GIANTS HEAD COACH JOE JUDGE
Opening statement:
“First off, obviously pleased to come out here with a win. We knew it was going to be a 60-minute game like it was last time. We knew this was an improved team, who plays very aggressive. They did. They did not disappoint. They gave us everything. We asked our guys to finish and play 60 minutes. We saw that down the stretch. We're able to come away with the result that we're working for this week. Now I'd say also, you know, a note to, you know, [Washington QB Kyle] Allen's injury. Obviously, our thoughts with him. We hope nothing severe. He's a good competitor. We have a lot of respect for him. We don't want to see anyone leave the game or anything like that. And then Alex Smith coming in the game, we have a tremendous amount of respect for him. We knew the second he came in the game plan was going to change slightly from what Allen would have done. But obviously, we knew he was a very capable player who showed going through the stretch. Obviously, did a lot of things that give them a chance to win at the end.”
On his mindset once Washington cut the lead to three:
“No for us, the whole message was finish. Yeah, that's a thing you could constantly hear a player saying over and over and over. We talked about that before the game, at halftime, throughout the game and on the sideline. We have to finish the game. When we took the field, number of times in that fourth quarter, the message was finish. The players were ready for. We responded to whatever came our way. Washington made some plays down the stretch, but we were able to come up with some big turnovers in key situations. You kind of get in players like Logan [Ryan] and Blake [Martinez] to make some plays for you down the stretch, and they came through for us.”
On defensive turnovers:
“Well, it's a big part of the game and obviously between penalties, turnovers and mental errors are some of the things you have to eliminate to have a chance to win the game. Our team came out here prepared today. We did a good job with turnovers and ball security. We did a good job in terms of eliminating some of the penalties. There are still things we have to get off the map right there and eliminate for how we're playing. We don't want to have anything to take us back within drives. Mental errors, the guys played a pretty clean game. They're very well prepared on all three sides of the ball. I'm pleased with some of the things we were able to install for our guys on Saturday. The last call of the game was something [Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham] Pat was able to put in a walkthrough on Saturday, that we took Saturday morning. He thought it was something that could help, obviously was Logan was a feature player on that defense and he's able to come away with the play for pretty much exactly what Pat designed.”
On QB Daniel Jones:
“I think Daniel played a really good game today. He distributed the ball across the board. I saw him make a lot of really good decisions when he was in tight kind of conflict in the pocket, throwing the ball away at different times. He was able to run with some good ball security and make sure he got some tough yards forced and delivered a lot of good, accurate passes. I thought Daniel really managed the game and controlled the game and was able to make some plays for us down the stretch. Very pleased how he prepared throughout the week and the results we got from him today.”
On RB Alfred Morris:
Yeah, I mean look we count on everybody on our roster to make production for us. Everyone on our team is part of the plan every week. Alfred is a guy that came in here, it took him a few weeks of kind of getting really into football shape, getting along with our offense. He had a jumpstart from his time with [Offensive Coordinator] Jason [Garrett] before. But look, he hasn't wasted opportunities. He's gotten in, he's made big runs for us. He's a guy that our guys respond to a lot. We knew this was a game that he was going to come down, like he would any week. For this game, that meant something to them right here and he came in and really gave some good production.”
On last play of the game:
“Yeah, I couldn't really answer that one right there, Tom. I'm pleased with how it worked out ball security wise on that play. Obviously, we don't want to have a free run or make a hit on our quarterback. But the goal is to end every drive with a kick, an extra point, a field goal or punt. Whatever kind of game that is, we are able to end it in that drive right there with a punt. Riley [Dixon] came in there and gave us a little bit of field position that the defense could go out there and make a play.
On CB Logan Ryan:
“I say it's kind of just who Logan is. Logan's a very mentally tough football player and he's a great team leader. There are a lot of things behind the scenes that people don't know or see that Logan really brings to a team. That's something I've seen really evolve throughout his career. First coaching him when he was a younger player, and then having to coach against him when he was on an opposing team and he beat you, and you know that he's a key catalyst in winning those games. Now being back on a team with him, you can see how his maturity and his age have really helped him settle in. It really is what his personality is and Logan is a tremendous leader for us, on and off the field. He brings a lot of versatility on the field. I’d say the things he went through all the time and we talk a lot to our players about overcoming adversity. This is a guy that overcame adversity on the field this week, made big plays but really off the field is where it started. The things that he had away from the way from the building. He never brings it in, you know, he comes on and you can ask him how it is always, and he will tell you everything's going great, even though you know it's not. He puts the team first when he is in the building. He is all business, and he always takes time to personally check on his teammates. I couldn’t tell you how glad that I have Logan on this team and how valuable he is to us.”
On the offensive line:
“I've said in previous press conferences, I just want to play everyone at the game right there. So tackle-wise we're really three for two at that spot. Guard-wise we are really two for two. Will should be back sooner or later for us. I plan on being three for two at those positions as well inside. We're going to try to play everyone at the game every week, make sure we stay fresh, give everybody experiences, keep on improving. I think we have good players at that position, and we will give them a chance to play.
On play installed on Saturday:
“It was a different coverage; it was a different coverage. Both have some kind of disguise to them, which is really kind of what Pat does a good job of using pieces. He does a really good job of being able to do things that are similar in nature and concept and then just change the presentation of them. So, there's different ways of getting familiar schemes for us. That’s something we have to be able to do as a team to play what our strengths are, to be able to change up so I can't just sit back and identify everything. Alex [Smith] is a very experienced player. He's seen a lot of different defenses. Last week we had Tom [Brady] and Tom has seen every different defense you can imagine thrown at him. You have to be creative in how you play, what you really want to play, but really, it's about how you present it to them and what they see it as. So, again, that was something Pat walked in early Saturday morning. We talked about it briefly in terms of something he wanted to do. Look, I want to let my coaches coach. If it’s sound. If there's a rhyme and reason to it, he thinks it's a way for us to be aggressive and make a difference in the game, I'm always ‘yeah, go ahead install it. Let's play with it.’ Whether we draw up in the dirt on the sideline, okay, or we draw it up on Saturday morning, give to the players and give them time to really go and adjust, we've got to be smart enough team to take those last minute adjustments and apply them into a game.”
On WR Austin Mack and TE Kaden Smith:
“Yeah, I'd say well I definitely noticed Kaden in several of those drives of him really getting up off the ground after knocking someone to the ground. He is a really a good blocker force and he's also a good receiver force. He's really more of a traditional tight end, and I think he's really grown in that role in a positive way as a run blocker and receiver. The thing about Austin is this guy gets better every day. He's been that way since day one. We started on the zoom calls back in the spring. He's a guy who's on the first one signed in, he asked questions early to clean up material. He's always looking for extra work. He's a guy who leaves the field last. He's always got a smile on his face. He takes hard coaching really well. He's got a very demanding on challenge from a great deal, but simply put, I think he's a guy that hasn't wasted any opportunities. He was on the practice squad window open, he came in, he's made plays. Alright. Ball comes his way, he's a productive with it. So really, that's just our kind of mode of operation, whoever's at the game we kind of get production. Today was good day for him right there. We can get more days like that in the future, but we also we can get more production from all players, all the time.”
On next week against the Philadelphia Eagles:
“Throw the record away, it's irrelevant. It's going to be a big game for us no matter who we play, especially with Philadelphia coming in. The record is completely irrelevant this game, Jordan. Look we're just trying to go 1-0 every week. I'm not posting in front of my team what the record is for the season to be completely honest here right now. That's the last thing we should care about. We have to worry about day by day and week by week making constant improvement as a team and moving in the right direction. I see that, I'm pleased with that. I love the way these guys come to work. I love the way they fight for each other on Sundays. But I don't care what the record is on any year. The fact that we're playing Philadelphia is a division game, it's obviously a big game for us.”
