| Opening statement: “Well, we have a big day in front of us. Obviously, we have to go out and practice well today. I think a big emphasis this morning through meetings is about the red (zone) area. I thought last week – I thought our Friday practice overall as a team could have been better, and I think some of that showed up in the game. It’s important for us to go out and to just dial in exactly on what we need to get done in all three phases, so that we can work together better in the game on Sunday. We have a big challenge in front of us. I think this is a really good Giants team, and I think they’re building confidence as the season goes, and certainly they create a lot of problems on both sides of the ball. Offensively, they have some skill players that are just so dangerous, starting obviously with the running back (Saquon) Barkley and the tight end position (Evan) Engram – when you watch him more and more, his speed is really a major issue – especially, down there with a size matchup and stuff. Defensively, the packages that they mix and the pressures, and things like that they are bringing down in the red (zone) area are really hard, and I think that’s something that we’re probably going to see in the game – a lot of those types of looks. We’re going to have to do a good job of executing. We’re excited for practice, ready to get out there and finish off the week. I think the guys have been working really hard this week and it’s been really good to see. So, we’ll go from there. Just a good Friday, playing in front of us, that’s what we’re looking forward to.” On CB Darius Slay’s comments and how he addressed them: “I think for me, Darius – he’s passionate about this team, he’s passionate about his friends, he’s passionate about football. For us, I know these decisions impact everybody – players, coaches, people throughout the building. That’s certainly always the case and they’re never easy. We’re always trying to do what we think is best at the moment for the team, and we move forward. So, we addressed everything as a team on Wednesday, and I really thought the guys have done a great job of turning the page. I think for us, the bottom line is that we haven’t played well enough to win the last several games and all we want to do right now is just go win. We want to try to go win, and we know that’s going to be all about preparation and practice and getting better through the course of the week to be able to go play well against the Giants. That’s our focus. Hopefully we have a good day today at that and do the same thing.” On if he has talked to CB Darius Slay personally: “I haven’t spoken to him individually about it. I spoke to the team as far as that’s concerned. I’ll always obviously, leave all of those conversations open, come on in let’s have conversations or if there are questions. Really, I think the team is just driving towards the Giants, that’s really been the focus from that standpoint. Really, just kind of where we’re at.” On the level of concern when a player is disgruntled and how it affects the team: “I mean for us, I’m really just going to go off on what we’re doing to try to prepare to get ready to go, and that preparation so far has been good. Like I said, we have a big game with the Giants, that’s really where our focus is and that’s what we have to do. We’re talking about the Giants, we’re talking about how we have to play the game, and that’s probably the most important thing for us. This stuff happens and everybody, they have to just move on and go forward, and that’s what we’re trying to do. For us, we understand that the conversation for us needs to be the Giants. That’s the most important (thing).” On if he expects CB Darius Slay to be with the Lions after the trade deadline: “We always anticipate everybody being here. We’re just going to go and work hard and do everything we can to get better. Absolutely, I mean I hope I’m here.” On how he approaches players who have to step up after a trade: “Honestly, it’s the same conversation no matter what – injuries, guys available, guys not available, who we need on the 46-(man roster) for that particular week, who’s not. So for us, it’s just about preparation and being ready to go, and whoever is in there has to go execute at a high level. Whatever those roles are for whatever those players are that are out there, we expect them to go perform at a high level and give us a chance to win.” On if playing against Vikings RB Dalvin Cook last week can help them prepare for Giants RB Saquon Barkley: “Good question. I would say that the run games are different, just the core concepts are different from that standpoint. Both (are) really good individual players, both have different styles from that standpoint. One thing about Saquon is that he is just so patient toward the line of scrimmage. I would say the Minnesota run game is a little bit different where it’s a little bit more press, press the gaps, move the fronts, press and cut off of that. This is different – downhill, shoulders square, be patient, find the hole, and then really the ball could kind of go anywhere from that standpoint. I think what a dynamic player they both are – they both have that ability, a little bit different skill set from that standpoint of what they do. Both have incredible speed, Barkley has unbelievable size and speed – the combination is really a problem, and he comes downhill with it, so it’s coming at you directly. I would say from that standpoint, each week you’re trying to correct those plays that hurt you from the previous week, and make sure those are handled. They certainly can show up from week to week. We saw plays last week that Minnesota had not run, but plays that we had seen earlier in the season that hurt us, and we were able to get those under control, which was good. We expect to see those plays from week to week, and certainly the Giants have those in their playbook, also. As far as the overall run philosophy, it’s a little bit different from that standpoint, so we just have to be really sound as far defending what they do.” On how offenses are handling DT Damon Harrison Sr. differently: “I think we’re definitely seeing a little bit off different schemes for some of our fronts that we’re playing, maybe than what teams we were used to last year. I think some of that stuff they were still trying to figure out. There is obviously a year of tape of it, and some of those adjustments that they’ve made we have to be able to adjust back into that. I would say he’s seeing some different type of blocks that have come at him, maybe more than we were able to kind of get him after the trade and everything like that, and kind of throwing him in mid-season. They were probably still trying to figure that all out. There is a lot of tape on that as far as where he was playing, so we just have to kind of move it a little bit from that standpoint to stay ahead of it.” On how to make sure Fridays are good practice days and what he does if they are not: “I think it all starts with conversation, communication and expectations for the day. Making sure that the effort is high from that aspect of it. I think those guys – as we spoke this morning, they want it right, they want to do it right. Certainly, if there are things that we need to do over or we need to repeat, we’re not afraid to do that. We’ll just line back up and get it right and try to just make sure that we’re good in all those situations. Hopefully we just get it all right the first time. Everybody is trying, everybody is working from that standpoint, so we’ll see how it goes.” On how DT Mike Daniels and DL Da’Shawn Hand looked being back to practice after being injured: “I think Mike tried to go out and come out of his hips and hit the bag and do some of those fundamental things that (he) just hasn’t done from an individual standpoint in a while. So, progress – I thought it was progress from that standpoint. (I) can’t really say where the end all is right now, but that’s progress to get out there and do that. I think Hand’s had a good week. I think he’s gone in consecutively now and practiced at a high level. We were able to be in pads, which was really good and, then come back and practice the next day and then put a third day together here today and see what it looks like. We’re still trying to build a cumulative amount of repetitions with him because of what he missed earlier in the season, but I’d say we’re getting closer from that aspect of it.” On DT Kevin Strong saying Giants G Will Hernandez was maybe the strongest offensive lineman he has ever faced, and what he has seen from Hernandez in his transition from college to the NFL: “I think some of those things that you saw in college and they will transfer into the NFL – his ability to be so stout at the line of scrimmage, a lot of those guys will try to rush him down the middle. He’s a big guy, he has incredibly strong hands, he can anchor, he can sit. And those guys are not able push the pocket on him when they do those sorts of things. There are different ways that you need to attack that. But he is extremely upper-body strong with that, and he’s a big guy. When offensive line play, some of that stuff is really hard, but when those guys get their hands on you and you’re trying to get off and trying to get separated from that standpoint – he’s got pretty good length with it, it becomes really difficult. Obviously, Nate Solder is another guy I have a lot of familiarity with, (Jon) Halapio who’s playing center, I’ve also had experience with him, and then (Mike) Remmers on the edge. I think that group is starting to gel, they’re starting to come together – adding a couple new pieces in there, but I think those guys are getting better. Certainly, at the guard position, I think those guys are playing really strong right now.” |
