Super Bowl XLVI – Tuesday, January 31, 2012(on how you have to approach the Super Bowl as opposed to other games) “Honestly, I think, as crazy as it sounds, you go about it like any other game. You can’t really take a different approach because you have to do the things that made you successful to get here. We have to play, hard and we’re going to play as tough and physical as we can. That’s pretty much it.”
(on what’s different about the Super Bowl and if the speed of the game is the same) “The speed of the game is not different from the playoffs. I don’t think there is a difference. As soon as the whistle blows and the game starts, you get back to just playing football.”
(on Tom Brady’s comments about wanting to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to New England) “He’s supposed to think like that. I don’t have a problem with him saying that. Whatever he needs to do to motivate himself and motivate his team, that’s okay.”
(on if he would’ve dreamed he’d be in the Super Bowl after everything with his contract dispute) “Would I have dreamed it? No. Things happen like that sometimes. I think everything that went on, it was rough. But at the end of the day, we pulled through and I pulled through and we’re here.”
(on what he’s most proud of this season) “I think the way we fought. We had our backs against the wall a bunch. We had to do so much to get into this position. The fact that we made it, even through all that adversity, I think that makes me even prouder.”
(on if he had to set aside his ego with the contract dispute) “Of course. I had to do that. I had to swallow my pride. I had to do a bunch of different things. You have to sacrifice for the team. That’s just what I’ve been able to do this year, and we’ve been successful.”
(on how much better Jason Pierre-Paul can get) “He’s going to be a great football player for a while. I think what he did this year, he’s still learning. He has a tremendous upside and he’s going to be one of the great ones.”
(on if he has any doubts about their ability to get to Tom Brady in this game) “No, I don’t think so. They’re going to definitely do some things to keep us off of him: max protections, short throws, quick throws, but they can only do that for so long. Whenever we have opportunities where he does hold the ball, we’re going to have to get to the quarterback.”
(on if he would like to pass on any get-well wishes to Matt Light who has been sick) “Yeah, ‘Matt Light, please get well soon. I hope to see you on Sunday. You are one of my greatest friends.’”
(on what Matt Light does to get under his skin) “He just does all that extra pushing and tries to hit you over the pile and stuff like that. At the end of the day, I’m not paying any attention to that anymore. We’re just going to go out and play and that’s just going to be the end of it.”
(on if he’s concerned with his history with Matt Light affected his play out there) “Not at all. Not on this stage. It is what it is. I don’t think there will be a situation where we’re fighting or doing anything crazy like that. I think we’re just going to play good, solid football.”
(on if Matt Light accuses him of lining up off sides like many tackles around the league do) “I don’t know. I hope he does though. I hope he does. I hope I’m able to get a good jump on the ball this week.”
(on the possibility of Sebastian Vollmer playing more if Matt Light is unable to go due to sickness) “Vollmer is a talented football player. He’s a good player. Matt Light is obviously a good football player, so I don’t really pay much attention to that. I think everybody is going to be themselves on Sunday. They’re going to be ready to play.”
(on if he’s thinking about his contract situation at all) “I don’t think so. I think that was the beginning of the playoffs. Now, I’m just enjoying this run. I‘m enjoying my teammates. I’m happy to be here. I’m happy to be playing football. That’s just the end of it. I’m not really thinking of that contract stuff or anything.”
(on Justin Tuck saying that dirty play on the line is all about survival and his thoughts) “Well, he’s right. Obviously, I probably look at it different than most people because I feel like in the NFL or whatever, we’re a fraternity. We’re all supposed to take care of each other. Even though we’re supposed to play hard and compete against each other, you don’t want to do anything stupid that might actually hurt somebody because this man has a family to protect and to feed or whatever. You don’t want to play dirty, but at the end of the day you have to play hard and play to the whistle. I think most players do a good job of that.”
(on if he considers this Super Bowl a re-run of their previous matchup against the Patriots) “I guess it’s the same two teams playing so you could say that, but it’s completely different personnel and different character of the team.”
(on how far Jason Pierre-Paul can go) “He can go as far as he wants to go. He started raw, but he had a lot of talent. He still has the same thing and he’s playing very, very well. Hopefully, that will continue for the Giants.”
(on what Jason Pierre-Paul has done to improve this season) “Just him learning and his ability to learn and the things he’s able to do on the football field. We always knew he had talent, but now he’s taking that to another level.”
(on being able to disrupt Tom Brady the last time they played and if that was their plan to win) “We knew we were going to have to disrupt him because obviously, he’s a great quarterback. That’s pretty much it. I think if we’re able to get to the quarterback, we’re going to have a good chance of winning this football game. I think we did just that.”
(on the possibility of having a NFL team permanently in London) “That would be awesome. If there is a permanent team in London, I think the English people will embrace it eventually. I think it will be a great thing for the NFL.”
(on if he’s thought about the ups and downs of his season with his contract up until making the Super Bowl ) “I do. It’s crazy, but that’s life. I think football is a microcosm of life. It’s all ups and downs. I went through a lot of things. This team went through a lot of things. I don’t think my season has been any different from the way this team has played this year. It has been all highs and lows, highs and lows. Obviously, this is a high and we hopefully we’ll be able to go out there and win.”
(on all the Troy University players in the NFL) “Troy, we’re in the house. We’re a small school, but we pack a big punch. We have some very good players that come out of that school and I’m proud of the fact that we have this many players here.”
(on if there is a hatred that has developed between him and Matt Light that rivals Michael Strahan and Jon Runyan) “No, I don’t hate him at all, honestly. We don’t play each other enough for true hatred to develop. Runyan was in Philly, so he and Strahan played two or three times a year. This is maybe my second or third time playing against Matt Light. There is no hatred there. Some of the things he has done, I wish he wouldn’t have, but at the end of the day, we’re both professionals and he seems to be a good guy.”
(on if he’s thought much about his contract since returning to the field this season) “The minute I decided to play, that was it. I talked to my agent. I talked to Jerry (Reese). I talked to coaches. I wasn’t going to be able to step on the football field and not put my best foot forward. I think that shows low character. The minute I got out there and decided to play, I was all-in. My teammates knew it. My coaches knew it. I think the front office knew it and I’ve just been rolling since then.”
(on what were some of his low points this season) “The lows were games I missed. I missed seven games this year. Getting hurt in New Orleans, I think that was a critical run for us. Watching us lose and struggle, I think that was the low. That’s pretty much it.”
(on if being at the Super Bowl is the high points of the season) “If we win, I think that will be the highest, but this is pretty good. Just making it here, I think is good.”
(on if he has seen how some of his younger teammates have been reacting to the exposure of the Super Bowl) “Not really. I think this is our first real exposure to all of this. We came in yesterday and we’ve been in the hotel. I’ll see how they respond today and tomorrow and hopefully we’ll be able to keep things focused.”
(on the similarities this year and 2007) “I think the way we got here is similar. Besides that, there are really not that many similarities between this team and the team that we played back in Super Bowl XLII.”
(on if he’s thought about where he might be next year at all) “That would be all speculation. I try not to buy into that or think too much about that because at the end of the day, you really don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m still under contract here, so I could think to myself that I’m going to be somewhere else. I could come out and be like, ‘I want to be somewhere else,’ but that doesn’t mean anything. At the end of the day, whatever they decide is what’s going to happen. That’s just it.”
(on if there is any anxiety not knowing where he’ll be next year) “There’s not any anxiety at all. This is my second Super Bowl here. I’ve had a great time. Hopefully, I’ll be able to continue here, but it’s a business. They’re going to make business decisions and that’s pretty much it.”
(on if he thinks he deserves a new contract with the way they’ve played with him in the lineup this year) “It doesn’t matter. Last year, I went out there and broke the record for forced fumbles. I felt like I deserved something then. Nothing happened, so it doesn’t matter what I feel like. It’s all going to come down to what the team feels like doing and that’s just the way we’re going to have to roll with it.”
(on the Giants ability to neutralize the Patriots the last time they played) “You can say that, but at the end of the day, I think they’re going to come out with something different. They’re intermediate game has really improved. They’re going to be throwing those little short passes that prevent us from getting to the quarterback. Hopefully, things will still work out in our favor anyway.”
(on if there is anything sweeter than the chance to have a clean shot at Tom Brady) “I’ve never really gotten that chance. If that chance comes, believe me, I will take it.”
(on the playing styles of Jason Pierre-Paul and Michael Strahan) “Well they are both very physical players. I’m not going to compare Jason to Strahan though. That’s blasphemy. I was here for Strahan and he’s definitely a better player than Jason is. But you know, Jason is getting there. I think, eventually, he is going to get to the point where he may be almost as good as Strahan. Just watching Strahan week in and week out just dominate people, it was something that hasn’t been seen before.”
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