October 24, 2016 Ben McAdoo Conference Call

Brad Wing – © 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 17-10 victory over the Los Angeles Rams:

McAdoo: Let’s start with the game. The team – I thought it was a tough, gritty performance by our team. We showed some resiliency for the second week in a row. The defense did a nice job of holding the Rams to 10 points and it was a huge bonus for us scoring a defensive touchdown. We never let the running back get going which was a positive and something that we were focused on heading into the game. We won the line of scrimmage, our pass rush was improved and I think our ball hawks in the secondary showed up with ball skills. Landon and DRC had two picks and we also had 12 passes defensed, which was big in the ball game.

What we need to work on – we need to get off the field earlier in drives which will help us with field position. The offense had four drives start in the backed up mode. We had some bad football show up again with the penalty after the touchdown, guys are excited, but we have to eliminate that bad football. We had 25 plays in the last nine minutes of the ball game, which is too many.

Offensively, what we did well – zero penalties, completed the ball to 11 different receivers, it was good to get everyone involved that way and we had zero sacks. What we need to work on – points, didn’t score enough, we had four coming out drives and to go the long way you have to be detailed and eliminate the unforced errors, consistency needs to improve there. We need to cash in on the big-play opportunities, whether it is the run game or the pass game. With the way the game was going, we had some opportunities and we didn’t get that done.

Special teams – the punt team was on point keeping Austin under wraps all day. I thought that at 3:10 in the ball game in the 4th quarter, Wing’s punt was excellent — 49 yards out of bounds at the 25-yard line was a big plus in the ball game for us and our punt return team defended the shifts and motions well, we didn’t give them an opportunity to steal a possession there. What we need to work on – we need to get the punt return game going. We can’t press. We don’t want to press there. It is going to come down to fundamentals and trust. With that, we will open it up to questions.

Q: Can you put your finger on what the issue has been with not getting a consistent running game from week to week?

A: Yeah, the last few weeks we have struggled and it is not one position, it is not one player, it is a combination of a little bit of everything and really, we resorted to using the short passing game to compliment us, so that we can get the ball moving on first and second down. We need to get the run game going. With the way the game went, they tried to cover everyone up, cover the core up, use some line movement up front and we had some big play opportunities in the run game – it is a challenge to be consistent when you are getting those looks, but you need to cash in on those big-play opportunities.

Q: Is it a personnel thing? Do you maybe consider putting the young kid (Paul Perkins) in more?

A: Well, we are going to look at everything. We just had a staff meeting. We are going to look at personnel, we are going to look at scheme, we are going to look at a bunch of different things, personnel groups to see if we can get it jump started here over the bye week.

Q: Why have you gone three wide receivers so often?

A: Well, we felt that it put us in the best position to be successful. But again, we are going to go back to the drawing board, take a look at it and see if we can change things up heading into Philadelphia.

Q: How handcuffed are you by the 53 that you currently have? You don’t have a fullback, you have the three tight ends, their blocking skills are what they are. Do you think you may have to add someone there?

A: We are confident in the players that we have at that spot. We are going roll Jerell and Tye in there some more with Larry and let those guys compete and whoever is playing the best is who we will go with.

Q: What is your plan for the coaching staff for the bye week? What do you try to get accomplished in the next week or two?

A: We are going to take a look at – obviously we are finishing up the game right now as we speak and then we are going to take a good, long, hard look at ourselves – schematically, what has been good, what needs some work and maybe things that you need to – addition by subtraction. There may be some things that you need to tweak schematically. Then personnel, see who needs to play a little bit more, who may need to play a little bit less, so just take a long, hard look at ourselves first. That is important, self-scout is a big part of things and you have a chance to really fine tune what you are doing in all three phases and do what you do best when the games are most important here in the 2nd half of the year.

Q: Why is your offense putting up about 7 points under what it averaged a season ago?

A: That is what we are going to take the next few days and try to figure out. We certainly feel like we have plenty of talent, plenty of scheme. Consistency is a big part of things. We need to eliminate the unforced errors and turning the ball over, we are giving possessions away, so anytime that you give possessions away, that is points. We need to come out ahead of the turnover battle, that will help us. The defense played a big part in that yesterday. But we need to focus on the hand that we are dealt as an offense and if we have to go the long way then we have to go the long way. But we feel that we have plenty of scheme and plenty of talent, we just have to get it going.

Q: Would you ever consider taking a look at the play calling?

A: We’re going to take a long hard look at everything, everything is on the table. Everybody in the building wants to win and we have to do what’s best for the team; whatever we have to do that’s best for the team, we’ll take a look at.

Q: Heading into that self-evaluation, how do you view your first seven game as a head coach?

A: You are what your record says you are, we’re 4-3, so a shade above .500.

Q: Do you feel like you’re in a good a position going into Philadelphia after the bye week?

A: I feel we have a pretty resilient football team. We have guys who believe. A team that has grown together, a team that’s learning to trust each other and I like this team.

Q: What will be your message to the players when you send them out for the week?

A: I’ll keep that in-house. Generally, a bye week is, you got to get healthy but you want to make sure you’re always going forward, you don’t want to go backwards in the bye week. We got to stay on top of our conditioning; we got to take care of our bodies. Be civilian a little bit, be human beings a little bit, spend some time with our family and friends. We got to take care of ourselves and make sure we’re ready to go when we get back on Monday.

Q: Do you want to remind them that they come back to a big division game right away?

A: Yeah, I think they’ll be chomping at the bit for that one.

Q: Do you hope after the bye Darian Thompson, Nat Berhe or any of the other injured guys are back?

A: I’m looking forward to getting everybody back. I’d love to hit the practice field and have the full team practicing. I think that’s certainly a possibility.

Q: With Landon Collins, where do you see the biggest difference between the Landon the rookie and Landon the second year player?

A: Landon has always been a guy that’s had good football instincts. He’s a young player as a rookie. He was fortunate to get a lot of playing time as a rookie so that always helps. You see his instincts showing up, you see his tackling; he’s a physical football player. You can see that he loves to play, whether it’s on defense or on special teams and now he’s tracking the ball well, catching it well and you see his talent when he has his hands on the ball. I’m surprised they ever let him get to defense with those running skills.

Q: Is there any news on Josh  Brown?

A: The font office is in discussions today. I haven’t been a part of them. Either later tonight or tomorrow morning I’ll be a part of those discussions.

Q: He’s allowed in meetings at the team’s discretion, has he been around the team?

A: No.

Q: Is Rashad Jennings still your starting running back?

A: Yes.

Q: Would you like to get Paul Perkins more in the mix?

A: Paul is a young player. He’s turned into a good special teamer for us. We look forward to him growing as a runner as well.

Q: How is Odell Beckham Jr. today?

A: He’s been in treatment, he’s pretty sore.

Q: Would you like to have a decision on Josh Brown’s status before the players come back next week?

A: Again, I’ll take part in those discussions either later tonight or tomorrow morning, early and I’ll jump right in with both feet and we’ll see how it goes.

Q: To be clear, he’s not expected to be there tomorrow either?

A: He has not been around, no.

POST-GAME NOTES…
The Giants broke a two-game losing a streak in pre-bye games and are now 20-8 in such games. That ties them with the Dallas Cowboys for the second-best record in games before a regular-season bye, behind only Seattle, which is 22-6.

The Giants are 2-0 in London. They defeated the Miami Dolphins, 13-10, in Wembley Stadium on October 28, 2007. The Giants and New England Patriots are the only franchises to win two games in London in the NFL’s international series.

S Landon Collins and CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie are the first pair of Giants to intercept multiple passes in the same game since safeties Kenny Hill and Terry Kinard vs. San Diego on September 14, 1986.

QB Eli Manning improved his record as a starter vs. the Rams to 5-0.

WHAT’S UP NEXT…
Player interviews will be held on Tuesday. The players will be off Wednesday through Sunday before returning to practice next Monday.