Post-Game Transcript: QB Daniel Jones

NYG Postgame (vs. Jets) Transcripts: QB Daniel Jones -- August 8, 2019

Q: Daniel, five for five, sixty-seven yards, a touchdown. Was that about as good as you thought going into this game? How it was going to go for you?
A: Yeah, I thought it went well. It was good to move the ball down the field and score, so as far as expectations, I didn’t really know what to expect. I just wanted to play well and glad we were able to move the ball and execute.

Q: Take us to the [Cody] Latimer play. What did you see in the play action and finding him down the field for the big gain?
A: Yeah, so off of play action, had him on a crossing route and the line did a good job holding up and [I] kind of just found a spot in the zone and he did a great job getting open there. So, yeah, good play for us—something we’ve worked on during camp.

Q: Was that [Bennie] Fowler [III] touchdown just a matter of getting it to the back corner and letting him run under it?
A: Yeah, I think that’s… I mean they were cover two there with the safety and playing the deep pass, so trying to hit that back pylon there in the red zone.

Q: Finally, one thing you talked about this week about how you’re seeing different looks and maybe taking a little longer to process. First time you’re seeing a 4-3 defense, first time you’re seeing an opponent in an NFL game, it seemed like you were getting your back foot down, getting rid of the ball pretty quickly and pretty decisively. Were things slowing down for you out there? It looked like you knew exactly what you wanted to do with the ball when you did.
A: Yeah I think that was some advice I got, was to be decisive and make quick decisions so, yeah, trying to see what the defense is doing and trying to make quick decisions, but being decisive throughout was definitely a focus.

Q: Daniel, Bennie Fowler [III] told us that right at the start of the drive you said something to him that you say to him every day in meetings that showed him you were relaxed, but he wouldn’t tell us what it was. What is it? What do you say to him?
A: Just said what’s up to him. In a way we say ‘what’s up’. No, it was fun just to be out on the field first time and in the huddle and actually broke the huddle a little early in the tv timeout, but that was something to learn from there, but yeah, just fun to be out there with those guys.

Q: Daniel, what was the plan if the sky was sunny? Like how long were you supposed to play? We’re assuming you only played the one series because of the weather. What were you supposed to do?
A: Yeah I think the weather kind of got us out of rhythm a little bit with the plan, but I don’t know exactly what the plan was, but I expected I would have played a little bit more, but unfortunate that’s what happened and all good. That’s the plan.

Q: Did you want to go back in after the weather or is that not smart with your arm? I’m trying to think, is it like a starting pitcher in baseball? You don’t go back in after a long break?
A: No, I think as a player you want to play, but that wasn’t Coach’s plan. So I was perfectly good with that. I think that made a lot of sense.

Q: Daniel, with the success that you showed tonight, what was the biggest takeaway for you?
A: I think just in being decisive and trying to make quick decisions, trying to make the right decision and trying to make the right decisions as quick as I can.

Q: Daniel, how much does it help working with Bennie Fowler [III] everyday with the twos out there in practice and developing chemistry, out there tonight?
A: Yeah, I think that’s what we’ve done these past couple of weeks kind of across the board, but particularly with the receivers, kind of building that chemistry and knowing how they’re going to run certain routes, how they’ll come out of breaks. That’s really important.

Q: I think that’s the first time you’re out there with the starting offensive line. How did that feel to be out there with that group and do you think it helped you?
A: It was good. Yeah, I think it was the first time out with some of those guys and they’re all really good players so it definitely helps.

Q: Could this have gone any better?
A: I don’t know. There’s a couple things I messed up there in the first couple plays, but when you’re playing with good players, it helps, so we found a way to make it work and yeah, I thought it went well. We did move the ball and execute.

Q: Pat Shurmur said that you were supposed to move the tight end?
A: Yeah, so I missed that and luckily Wayne [Gallman Jr.] stepped up and we had Wayne on a defensive end and gave us some time, so that was big. I owe him for that.

Q: Outside that first play, you weren’t really thinking?
A: I was thinking, but yeah just missed that and we had it again—I got it right the next time.

Q: Does playing in an NFL game feel different?
A: Yeah, I mean I think just being out there in an NFL game, yeah, I think it feels a little bit different, but at the end of the day, though, it’s football. It’s the same game, but yeah it feels a little bit different.

Q: You had said you were going to take a moment during pre-game to take it all in what was that like?
A: It was a really cool moment, I just kind of ran out there for the first time for warm-ups and looked around a little bit. It was the first time I had been in the stadium so, yeah just a really cool moment and got me more excited.

Q: Did you keep the ball?
A: I did, I don’t know where it is now. I brought it off with me, so I will have to try and track it down.

Q: Pat said you missed moving the tight end on the first play?
A: Yeah, I missed that. That made Wayne Gallman’s job a good bit harder. He got it done so I definitely owe him for that. It would have made it a little bit easier for us.

Q: Now that the rest of the league has seen you, how much do you think you opened eyes?
A: I don’t know, I’m not sure I thought about opening eyes, just trying to go out and play the best I can for these guys in the locker room and trying to do my job with everyone else doing their job. If it works, we score points. I don’t know how that’s seen outside the locker room.

Q: How would you assess your performance?
A: I think overall, I did some good things. It was short, so you have to take that into account. I missed a couple things, I could’ve been a little bit better with a couple things so I will focus on that. Good to just get out there for the first time.

Q: Any butterflies when you first stepped onto the field?
A: I was looking forward to getting out there, I was a little bit loose anticipating getting going and getting on the field a little bit. More excited probably.

Q: How do you handle the buzz around you after a performance like this?
A: I think I will just continue to do what my job is, and that’s to do what I can to prepare myself to improve as much as I can every day. I trust the plan and I’m a part of this team and I’m trying to make sure we are in the best position to win games this year. I try to do that the best I can.

Q: It seemed like they wanted to keep you in with the number one offensive line, did Pat mention that to you?
A: Yeah, I thought I would be out there one more time, but the lightning came.

Q: You were going out there to start that next drive before the lightning?
A: I think I was.

Q: What is the biggest difference between college and NFL?
A: You can kind of feel it on the practice field, too, but I think the speed. The difference in the speed of the game is real at all positions, particularly the defensive backfield. Throwing the ball and trying to find zones, people aren’t as open as they were in college. I think that’s true. I would say the speed is the biggest thing.