Thursday Media Transcript: LB Connor Barwin

LB Connor Barwin
September 6, 2018
 
Q: Are you ready to go (with the knee)?
A: Yeah, I’m ready to go. I feel good. Like you said, it’s time to go. This is the real Week 1, so I’m ready to go. I’m excited about playing.
 
Q: How much do you look at it as you and (Lorenzo Carter) sort of combining to take those snaps from (Olivier Vernon)?
A: I don’t look at it that much. A lot of people are going to get reps, and me and (Lorenzo) are going to play. I’m excited to see what Zo does, and I’m excited to see what I can do, and we’re going to help each other throughout the game.
 
Q:  I assume after so many years, missing training camp isn’t a major loss. You’re well-prepared? 
A: Yeah. I’ve played in a lot of NFL football games. You can say my legs are little fresh going into this week, because I had about a week and a half off of training camp, so it worked out. I did everything I had to do when I was down for those days. I feel prepared, I know what I’m supposed to do, and again, my legs are fresh going into Sunday. 
 
Q: Jacksonville is a good run team, and they also throw in that screen that keeps you guys awake. What else do you see from them? 
A: They do obviously run the ball well, and then like you said, they’re going to throw in a lot of screens, boots, kind of misdirection type stuff to try to slow down your rush. It’ll be a big challenge for us up front to stop that run, and then get out of the box and run down those screens and those sort of plays. 
 
Q: Can you talk about (Leonard Fournette), what you’ve seen from him?  
A: Yeah, I got to play him last year, a big running back. They give him the ball a bunch throughout the game – downhill runner, has the ability to breakaway and take runs the distance, so we’ll have to gang tackle him and, like I said, it’ll be a big challenge for us. 
 
Q:  You guys have been very good about the run in the preseason. That bodes well?    
A:  I don’t put much credit into the preseason, but yeah, something we pride ourselves in throughout camp with (Coach Bettcher) and what he talks about a lot is you have to stop the run. We put a lot of focus on it and it starts this week.
 
Q: One of the things that Gettleman said when you came here was that as guys get older, it’s more about quality snaps than quantity of snaps. I’m sure you feel like you can give them quality snaps, can you still give them the quantity of snaps that they may be needing if (Olivier Vernon) can’t play? 
A: Yeah, I’m ready to go. My body feels good. It’s funny when people talk about Lorenzo and me, I’m obviously closer to the end of my career and he’s right at the beginning of his, but majority of my career I’ve played maybe 90% of the snaps for every season, so I’m used to getting a lot of snaps. However things unfold here, whatever they ask me to do, I’m confident I’ll be able to do it, whether it’s all those snaps like I’ve done in the past, or a little bit less.    
 
Q: You got here a little later, you played the run game, and then you had to take some time off. Was that something that concerned you, or did you foresee that might happen?
A: No, I think that was just us being smart about getting ready for the season. That was us, again, looking forward to a 16-week season and making sure I was ready for that.
 
On not playing much throughout the preseason:
A: Yeah, it was just us being smart and getting ready for Week 1 of the season. 
 
Q: How much do you look at opening day differently than you did earlier in your career? Do the emotions still pop?
A: Honestly, it’s not that much different. Maybe other than my rookie year when I was just extremely nervous about my first NFL game, but after that, it’s still the same excitement. Being here in New York, I’m excited to have my first game here and then the start of a new season, what everybody looks forward to when a season ends the year before and you don’t win the Super Bowl. I’m excited to get this journey started this Sunday.  
 
On New York fans not cheering for you in MetLife in the past:
A: I’ve had a lot of good games in MetLife Stadium, and I expect to keep that going. Just with the right jersey on now. 
 
Q:  They weren’t happy when you were having good games, though. Right?
A: No, New York wasn’t. But we’re going to turn that around now this Sunday. 
 
Q: Are you anxious to have some good games and have this home crowd rooting for you a little bit?
A: Yeah, I’m excited to see what MetLife is like being the home team here. It’s going to be fun. 
 
Q: Has Coach Bettcher leaned on you and (Alec Ogletree) a little bit because you played them, as far as attacking the Jaguars?
A: No, not really. He’s got it under control. We played them last year, and we won the game. I went back and watched the film. We did alright, but they ran the ball a little bit on us. That’s in the past, and we’re prepared this week for what the Giants defense is going to do and hopefully be a little bit better.