Super Bowl XLVI – Tuesday, January 31, 2012(on the challenges facing the Patriots defense) “Clearly different personnel, bigger bodies up front. San Francisco was a traditional 3-4 style. New England will throw different looks at you. That’s the difference, just the overall scheme.”
(on how the offensive line is responding after the San Francisco 49ers game) “Yeah, it was tough, something we weren’t proud of. Overall this year, I think we’ve done a good job of keeping him clean. San Fran is a very talented defense, and they got us with some things up front. We took a hard look at that knowing that it could possibly surface again what they were doing. I think we have it under control. We’re confident if we give Eli (Manning) enough time to throw the ball, he can make plays.”
(on how his concussion this season affected the rest of the year) “The only time I really thought about it was that next game against Miami. You always worry about the next time what would happen when your head got hit. I was a little worried putting it back in there. But as the game went on, the season went on, you don’t really think about it. Definitely that week after the Seattle game was a tough time for me.”
(on how he would categorize the Patriots defensive front) “They’re very big the four or five big bodies that they rotate in there. The thing is, they are also very athletic. You look at guys like Vince (Wilfork) and Gerard Warren, (Kyle) Love, they are large guys. You wouldn’t think they can move the way that they do. They move very well for big guys.”
(on if the Patriots rely on their front seven) “They don’t blitz as much as other teams we faced, but I think when you make plays on them and you’re driving the ball, they’re going to obviously not sit there. That’s where they’re going to come with some pressure or send a five down front or something like that. I’d say about 30 percent of time is when you see a dog or a blitz.”
(on the Patriots run defense) “Like I said, the big bodies up front make it tough, and you’re not going to get great push. That’s obviously their goal is get off the ball, but really you’re just trying to neutralize them at the line and just stick with it, try to finish, maybe let their momentum kind of take them out of the ball. They do a good job holding their ground.”
(on how the Patriots defense pursues) “I think they’re a very good defense. I think their linebackers. They can run, (Jerod) Mayo and (Brandon) Spikes. (Brandon) Spikes is a very physical downhill linebacker who I’ve seen take out a few guards, fullbacks in the hole. He looks to blow people up, so I think they do a very good job.”
(on tackle Tony Ugoh) “He’s done a great job. He had to come in, and he’s played jumbo tight end for us a little bit, but also he’s the swing tackle. If something were to happen to one of our tackles, he would be the guy to go in the game and would have to play the left or right. He’s done a good job coming in and learning our offense pretty quickly.”
(on being the Indianapolis Colts high draft pick and sticking with it to find another team) “Yeah, he’s a guy where you look at him, and he’s got tools. He’s got great feet. He’s a strong guy. He’s a good football player, a good addition for us.”
(on if Tony Ugoh has showed him around Indianapolis at all) “We’re only here one night.”
(on what he recalls about the final drive of the last Super Bowl he played in) “I recall great effort by Eli (Manning) to get out of the grasp of four D-linemen, a great catch by David Tyree and just a lot of excitement after Plaxico (Burress) scored that. When the clock struck zero is when it was enjoyed most, just several big plays that got us down the field.”
(on how the outside perception changed when Eli Manning finished that last Super Bowl) “I think every year he’s gotten more believers in him, and this year is when everyone kind of jumped; all the other people jumped on board. He’s always done a great job for us. He’s always been a guy that kind of thrived in the fourth quarter. He loved being in that situation. He loved being in the two-minute situation at the end of the game. He’s always been that presence for us.”
(on if he thinks they can have any advantage going against the New England defense) “You know, I don’t really get caught up too much in the stats. I know they do a pretty good job of keeping teams out of the end zone, which when you put up as many points as they do, that’s obviously why they had the record they did. Their defense does a good job of keeping you out. Just look what they did against Baltimore last week. They shut down their run game pretty good and that’s a good offensive line and a good running game. I’m just looking more at the present and they’re playing pretty well right now.”
(on if there is added pressure because of the Patriots offense) “Yeah that’s no question. We look at that every week. We always look at it as it’s our job to try to keep our defense off the field and the only way to do that is to protect Eli (Manning) and to run the ball. We prefer to methodically march down the field although this year it seems like it’s been all big plays. The goal is the same, control the clock and keep that explosive offense on the field.”
(on if Tom Coughlin has gotten any warmer and fuzzier) “Warmer? Fuzzier? I don’t know if I’d use those adjectives, but he’s lightened up a lot and we made reference to that four years ago when we were here. How he kind of changed in that regard, getting to know players more, getting players to know the softer side of him, the side that family members see. He shows that but then again he still has his beliefs that he sticks to. That’s what makes him more successful.”
(on if he is more beloved or respected) “If I had to choose one, he is definitely more respected. He has the respect of our team and we all believe in everything he says. We’re all on board with him.”
(on if it would be appropriate to carry Tom Coughlin off the field unlike last time they won the Super Bowl) “I never even thought about that after the first game. I know he got dumped with the Gatorade but I didn’t even think about getting carried off. Maybe I will if we are fortunate enough to win this game.”
(on if it makes it any tougher that Tom Coughlin is his father-in-law as well as the Head Coach) “No, not at all. It’s eight years of having this relationship so we got it ironed out pretty good.”
(on if he is thankful he doesn’t have to deal with the media crowd Eli Manning has to deal with) “No one handles it better than he does. He’s been criticized more often than praised throughout his career. He does a great job handling days like this, the weekly media session in New York. But yeah, I am very thankful I don’t have that around me right now.”
(on his mentality on how he and his teammates got through the season) “I think that’s just when you rely on the depth of your team. That’s when credit has to go to the front office for bringing guys in who can play football. I’ve been in here years past when we haven’t had that luxury of having the backups that we do. That and there’s the expectation where someone goes down the backup is expected to come out and play at a high level, and that’s what we have.”
(on former Patriot Rodney Harrison saying he’d rather have Eli Manning than Tom Brady in this game) “I agree with him. I’ll take Eli too. I don’t know. To get more in depth with that you’re going to have to ask Rodney or Tom Brady how he feels about that. I’m sure he doesn’t mind.”
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario