Aug 132016
 
Stansly Maponga, New York Giants (August 12 2016)

Stansly Maponga – © USA TODAY Sports Images

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SATURDAY BEN MCADOO CONFERENCE CALL…
New York Giants Head Coach Ben McAdoo addressed the media by conference call on Saturday to discuss the team’s 27-10 preseason loss to the Miami Dolphins. Coach McAdoo provided an injury update on CB Eli Apple (knee), WR Sterling Shepard (groin), WR Geremy Davis (hamstring), and TE Will Johnson (burner).

Opening Statement: I thought last night what we did well, as a team, we rolled with the punches early on with the weather delay. Something that’s challenging to do. You know, you go out, you warm-up, you cool down and you have to go back out and do it again. I thought the first units came out of the gate fairly quickly, fast, and were physical. From a substitution perspective, communication and focus was on point. We had 11 on all of our snaps, which is encouraging for the first game…easier said than done. From a game management perspective, we were clean.

Some things we need to work on: obviously the most important thing is taking care of The Duke, didn’t do a great job of that, put the ball on the ground way too much, too many turnovers. Sudden change defense, something we need to work on as well. They’re tied together there, so when the offense turns the ball over, return team turns the ball over, the defense picks it up. With that being said, we were minus-three on the turnover ratio, and if you were minus-three last year, the teams were 2-46, so tough to win football games that way. Tackling, and long stride, short stride need to improve for 60 minutes. We started well, but we let it slip as the game went on. Our blocking fundamentals and physicality and pass protecting needs to improve. We weren’t firm up inside the pocket, especially when the second group got in there, we need to firm that up. We need to cut out the pre-snap penalties. Where we go from here, we’re going to throw effort at everything. It’s going to be hot this week, we’re going to work through it and we look forward to moving on.

Q: With Ryan Nassib’s performance last night, how much of that was him and how much of that was a lack of solid protection?

A: He didn’t always have clean protection, but Ryan still had an opportunity to make some plays. He needs to throw the balls out there a couple of times and I think he would have had an opportunity to make some big plays. I would have liked to see him hit the post to Sterling (Shepard). Ryan’s going to move on, he’s going to learn from this experience and he’s going to bounce back.

Q: Speaking of Sterling, do you have an update on injured players?

A: Sterling, we don’t think it’s serious. He’s a guy that we’re going to put through individual tomorrow, we’re going to wrap him up and see if he can practice after the individual.

Q: What about some of the other guys? Eli Apple?

A: Eli went for a scan; I don’t have anything new on Eli at this point. Geremy Davis doesn’t look like he’s going to practice tomorrow but has a mild strain. Will Johnson, we’re waiting to hear more back there, but it looks like he’ll be out at this point.

Q: You said Apple’s going to get a scan?

A: Yeah, Eli Apple is going to get a scan, I haven’t heard anything since the scan.

Q: On what? What is he getting a scan on?

A: On his knee… His left knee.

Q: What positions do you feel that you are deep in? Do you feel any of the units have a big drop off?

A:  When you take a look at it, I think the receiver group is fairly decent. We are young there at some spots, but I think we have some good depth there. We have some depth at the running back position. The tight end group, I think, has some nice depth and competition. We have some young players on the defensive line; it was encouraging to see them take a step forward yesterday. The cornerback group is an interesting group as well. The second offensive line stepped in there and we need to see some more out of them, we need to make some progress there. We need to develop those guys. They certainly have it in them, but we didn’t play that way last night in the passing game. We did run the ball well, so we don’t have to throw the baby out to the bath water, if you know what I am saying. We just need to get on those guys, develop them, we get the pads on this week and get going there. The linebacker group is a group where there is a lot of competition, we just need to get healthier.

Q: How did Darian Thompson do in his first extended game action?

A: Darian had a good start. He was out there; he was 100 percent in his assignments or close to it. He communicated well. Special teams, he has some improvement to do there, so he can get better in special teams, but he had a nice night from a defensive perspective. And again, it is just a starting point.

Q: Was that what you were looking for the most? The 100 percent on his assignments.

A: Yes. We want guys to play well, grade out assignment-wise and it is about – they have to know what we are asking them to do and then being able to do it the way we are asking them to do it, so it is assignment and technique. Obviously, as a young player he has some things to clean up from a technique perspective, but his assignments were clean.

Q: Where does everyone stand behind those two guys (Landon Collins and Darian Thompson) at safety?

A: Yes, Darian and Landon, again they were solid. Nat Berhe got some good snaps in there, as did Mykkele Thompson. It is really an open competition there. Cooper Taylor, you can throw in the mix, (Andrew) Adams, Bennett Jackson and (Justin) Currie — it is an open competition there behind them.

Q: Was the touchdown before the half, is that something where Berhe needs to stick with the ball and not the player?

A: Yeah, that is a fluke play. The quarterback tried to fit it into tight coverage. You would like to see the corner hang with that number one receiver a little longer. It was more – chalk that one up to the football gods, but that was a heck of a happening there. That is what that was.

Q:  How do you feel about your depth at offensive line?

A: Again, I think that we have guys who we feel can compete at a high level. They had a bad night in pass protection last night, they played better in the run game than they did in pass protection and we need to put the pads on and get back to work. That is what I see.

Q: Is there anything more on Victor Cruz and his status?

A: We are going to throw Victor out and do individual with him and see how he gets through individual and then we will take it from there.

Q: Aside from losing the game, was there anything that was a real disappointment to you?

A: Yeah. Taking care of the football. As much time and energy as we spend on the football and taking care of The Duke in practice, for us to be that careless with the ball is very disappointing and it will be fixed and it will be addressed.

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Eric Kennedy

Eric Kennedy is Editor-in-Chief of BigBlueInteractive.com, a publication of Big Blue Interactive, LLC. Follow @BigBlueInteract on Twitter.

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