Russell Wilson

Seahawks QB Russell Wilson
Conference Call — November 5, 2014

Q: What do you see in the Giants secondary? Do you still think this secondary is dangerous group and a tough matchup [after losing multiple starters to injury]?

A: Yeah obviously when they lose those types of players it is tough for them. We know that they are a very talented defense. [Antrel] Rolle is a great player. [Quintin] Demps is a good player too as well. They are making a lot of things happen. Obviously [Dominique] Rodgers-Cromartie too. We used to play against him against the Broncos. We know that they have some championship caliber players in the secondary, so we are going to have to step up and be on time and be on the money in terms of the passing game and make plays.

Q: Have you been in touch at all with Walter Thurmond III after he suffered his injury and went down for the year?

A: I haven’t been able to talk to him. I have been praying for him and rooting for him to get back quick. He is a great football player. He was so talented for us. He made so many unbelievable plays for us as a Seahawk, so I have a lot of respect for him and I am hoping he heals up. The quicker, the better.

Q: What does it mean to reestablish the dominance you had at home?

A: We played a home game last week and we were able to get a win. It is not easy to win at home or on the road. At the same time that 12th man is ferocious. It makes a difference for us I believe. It is exciting to play in CenturyLink field. It’s one of those things you have to put on your bucket list.

Q: You talked about being able to be on time and making plays in the passing game… When you look back at film of last week what did you see in [your performance] about where the struggles came from?

A: Just basically me. I was a little high on some throws, which I am normally not. I am not normally high on throws. It was just an off day. You get back to the basics and the fundamentals of the game of football and keep growing and keep loving the game and keep doing whatever it takes to win football games.

Q: You had a lot of success last year against the Giants… Clearly this is a much different team with a new offensive scheme, new players… Do you look back at that game film and is there anything you can take from that performance last year?

A: We went to New York [last year] and played a very good game. We played tough. We even thought we could have played better on offense last year. We got some penalties and backed ourselves up in certain situations. It is a new year a new team for both of us. We have a lot of the same players, but they have some new players. It is a new situation. Obviously playing in CenturyLink is going to be different. We are just looking forward to playing the game again. Every game is different. You can’t expect the game to be the same as last year. Every game is different. You look forward to those battles and a great opportunity. Eli Manning is a great quarterback who is known to do a lot of great things and make special things happen.

Q: Looking back to that game last year when you came to MetLife Stadium… Did that give you guys any sense of confidence that you guys came in and played well… Did that give some type of mental edge [during the Super Bowl] knowing you could play well in that stadium?

A: I think that cleared our heads a little bit. It got us to the point where we [understood] we won here before, [so] let’s go do it again. That type of thing. It’s always good to be in an atmosphere you are familiar with. But also in our mindset it doesn’t matter. 100 yards is 100 yards and it is still 53 1/3, whether we are playing home or away or if it’s the first time we have ever been there before.

Q: There always been a [saying] that it is harder to defend a title than it is to win one. Has there been anything this year that has surprised you about difficult it has been at times

A: I don’t know about that saying that it is harder to defend a title than win one. I think it is pretty hard to win one. I think about last year, we were 13-3, but we won some tough games. We battled, and we fought through a bunch of injuries, and we hung together. That is what we are trying to do right now, we are going through a lot of injury battles, and we are trying to keep guys healthy, keep guys going, and keep winning football games, and play one game at a time. It is not easy; it is a new year for us in terms of different challenges. Every year is different no matter if you have won a Super Bowl or haven’t won a Super Bowl. You just got to get prepared the right way, have championship preparation every week, and that is all you can handle. All you can do is get yourself ready to go. I always say, ‘If you want to be a champion, you must prepare like a champion.’ That is my mindset. That is our football team’s mindset.

Q: How much do you look at last year’s tape for this game? They have a lot injuries and a lot of things have changed.

A: I look at so much tape. I look at everything, from all of their games this year, to last year, and the years before. I just try to study as much as I can. They have a different team in terms of the guys that aren’t out there right now, but they also have some guys that are similar, and some guys that have played a lot of football for them before. You think about some of the guys they have rushing and some of the guys that they have at the linebacker position, and also Antrel Rolle at safety. He is a very good safety, who makes a lot of plays and a lot of good players on that side. We are going to have bring our A-game just like every week, its professional football. We have to get ready to go. We know what Eli Manning is capable of and what he can do. [I have] a lot of respect for his game.

Q: Do you see a different scheme between last year’s team and this year’s team?

A: Different scheme, no, not really, in terms of the defense, no. They are running a lot of similar stuff and flying to the football, and trying to make plays. They played a lot of good football games and some of them came down to the wire, and they made a lot of plays too as well. Every week is different. We just got to step up when the play is there to be made.

Q: What are you seeing from Jason Pierre- Paul on film? He has been on the injury report with a shoulder [injury]. Tom Coughlin thought the injury might have hampered him this past Monday. What do you see? Do you think he is still the same player?

A: I think he looks pretty good out there. Coach Tom Coughlin may know a little more than me, but I think he looks pretty talented out there when I saw him on film. He is guy that definitely flashes on the screen and he is a spectacular football player. [He] finds a way to get to the quarterback and cause havoc in the backfield. I think he looks pretty solid to me, better than solid that is an understatement.