Super Bowl XLVI – Tuesday, January 31, 2012(on what sparked the Giants’ turnaround after going through a losing stretch late in the season) “After being at that point, you still have a shot to even win our division. Even after that, we got it together. There are not many teams that have a chance to do something special after going through such turmoil like we went through. We woke up and just took it in stride.”
(on being in position to win the Super Bowl for the second time in five years and if it brings back memories) “It brings back some memories, but it is two totally different football teams. It’s still a great opportunity, a really good opportunity for us to come out here and do something not many people have done.”
(on how great of a season Eli Manning has had and the confidence the team has in him) “Eli has been tremendous for us. He has had a ferocious-like, assassin-like mentality as well during his run to where he is. I’ve been with Eli, this is my seventh year with ‘E’ (Manning). He came in the year before me, and to watch him grow was something special. The man is doing some things that not a lot of people have done. I’m honored to have him as my quarterback and ready to go to war with him any day.”
(on his uncertain future with the team and possibly leaving the team with another Super Bowl ring) “It’s great. Like I said, it’s a tremendous opportunity for me to come out and do something that not many people have done. I am honored to be on this football team, a great organization, and I don’t think there is anything like this organization.”
(on his up-and-down relationship with Giants’ fans) “In that situation, you’ve just got a guy that is out there trying to work hard and win football games. I am upset, they’re upset. It’s just kind of big brother, little brother type things. Our fans have been great for us the last two months basically, even with the last couple games of our losing streak. They’ve been with us and supported us. We had a lot of people out in San Francisco. A lot of people came out to cold Green Bay. They have just as much a part of this as us as players.”
(on if this could be his last game as a Giant) “I’ve never really thought about that, and it doesn’t really bother me. I’m sure something is going to get worked out and things will be fine. You just have to let it take care of itself. I am playing in the Super Bowl for the New York Giants, and if that is the way it is, there is nothing I can do. I am trying to do as best I can to help this team win.”
(on going out with a bang if this is his last game with the Giants) “No question about it. It definitely motivates me to go out with a bang. If it is, I’ll leave with a Super Bowl ring.”
(on if the Giants’ offense has matchup advantages with the Patriots’ defense) “The Patriots’ defense, they’ve been playing great throughout the playoffs. (Against) Baltimore, they did a great job against a great running attack in Baltimore. The numbers that come up on their defense, you have to be out with them to really realize. You’re like, ‘Really?’ It doesn’t seem like that. I think they are a good defense. They have a lot of heavy guys in there. It’s tough to move them. They have good linebackers that play downhill. It’s going to be a dogfight.”
(on if there is a moment during Super Bowl week where the team realizes there is still a game to play) “After this. After the media day, things kind of die down a little bit. A lot of people kind of disappear. We kind of stayed on our regular schedule (during Super Bowl XLII) and did what we can do – concentrate, focus and got it done.”
(on the emotions right now and if it has hit the team that they are in the Super Bowl) “It does. It’s definitely hit. You come in and see the outline of the building and how they dressed it up. We know that this is where we are going to be going to war.”
(on if his fourth-and-one rush for a first down on the Giants’ final drive in Super Bowl XLII is a forgotten play) “Absolutely. If I am a spectator looking on, I wouldn’t remember a fourth-and-one play. That’s just fourth-and-one. It’s no big deal as a spectator, and I could understand why.”
(on the intensity of Super Bowl XLII) “It was very intense. The whole two weeks out (there) was intense leading up too. The game itself, you had a lot of stuff going on in the game, a lot of smack talk going back and forth during the week. It may be the same thing this time. That’s it. They are a great football team. Their intensity is going to be high, and we have to match them or have more.”
(on what he tells guys who haven’t played in a Super Bowl) “You have to go in and play every play like something is on the line, which something is on the line. If you don’t play much, the times that you are out there, you go out there and deliver your statement to the opponent. You do the best you can do whenever you get a chance to do it.”
(on if there is a lot of talk between the two teams) “Yeah, there is a lot of stuff going back and forth, but that’s just football. We are all competitive guys that just want to win. We all think we are better than one another. That’s just what it leads to.”
(on if he is expecting a physical game on Sunday) “No question about it. It better be a real physical game because we are going to be physical. I don’t expect it to be anything less than physical. It was physical the first time we played them. Like I said, they have a lot of stoutness and power on the inside. It’s going to be a physical game.”
(on if he thinks that revenge will be a factor for New England) “No. I do buy that (it won’t be a factor). That was 2007. They had a couple other Super Bowl winners as well in between that. That’s gone. This is a new year. You have to come out and play this one like you want it. I know we want it. I know these guys on our football team, they want this win. We have to work hard during the week, prepare hard and prepare like we want it.”
(on the journey the team has taken to get to this point and how much he appreciates it) “No question. This is a game that is well appreciated by me. There are 32 football teams with a whole hell of a lot of talent on all of those teams. Every team, every guy is getting paid an astronomical amount of dollars. At the end of the year, there are only two teams that stands tall, and to be among those two teams is a great feeling.”
(on the confidence of QB Eli Manning) “It’s very high. Eli’s confidence level is unbelievable.”
(on the team’s confidence in Manning) “There is a lot of confidence in Eli. We definitely believe in Eli. No one is perfect, and we do know that. No one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes, but Eli makes as little as he possibly can. He doesn’t put the ball in harm’s way, he get us into plays that we need to be in and we play as hard as we can for him.”
(on the most upset he has ever seen Manning) “It was a kind of emotion he did like, ‘Damn!’ He missed Vic (Victor Cruz) one time or something across the middle, it was a little bit too low or something and he was open. He said a few things that I am not going to say right here on camera.”
(on if it is rare to see that emotion out of Manning) “You know, Eli has his moments when he is not happy with a certain play or a certain throw that he had. No one is perfect. He lets it out.”
(on if he feels like the team should run the ball a little more) “I feel like we can run the ball on anybody, which we haven’t been doing that well this season. I think if we can come out and get that going, that definitely will better our chances.”
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