New York Giants coaches and players commented during the week on their upcoming game against the New England Patriots.
On the Patriots...
"I've got a tremendous amount of respect, for one, that organization. (Patriots Chairman & CEO Robert) Mr. Kraft, (President) Jonathan (Kraft), Dan, Josh, all those guys – obviously, Bill, who gave me my first opportunity in the NFL. I think – I don't know, this might be 17 or 18, somewhere around there, of times that games that we've played, that I've coached, obviously not as a head coach, but as offensive coordinator or a position coach. Got a ton of respect for that team and for that organization."
- Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll
"They're well prepared. He's going to have whatever he wants to have in, relative to changes from week-to-week. That's the approach that they've had there for a long time. Again, not having been back there, maybe that's changed a little bit, maybe it's not, I don't want to speak for them, but they're always well prepared. They have good coaches, good players, the usual stuff."
- Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll
On the Patriots current record...
"I'd say you never treat any team differently regardless of their record when you're preparing for a game. You do the best job you can each week to try to put a good plan together, have a good practice and play a good team. You watch those games, there's five games they have – Philadelphia, opening game, they've got an out route. He gets his foot in, they've got a chance, 24-17. They played Miami the next week, 4th-and-four, get three yards. (Patriots tight end Mike) Gesicki flips it back. Played Washington, goes through the receiver's hands, they intercept it on the last drive to at least get a field goal. Play Indianapolis, get an interception down (in) the redzone. The Raiders game was 19-17, under two minutes, 3rd-and-15, (Raiders defensive end Maxx) Crosby goes ahead and gets a sack, now it's 21 and they get the ball back. That's five games right there, a few plays here or there, it's a different story. Got a lot of respect for the people in that organization, the players, the coaches. Just got to prepare and try to do our best to play a good game."
- Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll
On Bill Belichick...
"Obviously, I've learned a lot. He gave me my first opportunity in this business in the year 2000, it's a long time ago. Got a lot of respect for him and everybody. (Patriots Chairman & CEO Robert) Mr. Kraft, (Patriots President) Jonathan (Kraft), Dan, Josh, the Kraft family. They gave me my first opportunity."
- Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll
"He's one of the greatest of all time or is the greatest of all time coach to ever come through the NFL. It's an honor to be able to play against him. I've been around him a little bit in the past with the Shrine Game, him and the Patriots were my coaching staff for that game. So, I got to know a lot of them and kind of how they go about their business. But it's a challenge I look forward to it. At the end of the day, I'm going to continue to do what I do and prepare and continue to just try to lead this team and lead this offense and not think too much about it."
- Giants Quarterback Tommy DeVito
On the Patriots running backs...
"Zeke's a dynamic runner. He's a big back and he packs a punch. Rhamondre Stevenson is a very physical runner. He's a downhill, quick, one-cut type of guy. I got to play against him last year and he's got some really good routes out of the backfield. Their offensive line does a really good job too up front. It will be a great challenge for us in the run game."
- Giants Linebacker Bobby Okereke
On the Patriots defense...
"They're a top team or near the top in the league in production on first down and red zone. They're good at stopping the run. I'd say they play good team defense. They don't give up a lot of big plays. They tackle well, they mix their coverages, they mix their fronts. It's a game plan team and they do a great job with game planning each opponent. I mean, again, 10-6 against Indianapolis, 20-17 against Washington, 24-17 against Miami, 21-17 against Las Vegas. They do a good job defensively. They have a good staff, and they have players that play well together."
- Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll
On the Patriots offense...
"(Running backs Rhamondre) Stevenson and (Ezekiel) Elliott are two guys that can get the ball downhill. Stevenson had a 65-yarder a few games ago. He runs with power, good vision. They run the ball downhill, they've got a variety of run schemes and then they've had some different guys in at receiver. I'd say (DeVante) Parker, I would expect him back. (Mike) Gesicki and Hunter Henry are two vet tight ends that are good players. They've had a bye week. They've had three games where the score was kind of out of hand a little bit and then the other four games come down to the wire. Philadelphia, Miami, Washington, Indianapolis, those could have gone easily the other way. So, we've got a lot of work to do and got to go out there and perform well."
- Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll
"I think coach O'Brien does a good job of moving guys around and motioning guys and doing what he needs to do to try to give them a chance each week. They're a game plan team. It's important to really study their players, their scheme and then obviously the quarterback, whoever they choose to play. But we're going to make sure we do our work on them."
- Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll
On Patriots uncertainty at starting quarterback...
"Mac has played a while for him. I've had experience with Mac when he was a true freshman at Alabama. I thought he did – all of them were really good college players, Mac had an exceptional senior year. Fought through playing behind (Dolphins quarterback) Tua (Tagovailoa) and (Eagles quarterback) Jalen (Hurts) with the right approach, right attitude, the right mindset and had a really good senior year, broke a lot of records. I'd say Zappe goes to Houston Baptist then he transfers over to Western Kentucky and has over 60 touchdown passes. Grier was at Florida then he transferred to West Virginia, had a good West Virginia (career). There's some tape to watch with all those guys. You spend time watching them then you watch their offense and you see what (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach) Billy O'(Brien)'s doing. They're a good game plan team, this is a good game plan team anyways whether it's defense, offense, special teams, a lot of tape to watch."
- Giants Head Coach Brian Daboll
