Bobby Okereke – © USA TODAY Sports
DECEMBER 18, 2023 BRIAN DABOLL PRESS CONFERENCE…
New York Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll addressed the media on Monday (VIDEO):
Q: Defensively, why didn’t you guys send more pressure after (Saints quarterback Derek) Carr? Like, more blitzers to try and rattle him?
A: I think (Defensive Coordinator) Wink (Martindale) mixed it up. There were a few times that we brought it where it was close. There were other times where he’s getting the ball out quick and using some action. I thought he did a good job of mixing it up.
Q: This has been kind of happening all year, but I don’t know if I’ve ever asked you yet, though. Why does (running back) Saquon (Barkley) come out so much on third down?
A: I think that if Saquon needs a break, then he comes out. We put the next person in. Saquon’s obviously an important player for us. He plays as much as he can play. If he needs a blow, we put another guy in.
Q: So, he just tends to need breaks on third down, third-and-long?
A: Yeah. I mean, I couldn’t tell you the exact amount of third-and-longs or whatever it is, but he’ll stay out there as long as he can.
Q: How does (Saquon) handle this? You’ve seen him now for a couple of seasons. When he doesn’t get the production, he’s not getting yards, everyone’s frustrated. For a player of his caliber, how do you see him handling that?
A: Like a pro.
Q: What does that mean exactly?
A: He’s a professional. He does his job. He does it to the best of his ability. He does everything he can to put his best foot forward.
Q: I mean, it’s got to be difficult for a running back. A receiver might not get the targets, but a running back keeps on getting it, and getting it, and getting it into the line. There was clearly nothing there yesterday. When you looked at it, was it something more that he was doing, or the offensive line, in your mind?
A: I think it’s a collective. Everything offensively is always a collective effort.
Q: Did the offensive line take a little step back yesterday in your mind?
A: Well, every game is different. So, I’ll give credit to New Orleans. They did a good job. They created some issues both in the run and the pass, some with just a four-man rush, some with more, but credit to those guys as well.
Q: How’s (quarterback) Tommy (DeVito) feeling this morning? Because he got checked yesterday for the concussion. Also, what did you see when you went back and looked from his performance?
A: I thought, again, like I said yesterday, there were some things that we could have done around him to be better, but there’s also some throws that he wishes he had back.
Q: How’s he feeling? Is he alright?
A: Yeah, he’s okay. He’s sore. He took some shots, but from my understanding, he’s just sore.
Q: I know on that last sack he took in the game he definitely grabbed at his leg. Did he hurt his ankle or something there, or something in his lower leg?
A: No, he just said he was sore. He was watching the tape upstairs with (Quarterbacks Coach) Shea (Tierney), I just popped my head in and said, ‘How you feeling?’ He said he’s sore. I’ll meet with the medical people after this meeting.
Q: You named Tommy the starter for Christmas Day in Philly right after the game. I was just curious why?
A: He’s earned it. I’m not going to make a week-to-week change. He’s earned it. It’s not always going to be perfect, but he’s earned the opportunity to play.
Q: If a performance doesn’t go well, I feel like you normally kind of go back, reevaluate, and look at your options before making that call, as opposed to just kind of saying it right then and there.
A: No, I felt comfortable saying it there that he’s going to be the starter.
Q: So you think he gives you the best chance to win in Philly?
A: Yeah, that’s why we’re playing him.
Q: One of the performances that kind of stood out to me yesterday was (defensive lineman) A’Shawn Robinson. Was that his best game?
A: He’s been playing well. He’s been playing well, really all season. Got a lot of confidence in him, but he’s been really playing well these last few weeks. Stout, good knockback, productive. He’s certainly done a good job for us.
Q: I assume (kicker) Cade York will be the kicker this weekend, even though you haven’t met with the medical people?
A: I’ll have more for you guys on Wednesday with that.
Q: If the game was closer and you were getting in field goal range, was your thought process that you could have (punter) Jamie (Gillan) kick any normal field goal? Or did you feel in your head we kind of have to get closer or go for touchdowns here?
A: We communicated after (kicker) Randy (Bullock) went down relative to his line, what he felt comfortable with. So, we were aware of where we wanted to get the ball to or fourth-down potentials that we would have the rest of the way.
Q: So, you would have kicked field goals if you needed to?
A: If we got it to the certain area that we needed to get it to. But there were a whole bunch of conversations. That, two-point plays, a lot of things that were factoring in there.
Q: I’m sure it adds another layer of uncertainty during the game, I would think. Early in the game.
A: Sure.
Q: Can you just run us through what your plan is? I know it’s a little bit of an unorthodox week for you guys.
A: So, Wednesday will be a normal Wednesday. Thursday will be a normal Thursday. Players will have off Friday. Saturday will be like a Friday. Sunday, like Saturday.
Q: You’re just adding an extra day off, basically, on Friday for them?
A: Friday, yeah.
Q: Tuesday and Friday.
A: Yeah. There were a couple of different ways we could have went with it in terms of sports science. Sat down and talked with the captains. This is the direction we’re going this week.
THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and on YouTube:
WHAT’S UP NEXT…
The players are off on Tuesday and there is no media availability to the team. The players return to practice on Wednesday.
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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