Wide Receiver Sterling Shepard
Q: One of the big things in the offense on Sunday was the amount of motion you guys used and you were a guy in motion quite a bit. How do you think that helped this offense kind of maybe keep the defense off balance?
A: Yeah, it helps a lot. I mean it's a lot of moving parts. Anytime you can mix up the defense that way and get a chance to see what they're in, you can get a beat on them. This game is about inches and it's the small things. So, any beat that you can get on the defense, it helps us out.
Q: How big of a change is that compared to offenses you have been in, in the past?
A: This whole offense is pretty different than any offense I've ever been in. It's tough to grasp but whenever you get it, you can see how explosive it can be.
Q: On that play where you scored the touchdown, was that one of those motion plays?
A: I don't know.
Q: There were three on the other side and then you by yourself on the left.
A: Yeah, that was just like called because there were no motions on that play I don't think.
Q: There's traditional motion then there's like 'fly sweep' motion.
A: Yeah, a lot of that stuff, like I said the moving parts, everybody moving fast, that's what he wants on the motions. Just to get the defenses eyes on it. So, sometimes you hand it off, sometimes you don't but it mixes it up pretty good.
Q: You've been here since 2016. This is the first time since 2016 that you won an opening game. Can you sense the difference not only in the locker room but around the area?
A: Yeah, everything is better whenever you win. I told the guys that, because a lot of them weren't here whenever we were winning games, that's just something that comes along with winning games, and everybody loves that feeling. So, we have to continue to execute throughout the week so we can continue to have that feeling.
Q: What do you expect the crowd to be like for Sunday?
A: I'm just focused on today. I'm not trying to look too far ahead, the crowd, I expect they're going to be, loud and pretty upbeat because obviously, we won last week. We're trying to establish a winning culture at home so, guys are pretty amped up about it and I'm sure the fans will be too. But we've got to focus on today and getting better and learning from the film at practice today and continue the rest of this week.
Q: They have a couple of first-round picks at cornerback. What do you see from that group when you watch it on tape?
A: It's a young group but they're really talented. So, we've definitely got to do a good job of beating them man to man. I think that they're going to try to man us up pretty good. They've got some really good DB's, really good in the secondary. I think that's really the strength of their defense. We've got to do our job and get open and catch the ball.
Q: They run a lot of single-high. Does that open up some of those kinds of downfield over route type of concepts? Where can you make some big plays if they stick that single high for a lot of that game?
A: Yeah, I mean that can open up, but we've got to do our job and execute whatever's being called. That's definitely what they're suspectable to are those deep shots. We just got to execute.
Q: What kind of challenge does (Quarterback) Baker (Mayfield) impose?
A: He's one of the biggest competitors that I know other than (Running Back) Saquon (Barkley). Definitely a guy that you've always got to continue to fight and try to get down. He's not one of those guys that's going to go down easily, he's not going to give up, he's definitely keeps his group up and the morale up of those guys. I mean, he's smart so defense definitely has their challenges but I'm sure (Defensive Coordinator) Wink (Martindale) is getting those guys right and getting them prepared for his play style.
Q: You guys still in touch?
A: Yeah, we talk all the time. That's like my brother man.
Q: I was just going to ask what the sense you got from him, getting that second chance in Carolina?
A: I'm sure he was happy about it. His situation and everything that was going on, it's good to see him back on the field and playing ball. That's what he loves to do, and a lot of people love watching him and I'm one of those guys. So, I hope he does well, just not on Sunday.
Q: What did you tell him about your first head coach who is now his offensive coordinator?
A: I didn't tell him anything. We didn't talk about that.
Q: You've been through so much since then, what do you remember about the (Previous Giants Head Coach Ben) McAdoo years here?
A: I'm trying not to think about any of that stuff anymore. I'm just really focused on what we've got here right now. That's my main focus, getting this team back on the right track and winning football games. That's the culture that the ones before us have built and the last few years have been super tough. So, to start off the season that way it's great but we've got to put that behind us and move on to this next week and get that again.
Q: I just ask because that was the only winning season you had.
A: Yeah, that was but like I said I'm focused on now.
