QB Daniel Jones -- October 31, 2019
Q: Shurmur just said he would say no if ESPN asked to put a mic on anybody on Monday. Will you wear a mic if ESPN asks you?
A: I don’t think so, no. I don’t think I’d wear a mic.
Q: Have you ever worn a mic before?
A: No, I haven’t.
Q: Not at Duke?
A: No.
Q: Why would you not want to do it?
A: I don’t know, I feel like I’d rather just be thinking about the game, thinking about what I need to do and communicate with my teammates normally.
Q: Did you see what happened with Sam (Darnold) and the ghost comment?
A: I did, yeah.
Q: What did you think of that?
A: I think it’s a tough situation there for him to be in. Obviously, (it’s) in the heat of the game. I’d rather not be mic’d up in that situation. It’s tough for him and I feel for him.
Q: Does that contribute to your reluctance to be mic’d up?
A: I don’t think in any situation or before that that I’d want to be mic’d up either.
Q: Did you and Pat (Shurmur) talk about that at all or did this just come up now?
A: It just kind of came up. We haven’t talked about it a whole lot.
Q: What did you get out of losing to Detroit, and out of the game last Sunday?
A: It was a tough loss, obviously. We’ve got to find a way to win those games. I said after the game, I think we’ve known throughout the year we can move the ball, we can score points. We have a lot of confidence in that. We just need to be able to do it in the big moments, we need to be able to do it when we have the chance to take the lead or something like that. I think, as far as our confidence, how we feel as an offense, I think we’ve been pretty steady in that and we’ll remain confident. I think we’ve known we can move the ball, it’s just about converting those opportunities.
Q: This will be the first game all year you guys will have Sterling (Shepard), Saquon (Barkley) (and) Golden (Tate III) on the field at the same time. What do you think that’ll do for the offense and for you?
A: I think it’ll help us. Those are all really good players. When you put them all together there’s a lot of different things that we can do, a lot of different ways to attack. I think the guys who stepped in have played well throughout the season. But yeah, getting Shep (Sterling Shepard) back this week will help.
Q: Does the short period you were on the field against Dallas in the season opener help at all in preparing?
A: Yeah, maybe just a little bit of experience against those guys. I think just being able to watch that game, the second time we play them, the second time we’ll run our offense against what they do, it’s helpful to be able to see that and learn from it.
Q: Are you getting used to this, the weekly press conferences, the attention and things like that?
A: I think so. It doesn’t change a whole lot in the week, I have to speak a couple times. But yeah, I think I’m getting used to it.
Q: Week to week, what’s the development been like? Everybody keeps talking about the game slowing down, is that the experience you’re having right now?
A: I think so. I mean at times I’ll feel more comfortable with some things, then there are those other things that I’m still working through and other things that I’m still trying to learn. I think to say it’s all slowing down this soon for me, I’m aware I’m still trying to learn a whole lot and trying to pick it up as quickly as I can.
Q: Getting back to the Cowboys for a little bit, we always talk about how everything is new for a rookie quarterback, but this is finally something that isn’t. You’ve already prepared for this team and played a handful of snaps against them--does that help? Is that a benefit to you in this game?
A: Yeah, I think so. Like you said, just seeing our stuff, our offense against them and kind of how we match up and what certain looks look like against them. I think all that stuff helps in being able to prepare the second time against a team.
Q: This is also your first start against this particular divisional opponent. As a quarterback, this is a team you’re going to be facing twice a year for however many years--do you think about that in terms of starting off this rivalry that is going to become with the Cowboys defense?
A: I don’t know if I necessarily think of it that way, but it is a rivalry, these two teams. It’s a divisional game, it’s an important game, it’s a big game, and I realize that there’s a rivalry element to the two teams playing, just in that they’ve been in the division and played for a long time. So, I’m excited to be part of that, and yeah, I think I realize it’s a big game.
Q: DeMarcus Lawrence kind of likes talking about the Giants quarterbacks, do you know anything about that?
A: No, I heard I guess he said something today, but I’m not worried a whole lot about that.
Q: He said you’re like the next Eli (Manning)—what do you make of that?
A: Well, I appreciate that. It’s nice of him to say.
Q: Do you expect to hear from him a lot during the game? I don’t know if Eli’s said anything to you about that part of it, but he does a lot of talking about Eli before the games, I don’t know how much he gets in his ear during the games.
A: I haven’t asked Eli about that, Eli didn’t say anything. I’m excited to play, like I said, it’s a divisional game, it’s a big game, so I’m excited to get out there.
Q: How much is he a guy that you have to keep your eye on specifically? He’s obviously their top pass rusher, a big guy.
A: He’s a good player. They’re good up front, they’ve got a good pass rush, so I think we’ll have a good plan for it and going in we’re confident in being able to handle that. So, I think he’s a good player, they have good players up front, but I think we’ll have a good plan and we’ll be ready to go.
Q: Have you noticed pass rushers try to get in your head when they knock you down or anything, try to give you the rookie treatment at all, that kind of stuff?
A: Not too much, really. It happens, but not too much.
Q: This might be the week.
A: Could be, that’s part of the game. But yeah, I’m excited.
Q: Maybe they’ll have him mic’d up (laughter).
A: Maybe.
Q: I would go with him over you if I was choosing (laughter).
A: Probably a lot more content.
Q: So, if we show up at the house this afternoon do you have anything good for us?
A: I need some candy, I don’t have any candy yet. So, I don’t know if someone comes knocking on the door, but I’ll get some candy on the way home.
Q: Did somebody already ask you how you ended up as Woody?
A: Yeah, it was the costume with the least pieces to it, so that’s the one I chose.
