TE Evan Engram
September 13, 2017
Q: What is your sense on what’s going on in the running game?
A: I mean, [Dallas’] defense was doing a lot of different stuff. We didn’t really have a lot of rushing attempts – we didn’t really have a lot of plays, overall. So, definitely wish we had more time of possession and got more plays and definitely got more involved in the running game. So, it definitely is just something that is going to get corrected on the film. I definitely thought we probably could be more aggressive in the running game and we’re definitely going to move forward with that mindset.
Q: Has anything struck you about the team today, being the first day of work after Sunday night’s game?
A: It’s definitely an atmosphere of ready to move on. So, we have another opportunity, like I said, Monday night to go out there and get a win. So, it’s definitely not a good feeling looking at that film and definitely a lot of mistakes and corrections made. But the atmosphere – we’ve got another game, we can’t let the last one beat us, so we’re going to keep it moving.
Q: Has quarterback Eli Manning’s message of the team needing to take a breath and not worry about the game something that he expressed to the team?
A: I mean, it’s the first game. It didn’t happen the way we wanted it to, but like I said, we’ve got to keep it moving. We’re definitely throwing Dallas in the trash, we’re throwing that game in the past, we’ve got to move on. So, we’re definitely going to take a breath and keep it moving.
Q: Do you realize that the offense has got to step it up a lot?
A: Definitely. That’s our expectations, that’s our standards. We’ve got to play better, we’ve got to be way better than that, as a team and as an offense. So, definitely, we’ve got to be better.
Q: What was your self-evaluation of your performance against Dallas?
A: I can play a lot better. I did some good stuff, did some bad stuff. Assignment-wise, I was good. There’s a lot of small details and stuff that I needed corrected and need to lock in on. So, definitely I need to improve and have a better night on Monday.
Q: If there is one thing that needs to be improved, personally, what is it?
A: Just small details. Just steps and routes. Blocking, hand placement, just small detailed stuff.
Q: Is it true that there wasn’t much of an opportunity to get you involved deep down the middle on seam routes?
A: Yeah. I mean, we’ve got to be more balanced. We’ve got to get a solid running game going, so the defense can play balanced and they can play true. So, Dallas came out and played a great game and shut us down. So, we definitely want to make more plays down the field and stretch the field, but we weren’t able to.
Q: Do you feel like, ‘Now I got the first one over with, now let’s go’?
A: Definitely. I mean, those two weeks [before the Dallas game] preparing, for me, were really eye-opening, just studying film and studying tendencies on players. And then getting out there and how the game went and coming in and making mistakes and all that, that whole process. It’s kind of like, ‘Okay, now I know how to prepare, got a routine going.’ So, definitely take a deep breath and keep it moving and now it’s kind of getting [into] my routine and correcting mistakes and getting better and preparing for Detroit.
Q: Do you feel like now that the season is here, it’s time to get down to business?
A: Yeah. I mean, definitely. There’s a lot more sense of urgency on the field from our opponents than I kind of felt in the preseason. So, there are guys flying around and definitely some that you got to see Sunday night. Just have to play better.
Q: Did you ever lose an opener in college?
A: Yeah. My senior year. I think my senior year was the only year I lost one, my first game.
Q: So, this opening loss isn’t new?
A: No. The teams I have been on are good and the coming in, making corrections and moving on and not letting the last game beat us. So, we’re going to do that here too.
Q: 2007 and 2011 Giants Super Bowl teams started out poorly. Talk about that.
A: I mean, I’ve talked to guys and there’s been chatter about how things have been and certain scenarios. But, we’re worried about this Monday night against Detroit. So, we have to get that done first and we’ll keep moving.
Q: What are your veteran peers saying to the younger players like yourself?
A: We have to hold ourselves accountable. There’s no excuses. We got beat. There’s mistakes to be corrected and a game on Monday that we have the opportunity to go out there and fix our mistakes.
Q: Were you curious what it would be like when you came back after the loss in Dallas?
A: Yeah. I was curious just to kind of get the vibe and what the mood was, but guys were back at work. We got in the film. We were real with each other. We put the mistakes on the board. We were going to get them corrected and that was the biggest thing.
Q: Was there something that you got corrected on that you knew you couldn’t take personally?
A: In this game, to be successful and to bounce back, you can’t take it personal. You have to be accountable and improving – it starts with yourself. So, you have to be really hard on yourself and I’m really hard on myself and there’s things that I did – that I did in the game that I need to be better at. So, it’s nothing personal.
Q: Did QB Eli Manning call himself out at all?
A: We didn’t really get an opportunity to express. Just the coaches. We put the film on and they pointed out some things and it’s pretty obvious when there’s mistakes.
Q: QB Eli Manning said you can’t be sensitive as a player. What does that mean?
A: It wasn’t anyone pointing fingers at anybody. We’re a unit. The coaches – that’s their job is to point out mistakes. Point out the mistakes more than the good stuff, too, even in a win. That’s the case. We have to keep moving.
