Offensive Tackle Andrew Thomas
Q: How much did you guys need that win yesterday and what's the spirit in the building afterwards?
ANDREW THOMAS: Yeah, it was the next game, the next opportunity to win, and we did. It's a great feeling. But it's a short week, so we put that one to bed and we're on to Dallas.
Q: Last year the opener against Dallas obviously had a trickle-down effect that affected the whole season. What is it about playing those guys and do you guys feel like you get a little more up for that matchup?
ANDREW THOMAS: It's a division game, so there's more emotions to it. To play meaningful football in December, you have to win the division games. So, it's definitely going to be a top-notch matchup, and we're excited about it.
Q: And are you feeling good?
ANDREW THOMAS: I'm feeling great.
Q: I know you got injured during the game and it sat with you for a while, but how long did 40-0 take to shake off? Like, what was the feeling that night? And do you almost want it to sit with you this weekend? Do you want guys to be angry about that still or is it like you have to move on from one season?
ANDREW THOMAS: Yeah, that game was embarrassing. Home opener, that's a tough way to lose. But it's a new season, a new team. Some guys carried over from last year, and like I said, it's a divisional opponent, so even if we won that game, it's the same mentality. I'm sure they have the same mentality on the other side. You want to win that game, so that's what we're looking forward to doing.
Q: This is the way the NFL is, but like eight days ago, people, media, fans, analysts, former players, were leaving you guys for dead, and now you can win two games in four days, get back to .500. Do you feel that? Can you feel the trajectory of 'we have a chance to change the trajectory of our season'?
ANDREW THOMAS: Yeah, you just try to approach every week at hand. You try not to look too far forward or too far behind in the past, and we're just focusing on this weekend. We get a win, then, like you said, things look different.
Q: What do you think of your individual play yesterday? It did not seem like the high standard that you usually set. Maybe I'm wrong, and if so, if you didn't feel like you played your best game, is it encouraging that the line played well because it feels like that would not have happened in the past? Like, if you didn't play your best game, the line would not have played well.
ANDREW THOMAS: Yeah, it was bittersweet. We got the win, and the other four guys played great. I'm disappointed in my play and I take that wholeheartedly and I'm doing everything I can. It's a short week but trying to make the corrections so that I can be ready for Thursday.
Q: Obviously, because he's the quarterback, Daniel (Jones) gets most of the criticism when things aren't going well. I'm curious, and he certainly has gotten a lot of it. How do you view the way he handles that, and how much respect do you have for the way he does handle that in that position?
ANDREW THOMAS: Yeah, DJ is very confident. He's very headstrong. Like you said, with a lot of adversity, and a lot of criticism, he continues to come to work every day. He doesn't let it affect him. We have confidence in him. He's been showing what he can do.
Q: When you guys left the field after the home opener a couple of weeks ago, it was a pretty loud booing from the home fans. What do you want to show them now that you're coming back to MetLife? Probably a little bit more of a mature team, a little bit of a different team than you were in Week 1.
ANDREW THOMAS: Honestly, just give them something to cheer about.
Q: Is there anything that you tell people who are new to this rivalry, whether they're rookies like (wide receiver) Malik (Nabers) or veterans like (outside linebacker) Brian (Burns) or the guys next to you, (guard) Jon (Runyan Jr.)? What do you tell them about Giants-Cowboys games?
ANDREW THOMAS: Not much. It's a divisional game. It just means a little bit more because we play them twice during our division. But I think the approach is the same, the same way you approach any opponent.
