Wide Receiver Sterling Shepard
October 24, 2017
Q: What does the team need to do to get more wins after the Bye Week?
A: It’s all three phases coming together as one. Some games, the defense, they’re on, and we [the offense] is off. We’ve got to make every group the same and everybody has to be on at all times.
Q: What was coach McAdoo’s message to the team heading into the Bye Week?
A: Just kind of regroup. They’re regrouping as coaches and trying to find out the thing that work and find out the things that don’t and get them out of there. And we’ve got to stay focused as a team and don’t get into any trouble, just little things like that. We’ve got to come back ready to work.
Q: Will you be ready to play after the Bye Week?
A: Yeah, I’ll be ready to go.
Q: What changed between Sunday morning and later in the afternoon, as it seemed like you were encouraged that you were going to play last week against Seattle?
A: It wasn’t Sunday, it was – I mean, after the Thursday practice, I kind of tweaked it during that practice and it kind of carried over to Sunday and I just didn’t feel ready to go, didn’t feel 100% to go.
Q: What has the dynamic been like in the wide receivers room?
A: We’re getting back on track. We had a fine board going and it kind of died off, but we know we’ve got some new guys in there, so the fine board is back alive. Just trying to get everybody on the same page and everybody get ready for their assignment.
Q: Is it back to business in the wide receivers room, back to reality?
A: Yeah, we have to go back to business. We don’t have some of the same faces. When you have veterans like Odell [Beckham, Jr.] and you have Brandon [Marshall], you don’t have to really hold that accountability for those guys, you know? They pretty much know what they’re doing. But when you have new faces, you kind of have got to make sure everybody’s on their p’s and q’s and that’s kind of what the fine board is there for.
Q: Are fines less a smaller amount now?
A: Less money? Oh, no.
Q: Are the fines more frequent?
A: I mean, you’ve got guys that haven’t been out there before, so they’re going to mess up a little bit. We’ve got a lot of fines, but no, the money hasn’t changed. It’s stayed the same. Find a way [laughs].
Q: Not as many big contracts in that room anymore, right?
A: No, there’s not. That’s what I’m saying, find a way [laughs]. That’s why you don’t get fined.
Q: Are you sticking around the facility for treatment during the Bye Week?
A: Yeah, I’m staying around for treatment. Just trying to get it back to 100%, so I can feel good about going out on the field.
Q: Will the Bye Week help you in your recovery from injury?
A: I think the Bye Week couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. So, trying to get it back right.
Q: Is it any harder to be ready for a game when you’re 1-6, as opposed to being in contention?
A: No, not at all. I mean, we’ve been grinding with each other for a long time, going over in the summer, in camp, so you never want to give up on your brothers and I think everybody has that kind of mindset. So, we’re going to keep grinding, even though the record isn’t too good right now. Just got to grind this thing out for the rest of the season and come together and get some wins.
Q: Are you as surprised as everybody on the outside that the team is 1-6?
A: I just think it comes down to the little things. Last season, we were closing out those fourth quarter games, those close games. And this season, it’s just kind of slipped from us and I think it’s all three phases of the game we’ve kind of been lacking on.
Q: When you return from injury, how much changes for you and your role?
A: I mean, it’s going to be different, you don’t have the same faces in there. That alone, it’s going to change. But my role is going to stay the same, I’m kind of a guy that leads by example, but I’ll be vocal if I have to and that’s kind of what role I’ve had to take these last two weeks, is just staying in the guys’ ears and keeping their heads held high.
Q: How do you feel about the opportunity to play more on the outside?
A: I know the system, I know what needs to be done outside, so I don’t think that’ll be a problem. I’ve played a lot of outside in college. It is an opportunity, but I’m just going to do what I’m asked and try to make plays.
Q: How do you think McAdoo has kept the team playing hard the last weeks?
A: I don’t think Coach McAdoo has much to do, he can say a lot of things, but as a team, we have to come together and we have to fight. That’s the thing, we have a good group of guys that don’t ever give up and that’s not going to change.
Q: How tough has it been for you to watch the offense be so limited the past two games?
A: It’s been pretty tough, but we’ve been handling it pretty well. I mean, we have a great game against Denver running the ball, so it’s only natural to keep what’s going good, keep it going. So, we tried to transfer that over to the Seahawks, it just didn’t work out the way it did before.
Although I know what they're getting at with the injuries, this offense has seemed limited for all his Giants career.