Transcript: Head Coach Brian Daboll

Head Coach Brian Daboll

October 7, 2022

Daboll: This place has been awesome; the people have been great. So, go out there and have a good practice.

Q: On Daniel Jones

A: We’ll see. He did better yesterday than he did the day before. We’ll see how it is after the long flight; come out here practice. But he looked good yesterday, too.

Q: What do you need to see for him to go on Sunday?

A: Just another good day. I think, again, he’s made progress since the last game. Each day, he’s gotten a little bit better. Again, being on the airplane for a while and go out there and let him loosen up, run around a little bit. But he’s been getting a lot better.

Q: What do you think about playing in a stadium that’s not a local team? The Packers are the local team, but at the same time, it’s like the same thing like you. You’re playing a team in a stadium that is not a local team playing. So, what do you think?

A: Yeah, in my career I’ve done that a few times. It’s usually loud all the time whether that’s the last game of the season in the NFL, a bowl game. We practice with crowd noise. We are going to have to do a good job of communicating in probably all three phases, but I heard it’s a great crowd.

Q: Can you talk a little bit about the decision to leave (Wide Receiver) Kadarius (Toney) home? It looked like he was doing pretty well on Wednesday, obviously he didn’t travel.

A: Yeah, he tweaked it again on Wednesday. So, wouldn’t be ready to go. We kept him home to get treatment.

Q: Is there any thought there with him to put him on IR and getting him back in a month to rehab, get it better and come back after four games?

A: I think (general manager) Joe (Schoen) talk about a lot of things. I think we revisit things each week regarding whatever player it may be. But it was the other hamstring; it wasn’t the same one.

Q: The other one meaning this is a totally brand-new injury?

A: It was the other hamstring, not the one that he’s had.

Q: Why does he have so many hamstring issues?

A: We’ll look at everything. I feel bad for him. He was running around. He was getting a lot better. And unfortunately, he tweaked it a little bit. So, we’ll just get him treatment and get him ready as we can.

Q: You managed to uplift the whole of the fanbase and seemingly the team as well, really positive energy. How have you managed to switch the attitude in such a short space of time?

A: I don’t know. I’m just trying to do the best job I can, and I think our staff, our organization, the people in our organization, the players – we’re trying to give everything we got each day to be better than we were the day before, focus on the things we can control. Again, I’ve said this many times – you try to do things right during the week. You try to prepare everything you can prepare for. Some things come up that you got to make quick decisions on. Again, it’s a collective effort. You might not always get the results that you’re hoping for, but in terms of trying to do things the right way, be a professional, be where you’re supposed to be when you’re supposed to be there, not make excuses – that’s what we’re trying to build.

Q: You were talking the other day about how you can tell the teams are respecting your run by the fronts you see when you get to the line of scrimmage. Despite all of that, you guys have still been very successful running. Do you expect, given the wide receiver situation, the quarterback situation – do you expect to see a lot of guys in the box on Sunday?

A: That would be a good question for (Green Bay defensive coordinator Jim) Barry and (Green Bay head coach Matt) LaFleur. You get a wide variety of things each week in this league that you prepare for. Of course, we’ve run the ball a lot, so you’re anticipating some heavy boxes. Just because you’re anticipating doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. Those guys up front must do a good job of communicating the different looks and try to get a hat for a hat. The receivers need to do a good job of blocking the force players.

Q: How happy have you been with that part of your game?

A: I think we’ve done some good things. There’s certainly things we can be better at, but I think we’re making progress.

Q: I know you put your trust in your guys and plans you put together for this trip, and you want to keep it as normal as possible, but when you walk out here look out at the fields this morning, do you almost guard against the wide eyes a little bit and remind the guys why you’re here?

A: Yeah, I think they understand why we’re here. Obviously, we’re playing a really good opponent. You put everything you got into it each week; You only have so many of these games, whether you play at home, on the road, across seas. Obviously, you acknowledge this is a cool trip relative to playing in another country. We’re out here to represent the Giants in this game. Again, we have to control the things that we can control – both teams got to fly across an ocean to get here. You try to take care of the players, try to educate them. And there’s no excuses for coming over, being tired. Everybody is tired a little bit. We got to do a good job. I think our medical staff, our sports science staff has done a good job. We got off the plane, we went right to the field, we did a little bit of a walk through, we had normal meetings, we’ll go out there and practice. That’s our focus is doing the best we can do relative to our day, which is a normal Friday.

Q: Other than the guys you left home; do you know anyone who will definitely or probably not play Sunday?

A: No. We’ll take it. We’ll see how it goes today and then make our decision after that.

Q: You’ll be at the stadium tomorrow?

A: No. We’re not going to the stadium.

Q: Will anybody be in the stadium? Will the players?

A: No. We’re staying here.

Q: So, the first time they’ll be at the stadium will be on Sunday?

A: Like a normal away game. We don’t go to the stadiums if we go play wherever it is. We’ll keep it as normal as we can.

Q: What is your opinion on playing in Europe during the regular season?

A: Yeah, like I said. We’re honored to represent the Giants. I think it’s cool to be able to play in this atmosphere. But again, we must do our job and do the things we need to do to go out there and play well and coach well.

Q: Does (Quarterback) Tyrod (Taylor) have a chance to play?

A: Yeah. We’ll take it all the way up until the end when we can. There will be some more things after practice, so I’d say the same with (safety) Julian (Love). Won’t know until later today.

Q: The rumors have been going crazy since (former Wide Receiver) Odell (Beckham Jr.) visited the facility. Can you categorically shut down the interest that you make have in resigning him?

A: I’d say that Joe and I talk a lot about a wide variety of things: players, adding players, workouts on Mondays and Tuesdays. We’re always trying to improve our roster in any way that we can.

Q: Coming into an opportunity like this, is it an opportunity to get away from New York and team bond? Or is there some distraction?

A: No. It’s our next game. This was on the schedule to come here and play. And we try to do everything that we can to in the offseason to prepare for the trip, whether it’s scheduling, how we’re going to prepare, bringing our chef, whatever it may be. It’s the next game for us. Again, it will be a cool atmosphere. And we’re privileged to be here.

Q: What’s it like, as a head coach, preparing to take on a player like (Packers Quarterback) Aaron Rodgers? Has your preparation changed at all?

A: You prepare as hard as you can each week. It’s just he’s one of the best to ever do it. So, obviously it’s very challenging because of his talent, his experience and what he does out there on the football field. He’s one of, not just best quarterbacks, best players to ever play.

Q: How far away from being game ready is (safety) Landon Collins?

A: He just got here. He just got here today. He’s on our practice squad. So, that’s where he’ll be. He’s got a lot to learn in terms of how we do things – not just playbook, but how we do them as an organization. So, we’ll just take it each day with him and try to help him be the best he can be for us.

Q: He’s a player with a bit of a unique skillset in terms of his physical safety and hybrid linebacker-safety position maybe. What do you see from him when he does get up to speed with…

A: I think we’ll see. He just got here. He didn’t even travel with us. He just got here in the moving. I just saw him. He just signed his papers. I’d say long way to go relative to where he’s at and where we’re at.

Q: One more for you on Daniel, does he have to do, in order for you to put him in to play, does he have to be able to get to a place that he always has been before this? Or does he have to do just enough?

A: We look at him out there and we have a game plan that we try to execute. And we watch him do those plays. If we feel comfortable with him as a coaching staff, and obviously medical has to feel comfortable, we have to feel comfortable as well. And I’d say, he said this the other day, that again he’s made progress. I’d say good progress.

Q: You guys have gone 3-1. What has impressed you most about your team

A: They grind. They work real hard. They prepare. They’ve done everything that we’ve asked them to do. I think they take it day-by-day which is important in our league. They don’t flinch. They compete for 60 minutes. And again, I’ve said it. I’ll keep saying it: you don’t have to like the results. You have to love the process, the preparation that goes into it. And if you do the right stuff, you hope you get the right results. And if you don’t, you still can live with it based on what we’re trying to build and how we’re trying to do things.

Q: (Wide receiver) Richie James coming into the season and his contributions to the receiver corps. How big a setback is the injury?

A: Yeah. He’s been very dependable: where he’s supped to be, when he’s supposed to be there. He’s been out there. I’d say he’s developed a good relationship with the quarterbacks. They trust him. Everything we’ve asked him to do, he’s done. So, that’s a good start.

Q: As the head coach of the New York Giants, what is the best thing, the thing that makes you most happy to be head coach of this amazing franchise?

A: That’s a good question. I haven’t thought about it. I’m living in the moment right now. But I am certainly privileged to be in this spot. I’d say the relationships and the people that I’ve gotten an opportunity to meet, coach, work with. It’s a people business, and I like our people.

Q: Your punter (Jamie Gillan) has the nickname the ‘Scottish Hammer.’ What’s your assessment of him so far?

A: I got a chance to meet him in Buffalo. Good person. He’s done a good job so far with the things we’ve asked him to do. Has a strong leg, and he’s a really good teammate.

Q: …How far are you on that process?

A: We got a long way to go. Just keep on working; take it day-by-day. Do the things that we think we need to do. Try to build team chemistry. Try to go out there and stack good days together and then compete as hard as we can compete on game day.