G Justin Pugh
July 27, 2017
Q: Is there a different vibe this year coming into training camp?
A: I think building off of the success we had last year, first time going to the playoffs for myself personally and a lot of guys on this team. There’s a lot of optimism. There’s a lot of excitement. We’ve added some really good guys to the team, so there’s definitely a lot of excitement. I remember driving over here this morning just like a kid on Christmas. I mean we got a lot of things to look forward to this year.
Q: What do you take from the playoff experience now that you’re onto the next year?
A: You learn from it. I remember just sitting back and looking up at the fans once that game was over and looking at the score and thinking that’s not us. That’s not this team. That score didn’t reflect how that game went. So, I’m excited to get back to that point. I’m excited to go and play those teams, play in the big games and get back to the playoffs, and get back to where we need to be as an organization, which is playing for a fifth championship.
Q: Is it hard to balance last year when it comes to flushing out the negatives and keeping the positives?
A: I think you just inherently gain that experience and you have that with you. So, I’m just focusing on flushing the bad things that happened and just moving on and getting ready to go this season. We’re a whole new team. We have a lot of new faces around this locker room. We have a lot of the same faces. I mean you look at our defense. We have, I’m trying to think, 10 of 11 starters, but on offense we got to go out there. We got to do our job and as an offensive lineman, as a part of this unit, we’ve got to go out there and do a better job. So, that’s something that we have to focus on and get going right now day one, start of camp.
Q: Why do you think the offensive line will be better this year?
A: We have more experience playing with each other. I think growing pains. I think somewhat of it is we didn’t play well enough, so you learn from that. I can speak personally from that. Going from my second year to my third year I got embarrassed out there sometimes and coming back with that drive, that determination to go out there and prove myself that I do belong in the NFL and I do belong in this league. That drives me to this day. So, I think a lot of guys, you know, you got to look in the mirror and say, ‘I wasn’t as good as I needed to be last year and that starts with me personally. I got to be better. I got to stay healthy. I can’t miss five games. That’s something that I’m looking forward to going out there and playing all 16 games this year. I’m looking forward to our year to be successful, to do well.
Q: Did it surprise you that there were no real big changes on the offensive line and that they are basically sticking with the same group this year?
A: I think it shows that they have confidence in our ability to get better. I know we have to get better. Everyone knows that we have to get better. We have to run the ball better and I think that a bunch of different moves we made throughout this offseason will help us. There’s competition at the offensive line position right now. You know, you bring in a guy – DJ Fluker – who was a twelfth overall draft pick. You’re going to add competition to the room, so that’s exciting. That’s going to make us better because if you’re not putting your best production on the field someone is going to replace you. I think that’s not even a question.
Q: What makes you confident in saying that you want to play for a championship this early in the season during training camp?
A: Going into my fifth camp, I think this is the best team we’ve had on paper. But, at the end of the day if you have a team on paper that’s not going out there and winning games on Sunday. We have to go out there and put in the work and go out there and produce. I’m excited with the type of guys we have, the character we have in the room, the coaches that we have. I think top to bottom this is an exciting team and once you’ve been to the playoffs and know what it’s like and get that taste and know how good those teams are. We’ve beaten the teams that have been in the playoffs, so I think that’s where we get this confidence.
Q: Last year, it seemed like the four-minute game was where the offense turned it over to the defense to save the game. Is that an area of emphasis to close those out this season?
A: Definitely. I mean, you want to end the game with a ball in your hands and it’s tough when you don’t run the ball well and the team knows you’re running and they’re stacking up and you’re not able to get that done. I think sometimes we’re able to do that and, you know, we were good. When we stayed in that same offense that we had been running and didn’t go into that four-minute package we had picked up some downs and were able to win the game, but looking back on that we can’t focus on that last year. That’s a totally different offense, totally different team. So, we have to go out there and make our own destiny, our own personality, our own characteristics as an offense this year.
Q: How much do you think the added offensive playmakers are going to help this year?
A: I mean, if you look at some of the guys we’ve added, getting a fullback back, getting two tight ends. We signed Rhett Ellison then we drafted Evan Engram. Getting guys out there. We’ve got Brandon Marshall who is the size of an offensive lineman playing wide receiver, so there’s some good things happening throughout the offense that I’m excited about.
Q: You mentioned staying healthy. Did you do anything this offseason to do that?
A: I’m doing things differently. Honestly, injuries happen in this game. That’s a part of the NFL. You’re 100% likely to get injured while playing in the NFL. It’s just throughout the year taking care of your body. I was able to do a couple things differently throughout the season that I’m going to be doing upcoming. You know how (Ben) McAdoo always talks about making changes looking back. Where can you improve? Where can you get better? So, I’m doing that same thing individually.
Q: Do you have any examples of how you are staying healthy?
A: I’m working on my nutrition. Making sure I’m taking care of my nutrition throughout the year. Doing the different meals and stuff, but I’m focusing on myself. I’m not going to elaborate any more on that.
Q: What do you weigh at this point?
A: I’m 312 right now. 310-315 is where I’m going to be, where I’m going to fluctuate. It’s just making sure I keep my weight up throughout the season. Making sure I’m doing the right things eating-wise to remain healthy. You guys know how it is when you get through a long day, you’re in week 15, you’re coming back, you just want to eat whatever. Sometimes you’re not making the healthiest choices. So, as an individual making sure I’m doing that and just doing everything I can to take care of my body – stay on the field.
Q: What is it like blocking for RB Paul Perkins since he is pretty shifty and quick?
A: That’s good because if we don’t know where he is, I doubt a defender is going to know where he is. We just have to stay on our guys, just stay in blocks. I think that’s going to be a big thing. Finishing, straining is going to be words that you’re going to hear. Coach (Mike) Solari harps on over and over again.
Q: Straining?
A: Straining. Straining like finishing. Like holding onto – not holding onto your guy but blocking your guy to the end of the whistle. Everyone knows offensive lineman never hold. It’s just sometimes the refs mix it up. Giving him that extra opportunity and blocking downfield. I think he’s going to make us look good.
Q: Do you think what’s missing is the next level of finishing the block?
A: I think so. There’s a lot of different things we’re doing to spring a block. Just staying in the line of scrimmage, getting that initial movement, giving Paul (Perkins) the line of scrimmage where he can make those cuts and you saw last year how he was able to make guys miss in the open field. That’s something exciting that we have and getting a guy like Shane Vereen back and getting him healthy will be good.
Q: You said this is the best team on paper that you’ve seen. How much extra pressure does that put on guys?
A: It doesn’t. I mean, you got to go out there and perform no matter what. I mean, I don’t think, once you’re in the game playing, I’m not going to be sitting there in the fourth quarter like, ‘I said this is the most talented team we had on paper, but we got to make sure we win this game.’ It doesn’t affect you once you’re out there playing.
Q: How does continuity and experience translate to better playing for an offensive line?
A: That’s everything. Offensive line is really the only position where all five guys have to play as one. As a defensive line, look at it, three guys get blocked, one guy gets there and gets a sack. The whole defensive line looks good. Offensive line – four guys do their job, one guy doesn’t. We let up a sack. It doesn’t look good. One guy misses a block, the runner gets tackled for a loss. That’s on us. So, for us, continuity and that trust and that comradery is everything and that’s unlike any position. That’s why offensive line is so unique and no one really understands the nuances of offensive line play unless you’ve really, really studied or dedicated a lot of time to it. It’s one of those positions where you got to take my word for it I guess.
Q: Do you see more comradery with this group of offensive lineman?
A: It’s something that builds throughout the year. It’s something that we have to do a better job of – of making sure we’re all together in it at all times. There’s no separation in this group. We have to make sure that we’re doing everything together on and off the field. I think doing more things off-the-field will even help that even more and I’m looking forward to it. This is another year of us together, I mean, if you look at it. These guys now being on the team, the same offensive line for roughly three years. Bobby Hart has been around. He has started. He has played games. So, I’m looking forward to us taking a bigger jump.
Q: Is offensive line similar to the secondary when it comes to the importance of communication?
A: I always compare defensive backs to offensive lineman because they all have to work in unison as well and if one guy gets beat it’s the same thing. I think defensive backs – that position is probably the hardest to play on the field because you’re covering that amount of space. They’re going backwards and they’re going full speed. Same with us. We have guys like Olivier Vernon and Jason Pierre-Paul coming at us full speed while we’re back-peddling. So, it’s one of those things that you have to, you know, adjust to and rely on the guy next to you to be successful. So, yeah. Definitely.
Q: Being in a leadership role on the offensive line, have you taken a moment with T Ereck Flowers to say that he is good enough to do this?
A: I’m never going to be a guy that’s going to yell and scream. I try to lead by example. I think we got a good group of guys. You look at John Jerry. You look at Weston Richburg. They’ve been around. They’ve played a lot of games. But, I think he knows. I think he knows what has happened throughout the offseason and I think he also sees how much faith we have in him because there’s no one there. We didn’t bring in somebody to challenge. We know what he can do. I know he has the talent. And, me being next to him – there’s another relationship within the O-line. The guy next to you. So, me and Ereck have gotten better and better every year working on that. I’m going to continue to have his back no matter what and we’re going to go out there and we’re going to fight.
Q: With it being year five for you, have you taken any time to reflect that you’ve actually been here now for that long?
A: Yeah, it’s crazy. Every guy in my draft class is no longer here, which is nuts to think about. I’m the only one left from 2013. Someone else told me I’ve been here like the fifth longest on the Giants roster. I mean, Eli (Manning), (Zak) DeOssie, JPP (Jason Pierre-Paul), (Mark) Herzlich and then me of being with the Giants, which is crazy to think about. To be able to learn from those guys that came before me and try to help other guys that are coming after me. That’s my biggest goal, which is to just continue to keep the Giants tradition and that’s something that I look forward to doing this year.
Q: Do you feel different this season when it comes to contracts since it is year five for you?
A: I’m not even worrying about contracts. That’s something that’s talked about outside of this building. You can’t worry about that. If you let that start creeping in, it’s going to start affecting how you prepare. So, that’s not even – that’s a no-brainer for me. I’m just getting ready to go out and win games. I mean, if we win games everything will take care of itself.
