Wide Receiver Darius Slayton
Q: You have never had a bye week this late, most people have not had a bye week this late. How was it? There's so much less in front of you than there is behind you. My question would be, what is there to play for? What would you say there is to play for given where the season has gone so far?
A: Same thing we were playing for at the beginning of the year when we were 0-0. Everything that we want to accomplish is still out there possible for us and we just have to do a good job of taking it one week at a time, one game at a time, one opponent at a time. If we're able to keep stacking wins, you know, we had two wins before the bye. If we keep stacking wins, we'll end up where we want to be.
Q: How was it this late? You know what I mean? I mean, you know, you've had it, you know, you've had it four weeks, five weeks, six weeks. Is it good for your body? Was it hard to - is it hard to come back? It's different, isn't it?
A: Yeah. I mean, I'd rather not have another one this late, but at the same time though, it's kind of unique in that when it is this late, you come back and as you said, you have played the vast majority of the season. So, it's kind of like you get a little reset and then I feel like it kind of gives you a good chance to finish strong. We have what? Five weeks left? Five games left; I think. It kind of just allows you to, even though it's later in the year, you kind of get the wear on the front end. It kind of comes at the right time because obviously if you go into the postseason then it's nice to have that little break right before.
Q: I know you don't want to endorse one or the other, but are there any differences on the field or in the huddle between (quarterback) Tyrod Taylor and (quarterback) Tommy DeVito that you've noticed so far?
A: Of course. Tyrod has been in the league for 12 years, something like that and DeVito is a rookie. There's a lot of things that Tyrod knows about the game and kind of more so like the way he carries himself, you know, everybody kind of has to learn how to carry themselves, like how you fit into a team as you grow in this league and as a rookie, especially a quarterback, a leadership position, you have to kind of find your way and I feel like DeVito's done a good job of finding his way quickly, but it's impossible to close a gap of 12 years. I think DeVito's done a great job and Tyrod's a professional, that's why he's been in this league so long. I'm glad to have both on our team.
Q: How are you feeling? Did the rest do you some good?
A: Yeah, it does good to not get tackled, you know, kept my body off the ground helped out but I feel good.
Q: You're joking when you say that, but is there a difference? Do you come back and say, 'Oh this is what it's like to have a week off from someone beating up on me.'
A: You get so used to starting your week feeling terrible. Like now, like on Monday, you know, I feel great. It's like, wow, this is how Mondays are for regular people. It's always like that coming off byes, but I feel rejuvenated, refreshed, and ready to go.
Q: This is about a guy on the different side of the ball, but as you know, I look at you as someone who has the pulse of the Giants' locker room. When you look at (linebacker) Bobby Okereke and the way he's fit in, and it seems to me, my non-football self, that he's grown throughout the season, perhaps in a leadership role. What do you see again? I know it's the other side of the ball, I get that, but what do you see from Bobby?
A: First of all, he's a really good football player. When he first got here, I kind of said to him, you know, you're trying to get me fired because he caused my lone fumble last offseason, so I'm very happy to have his ball-punching prowess on my side now, but no. I think he's done a great job. He's played at a really high level for us. He's made a lot of tackles and caused a lot of turnovers. I think at the end of the day as football players, we all can respect somebody playing at a high level, you know, something in our business that's coveted is elite players. I think once you recognize somebody, especially a teammate, somebody like Bobby, that's new to our team as an elite player, his influence grows, his leadership grows, and I think he's done a great job for us this year.
Q: Whenever we look at the bye week early, you always think, ok, how's the team going to come back and re-invent themselves? Whether it's personnel changes or schematically, strategically, how will they reinvent themselves, but with five games left, as you said, being so late in the season, we're in December. What do you anticipate this team looking like? Do you see a chance for it to reinvigorate with some changes or is it just really a continuation of what you guys had before the bye week?
A: I think for us specifically as a team, I think it's given us a good chance, you know, guys we have that are banged up or whatever. I think it came right on time, you know, being able to have this bye and going into a Monday night game. It kind of buys you another day on top of that. I think for our team specifically with where we're at, I think it helped everybody, you know, physically and mentally, kind of get a chance to reset mentally, but also give your body a break and be able to heal from some of the things that just come along with the football season.
Q: I just wanted to ask you about another one of the guys in your room. (wide receiver) Jalin Hyatt, a guy who got so much excitement, got people so excited through the Summer. It took a while and then last week, he kind of had a real breakout game for him. What do you expect from him in terms of development and what do you expect from him down the stretch?
A: I think what he showed last week is who he is. He's an explosive player, you know, he can make big plays for our team, obviously coming out of college, we all saw the kind of just go-ball after post after big play at Tennessee. I think he has that in his arsenal, but he also, you know, that's what he went viral for. He can play receiver, he can run routes, and he can catch the ball
in the intermediate game. I think as we go, we'll have the chance to show those things and I think he did a great job before, and he's been doing a great job all year.
That's just the nature of being a receiver. Sometimes people see you go for 150 then they see you go for 50 and they're like, well, what happened? Every game is different. Teams played us differently, and defended us differently every week, so the opportunities come and go sometimes, but I think as long as he gets the chance to make plays, he'll make them.
