QB Eli Manning

Re: Giants pass rush
A: I mean always Cullen Jenkins does to me. He’s always been an excellent pass rusher. (George) Selvie and those guys are doing good, (Robert) Ayers has done some good things, Damontre Moore. So they have a group that are rushing very hard and Coach Spagnuolo does an excellent job of having some blitzes that you have to deal with and he has unique ways to get people on and get people pressured and get pressure with them on the defense. They gave pressure before and obviously they have some good blitz packages.
 
Q: Obviously it looks like Victor Cruz’s status is still up in the air, but what is your approach to try and defend Odell Beckham Jr.? Does that have to be the focus or is it more team-oriented?
A: It’s team-oriented but obviously you have to know where he is. I mean, he hurt us for three touchdowns the last time we played them. And Larry Donnell had three the first time we played them here at our place and then we covered Larry Donnell and we didn’t cover Odell Beckham. They give us their share of problems, that’s for sure. Obviously, add (Shane) Vereen to the mix as far as an excellent back out of the backfield. So they have a lot of weapons and a Hall of Fame quarterback, so it’s going to be a great challenge for our defense.
 
Q:  In the past two games, the Giants had some fourth quarter breakdowns, specifically offensively. What are you seeing from that offense? Obviously down a couple weapons, but does Eli really look comfortable in this west coast system?
A: Yeah, they did against us the last two times we played them. Last year he looked fine to me. He lit us up. Like I said, Odell had three touchdowns when we played at your place. I think [it’s] early in the season, you’re mixing and matching some offensive linemen, you’ve got a new left tackle and you’ve got some new players you’ve got to deal with, but overall I still see a quality quarterback.
 
Q:  They made a roster move today and released Preston Parker. Does that make you guess how they’re going to replace him? Do you think they go with Geremy Davis or Dwayne Harris?
A: I don’t know. I know Harris from the Cowboys and obviously he’s a great weapon. He’s very good in the running game as far as blocking and he’s a good gadget guy, a reverse screens guy, catches a lot of screens and very good after the catch. He’s a dangerous guy to go along with the guys they already have. I’m sure they have it figured out. Coach Coughlin has a plan and Coach McAdoo and we’ve just got to play our style of football and do what we do and do the best we can.
 
Q: How much does having Perry Fewell on your staff now help you defend?
A: He has information on most of these guys, coaching there for a long time, and it helps, no doubt about it. But ultimately when the ball is in play, he’s on the sidelines next to our coordinator, next to me and watching our players play, so it’s our job to get our players ready to go and have some familiarity with guys where they run routes and maybe some of the concepts they like is beneficial. But ultimately it’s up to the players, when it’s all said and done and the ball is kicked off, to execute the plan.
 
Q:  How impressed are you this season by Kirk Cousins? He has almost a 76 completion percentage? What do you think that’s a product of?
A: I think he’s making sound decisions with the ball. He’s a very accurate passer intermediate, out-of-range and has done a good job of controlling the tempo and controlling the clock and being in games. Last year, we had a lot of times when we were down two touchdowns, you know down 17 points late in the third quarter and we had to throw it every down and it’s very hard on young quarterbacks, Robert (Griffen III), Colt (McCoy) and Kirk. This year we’ve been in both games. Obviously, Miami was very, very close, we were able to stick with our running game plan and St. Louis we had the lead and were able to stick with that and keep defenses off balance. When we’re able to do that, the quarterback should be efficient and he has been.
 
Q: I have an extra point question. Have you noticed a lot more exotic rushes by the defense on an extra point play now?
A: No, not really. I think I haven’t really noticed anything crazy different. No.
 
 
Redskins QB Kirk Cousins
Conference Call, September 22, 2015
 
Q: How would you describe the running back tandem of Alfred Morris and Matt Jones?
A: Just hard runners, strong runners, tough minded, great teammates, and they’re very productive. It’s great to have them in the backfield and we’re hoping that they can continue to run the ball week in and week out at the level they have.
 
Q: What have you seen from the Giants defense this season?
A: I’ve seen talented play makers, I’ve seen a variety of coverages and fronts, and blitzes, and they really do a good job of keeping you on your toes and mixing it up. I expect them to be very tough on Thursday night.
 
Q: What have you seen from their safeties in particular?
A: Well, a former safety from the Redskins we know, Brandon Meriweather, and then they also have a rookie in [Landon] Collins who has done some good stuff. I’ve seen them play well, and be very active, doing a good job moving around, and disguising, and making plays for them.
 
Q: How would the Giants defense change if Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie isn’t able to go this week?
A: Well, he certainly is one of the better cornerbacks in this league and I’m sure they have depth just like we have depth, and so in the NFL, injuries are a part of the deal. It’s always next man up and you have to find a way. He’s certainly a very talented player and makes them a very tough secondary when he’s playing.
 
Q: What have you seen from the Giants pass rush this season? Are they any less intimidating without Jason Pierre-Paul?
A: Well, certainly again, JPP is a tremendous player, and has made a ton of plays, and can really get home. At the same time, I think they do have some good pass rushers still that can get home. The NFL pass rush, no matter who it is, is still very active, and can put the pressure on anybody. It’ll always be an emphasis to avoid sacks and get the ball out of my hand and find completions.
 
Q: Can you speak a little about the time of possession advantage you guys have had this season and how important that is?
A: I think it goes back to being able to run the football and converting manageable third downs. When you can covert third downs and stay on the field, then you can run the football. That enables the clock to run, enables you to be able to control the tempo, and gives your defense a rest. I think it can be a help, so certainly it’s not the most telling stat of all statistics that are out there, but when you control time of possession, it typically means you’re able to control the football, move the football, and that’s certainly a good start.