Head Coach Robert Saleh, 8.22
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Opening statement…
Alright, really quick, just going to knock out some of these injuries. (Joe) Tippmann, he’s dealing with his knee, knock on wood, we’re anticipating that he’ll be available for the beginning of the season. Izzy’s (Israel Abanikanda) got a thigh contusion, got away with another one. He’s going to be a couple of weeks and Kenny’s (Yeboah) got a hammy (hamstring). He’s going to be a couple of weeks.
Antwan Staley, New York Daily News: What’s the status on Duane Brown?
Duane (Brown) is in Houston getting his evaluation, so hopefully we hear something tonight or tomorrow.
Antwan Staley, New York Daily News: What led up to the decision to want to play and (Aaron) Rodgers in the final preseason game?
Just he and I had a conversation. Ultimately, he’ll have his thoughts too, but for us as an organization, he’s new. I know he’s been in the League a very long time, but just didn’t want September 11th to be the first time that he stepped into MetLife Stadium. The Giants and Jets game, whether it’s preseason or regular season, there’s going to be good turnout. There’s going to be a lot of anticipation and excitement in the building and just didn’t want the first time that he goes out with his new team, new colors, new teammates, new stadium, didn’t want September 11th to be the first time.
Connor Hughes, SNY: You guys are starting Mekhi (Becton) right tackle, what went into that decision?
He did a really nice job in the game, took over half the snaps, he looks like he’s in much better shape, obviously. So, we’re giving him a run at right tackle to see how he does.
Rich Cimini, ESPN.com: Is that a tough decision for a coach? I mean you want to get him acclimated, but there’s the injury risk?
No, you can’t coach scared, you can’t play scared. You can slip out of your car and have something happen to you, but knock on wood, everyone will be fine. You know you see some of the great ones out there. Kansas City’s playing their guys, Buffalo’s playing their guys, it’s not uncommon. You could always play the hindsight game or the fearful game, but what’s in the best interest for our team is to go out there and play some football together and prepare ourselves the best way we can for September 11th.
Dennis Waszak, Associated Press: Have you talked about what it will be? One series, one half?
We’ll see how it goes. I don’t want to just throw him out there for a series and get him out. I would like to see those guys go through transition, get to the sideline, have some adjustments, get back to the field, make some more adjustments, play with those adjustments, so you’d like to see that transition happen a few times.
Connor Hughes, SNY: With the preseason, I know in the past the third preseason game was the one you took as the dress rehearsal and people game planned for. How do you approach this one now, because this is the quote on quote third one, for you guys fourth, do you game plan for this one? How does it work?
Yeah, no game planning. What we’re doing is simulating the game week, so all of our times are different, the meeting times are different, we’re simulating what an in-season schedule would be like so guys get acclimated. There’s new coaching staff and all that, but as far as game planning the Giants, we’re still in training camp for us.
Rich Cimini, ESPN.com: Just a couple other injury guys. How about (Laken) Tomlinson and AVT (Alijah Vera-Tucker)?
Both should be available for the game this week.
Antwan Staley, New York Daily News: Carl Lawson?
He’s still working through some of the back issues he’s had and we’re being diligent with him. He’s been running, he’s been doing all this stuff, but we just want to make sure that his back is 100% before we throw him out there.
Rich Cimini, ESPN.com: Is Corey Davis back?
Corey is still dealing with a personal matter, so hopefully soon.
Zack Rosenblatt, The Athletic: What did Mekhi show you when you watched the film from the other day?
Lot of energy. Looked like a young man who loved being out there, loved playing the game. I mean, he was finishing blocks, showed athleticism, strength, power, movement. A lot of things he still has to clean up, it’s a little thing, but it’s everything, pregame and his language, his voice, the bounce in his step are the things that people aren’t seeing because we’re so fixated on what he’s doing on the field, but the sideline demeanor, the locker room demeanor, all of it’s been improving so much over the course of the last month, so giving him this opportunity with those guys, it’ll be fun to see how it all works.
Dennis Waszak, Associated Press: Was there a conversation or conversations with him about like “we know you wanted to get on the field, you wanted to play left tackle, but you could be a really good right tackle”?
He and I had a couple of those conversations and he’s been good with it. Like I said, I think he’s on board. He’s excited, he wants to play, and I think he’s in a really good place.
Antwan Staley, New York Daily News: What is your assessment of the return game and what has (Xavier) Gibson shown you throughout the course of preseason?
Yeah, he’s been pretty good. He’s shown some stuff, he’ll get one more opportunity to try to make his case on why he should be on this roster, but the return game, you know Brant (Boyer) and those guys do such a good job and from a special teams standpoint, trying to find who’s going to be that extra guy, that returner back there to get us the extra first down. We’ll see, Mecole (Hardman Jr.) still hasn’t touched the ball back there and (Randall) Cobb was a pretty good returner in his day, so there’s a lot of a guys who want an opportunity at it.
Zack Rosenblatt, The Athletic: Is Dalvin (Cook) back with you guys and is he going to practice this week?
Yeah, he’s going to get his continued work, will not play in the game. Neither will Breece (Hall).
Rich Cimini, ESPN.com: What’s your philosophy on the new rule with the third quarterback? Do you like that rule, and do you think it’s an automatic that you have to have that guy since they’re offering you that opportunity?
Yes, to answer your question. I think it’s a long overdue rule, especially when the concussion protocols were elevated the way they were. You could argue that should have been made midway through the season when the rules changed mid-season, they should have. You could argue that, but good for everybody to discuss it and find a way to make it work.
Rich Cimini, ESPN.com: So (Tim) Boyle’s your third guy?
Yeah, I would love to have him around. We’ll see how it all shakes out though, but absolutely.
Zack Rosenblatt, The Athletic: With Aaron, a lot of guys have talked throughout the course of camp about learning his hand signals, his cadence, and how he’ll throw something different at them the day of practice. What’s it like having a quarterback who brings that to the line of scrimmage to try to confuse the defense because once everybody figures it out, the defense won’t know what he’s doing?
That’s the key. He’s at a different level, obviously because he’s so experienced. 19 years, he just knows what he likes and obviously integrating what (Nathaniel) Hackett and Todd Downing and Keith Carter and all those guys have brought too to make a cool little system that I think we’re building, but when you have a guy like that, I’m going to reverse it from a defensive standpoint because you always tried to trick Peyton Manning and Tom Brady and Aaron by creating all these signals, and all you did was trick yourself, so as long as we’re all on the same page, then it becomes a very, very, very useful weapon, but it’s good that we’re straining now, because it’s only going to help us as we move forward.