LB Alec Ogletree -- October 8, 2019
Q: What was it like to get back out there?
A: Glad to get back out there with the guys today, so I feel good.
Q: Obviously a full practice today, so you expect to play Thursday night?
A: Yeah, that’s the goal right now, to go out and play. We’ll see what the coaches say and the trainers and everybody says about it, but as for right now, I was able to practice today and get better today.
Q: Is it tough when you see the Minnesota game where they had 490 yards and rushed for 211 and sit there and go, “Man, I could have helped?”
A: You like to think you could’ve helped, but you never know. Things like that could’ve happened if I was out there, and it wouldn’t make me feel any better. But I was proud of the guys that did step in and play. Obviously, you always feel like you could always affect the game if you were out on the field, but I wasn’t able to be out there, so hopefully this week I’m able to go out there and play and have some effect on the game. It’s just a matter of us taking that mentality to the field.
Q: How did you feel moving around today at practice--was anything still nagging you?
A: I felt good. I was able, like I said, to do everything that the coaches asked me to do. I had a good rehab process.
Q: It looks like you and Tae (Davis) are both going to play—how much does that help?
A: Our mentality is next man up, we don’t have one guy that’s just going to save the day for us. It takes all 11 of us to go out on the field and do our job and do it well. When somebody needs to step up, we expect them to step up and do their part, and the same with me. When I come back, they need me to do my part, and the same with the rest of everybody.
Q: Are you curious to see how your team responds in what seems to be a challenging situation?
A: We will respond well. We’ve got a good opportunity to go against a top team in the league and one of the best quarterbacks in the league, so we’re looking forward to the challenge. It’s up to us to go up there and do our part, do our job, and we’ll worry about the results at the end.
Q: This is the first prime time national game for this team—what do you want the rest of the country to come away thinking about the Giants after this?
A: They’re going to think what they want to think. We’re looking to go up there and win the game, obviously, but you have to go out there and play well. We want to go up there and put on a good show, for sure.
Q: Trying to out-think Tom Brady is a pretty difficult thing to do—is execution more important than trying to fool him or play mind games with him?
A: Yeah, for sure. He’s a guy who’s seen everything you could throw at him. He’s obviously done it longer than most anybody on our team, and for us, it’s just about executing, and they do a good job of doing that—executing, not making mistakes. We have to do the same, not make mistakes, be where we need to be, have great eyes, and play well.
