have going for them. Their defensive line is playing well. So it will be a challenge for us on both lines of scrimmage. The skill players they have on offense, they have some guys that can make some plays. Looks like Darren Sproles is going to get back and that makes them a challenge to prepare for that way. Their linebackers are playing physical and they're playing downhill, fitting off the D-line well. So we'll have plenty of challenges.
Q: Any feeling that Shane Vereen was rushed back from his previous injury?
A: No.
Q: Is he more vulnerable after returning from that kind of injury and returning from that surgery?
A: I'm not a doctor. I just know that he was cleared to play, he was excited to play, he worked hard to get back. I'm disappointed for Shane. He was a good boost for our team but we wish him the best and he'll get healthy
Q: Why is this defense so good whether it's sudden change, whether it's the last few minutes of the 4th quarter, whatever the case may be? Your defense is losing key players but it seems to respond. Why?
A: Good defense fits together like nuts and bolts. I've said it before and I believe it. I think we have talented players who believe in doing their job and their job only. They're talented men of integrity. They're not chasing stats out there, they're just looking to play good defense and get off the field.
Q: When you look at the Eagles, do you put anything behind the notion that a team would want to be a spoiler out there and prevent you from clinching something on their turf?
A: The last thing you want to do is lose to a divisional rival, the last thing, especially at home. We're going to get their best shot; you can throw the records out the window. It's going to be a physical game, will probably come down to the end like they all do. It'll be exciting.
Q: Back when you got hired I think people wondered why you would have kept Steve Spagnuolo given how the much the defense struggled. Is this the performance you imagined from him and does that justify the choice?
A: I'll go back to 2007, the way the defense improved in 2007. We played them early in the season when I was in Green Bay and seeing them at the end of the year was a tremendous coaching job. They improved tremendously and our defense is taking steps this year; not only from year one to year two under Spags, but this year. They keep improving.
Q: How much has it helped you to come in and have a guy like him who's obviously done this for a long time?
A: He's a great resource.
Q: Coming from Green Bay, they're built so strongly through the draft. You built your defense with a lot of free agency. How surprised are you that you've been able to do that and been able to do it so quickly in that way?
A: I think we've been fortunate. When you look at it, when you go out through free agency, you're really not sure what you're getting character-wise until they're in the building. You have coaches and players that you lean on and talk to throughout the league who have worked with guys, but until you get them in a room, you're not sure what you get. We’ve got New York Giant character types and that's the biggest key to everything.
Q: Are you concerned that you're going to be personally fined for the walkie-talkie thing?
A: I haven't heard anything back from the league yet. I was on the field and in meetings all morning so I have nothing to report.
Q: What do you think would be fair?
A: Haven't thought about it.
Q: It's a bit of a different look for you guys this week on the field. What's your thoughts on the color rush jerseys?
A: I don't want to spoil anything for the fans, so we'll just leave it at that. I think the equipment guys have done one heck of a job, they worked their tails off this week.
Q: Is Janoris' injury such that you would treat him like any injured player? If he's ready to go, he would go?
A: He's a veteran player who's played a lot of football, so he'll have some input in it. But it's ultimately a medical decision.
