Jason Pierre-Paul and Johnathan Hankins – © USA TODAY Sports Images
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MONDAY BEN MCADOO CONFERENCE CALL…
New York Giants Head Coach Ben McAdoo addressed the media by conference call on Monday to discuss the team’s 22-16 victory over the Chicago Bears:
McAdoo: It was exciting to see the men in the locker room respond at halftime; 13-0 in the second half was big for us. We won the turnover battle, four penalties, and we held them to 16 points. If we do that, we are going to have a chance to be successful in a lot of games.
Defense, what I thought we did well: 101 yards, zero points in the second half, 4-of-12 on third down, a combination of 10 tackles for loss and sacks, and we ended the game with an interception in the two-minute. What we need to work on: substitution error on the goal line, can’t have it. We need to cut down on the explosive gains that are assignment related.
Offense, what we did well: the first five drives, three touchdowns and a field goal and really the other drive, if we don’t have the penalty, we were moving the ball there as well. Zero ‘gives’ for the first time this year and especially in the elements, that was big for us. We showed physicality running the football and we were at our best on fourth down when we needed it. What we need to work on: last five drives, zero points to show. It seemed like we were pressing at times and there were too many technique errors.
Our special teams, what we did well: the 46-yard kick return to start the half set the table, the punt game overall was positive and at 3:13 in the fourth quarter, the 45-yard net with zero yards on the return and the 10-yard penalty tacked on was big for us there in the punt game. What we need to work on: can’t have the substitution error on the field goal, gave up a 40-yard kickoff return, the punt return was a muff and kickoff return decision making has to improve.
Where we go from here, we have to keep focusing on improving. We have to clean our house, we have some sloppy football out there, but it is all correctable.
Q: Any expectations that Brett Jones, Roger Lewis or Marshall Newhouse will practice?
A: Roger is in the protocol. Jones, we will take a look at and see what he can do on Wednesday.
Q: What about Marshall?
A: Marshall went back into the ball game, but again, we will have to take a look at him on Wednesday as well.
Q: What about Justin Pugh?
A: He was moving around a little bit at the end of last week and, again, we will see how he looks on Wednesday. It is too early to tell.
Q: Did Odell hurt his hand on that low pass in the dirt?
A: He may have caught a finger in the turf, stubbed it a little bit. I am not 100 percent certain.
Q: What did you see on Robbie Gould’s two missed PATs. He was talking about the wind, not making an excuse, but was there something off about his technique?
A: We need to make those. You talked to Robbie yesterday. I think he hit the nail on the head and we are all on the same page there.
Q: You mentioned ‘pressing’ on those last five offensive series. Can you kind of expand on what you mean by that?
A: Just too many technique errors. We need to do what we are supposed to do, when we are supposed to do it, as well as we possibly can, all the time. We have to be on the same page.
Q: In retrospect, do you feel like your play calling got a little too conservative once you took the lead?
A: No.
Q: Why not?
A: I thought we were running the ball physically. I thought we had some opportunities to convert and complete the ball. I am fine with the way the game was called.
Q: How did you think the offensive line held up?
A: I thought the offensive line – we had zero sacks, the quarterback did take a couple shots, but I thought with all the moving parts throughout the whole week and the short week of preparation, I thought they came out and played physical in the run game.
Q: How would you describe Victor Cruz’s role in this offense?
A: He is one of the three starting receivers out there and we had some guys nicked up and he played, what did he play, 60 plays. He played a lot of football for us yesterday.
Q: Victor doesn’t get a lot of passes in his direction, but when he does, he makes them count.
A: It was tough to complete the ball outside the numbers yesterday. It was a challenge. I thought taking care of the football in those types of conditions with the winds and the gust, really the challenge was that the winds weren’t sustained. They were gusts so you didn’t know when they were going to hit or when they weren’t going to hit. I thought taking care of the ball was encouraging.
Q: Obviously with Landon Collins the picks are apparent, but overall, can you give us a sense of how well he’s playing. Would you say he’s playing at an all-pro level?
A: I can’t really speak for Landon. I think he’s playing at a high level and the teams that we see…I don’t get a chance to watch everybody in the league so I don’t have an opinion on whether he’s playing at an all-pro level, but I know he’s playing at a high level for us. He’s still learning, he’s still growing, he’s still a young player and he’s preparing well and he’s very productive.
Q: When they had the penalty on the second to last play, was that something you guys could have declined and if so, why didn’t you?
A: Any time Jay Cutler has the ball, the farther you can back him up at the end of the ball game, the better. If anyone can cut through the wind and get one in the end zone, it’s Jay.
Q: Why give him an extra chance then for five yards?
A: Felt like it was the best decision for our team.
Q: What went into the decision to have Larry Donnell inactive?
A: We were short on linemen and we wanted to make sure we had enough guys to finish the game. It’s easier to move a lineman to tight end than it is from tight end to lineman.
Q: Big picture, obviously you’re a first year head coach, when you went into this, did you imagine you could have this kind of success this early on?
A: We haven’t accomplished anything yet. The highs are high and the lows are low and you’re going have to put out three dumpster fires a day. Other than that, you need to focus on your preparation and get ready for the next opponent.
Q: They say that winning cures everything; how do you view the attitude or atmosphere around the building the last few weeks?
A: I think guys did a nice job early in the week last week focusing on their preparation. They seem positive, they seem hungry to get better and that’s encouraging moving forward.
Q: You said that you haven’t accomplished anything yet, but of course you guys do have seven wins; what do you mean by that?
A: Seven wins doesn’t get you very far. We need to keep stacking success.
Q: You said yesterday that a road trip would be good for the team; is that something that a team misses a little bit? The traveling and the camaraderie?
A: It’s an exciting week for our guys. Haven’t been on the road in a little while, so anytime you get a chance to get on the road and bond and spend some time together, some quality time together that way, your team has a chance to grow and get closer.
Q: A report out of Cleveland was that Cody Kessler may have gone into concussion protocol. How difficult does that make your preparation for this week not knowing what quarterback they might put in.
A: They’re all three very different players, so of course that will be a challenge but we have to be ready for it.
Q: Do you do work on all three as a result?
A: We have yet to go into the meeting. I have a meeting here in about seven minutes and that’s something we have to discuss.
ARTICLES…
WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Select players will be available for media sessions on Tuesday. The players return to practice on Wednesday in preparation for Sunday’s away game against the Cleveland Browns.
