Kevin Stefanski on playing the Giants, injury updates, and more: Transcript

Opening Statement:

“Okay, getting our work week started here on the New York Giants. You know, 1-1 football team versus an 0-2 football team, but that 0-2 is very misleading to me. They lost at home in week one, which obviously we lost at home in week one. And then they go on the road, and they play good enough to win and had some extenuating circumstances with the kicker. So, I think we know the team that we’re facing. I have a ton of respect for Coach (Brian) Daboll, his entire coaching staff. So, we got to play our best football, and that’s really what we’re focused on, is trying to play better. One game better than last week and incrementally have improvements throughout the season. So that’s our focus. But with that, I’ll take any questions.”

Kevin, the knee injury to Dawand (Jones). First off, did it occur during the game and secondly, what is his status for this week? I’m sure you’re gonna say day-to-day.

“Took the words right out of my mouth (laughter). Yeah, his injury occurred in the game. He’s out today, but can’t really go past today.”

With Jack (Conklin) and Jed (Jedrick Wills Jr.), as far as their…

“Practicing today, so we’ll see. I think — and I understand the questions, guys, I would just tell you, with any injury you have to concern yourself with that day; how they feel in practice, how they feel coming out of practice, those type of things.”

Is it the same knee for him (Dawand Jones) that he had the surgery on last year?

“I don’t know that.”

As you’re developing the offense, which takes longer to get it really rolling, the run game or the pass game?

“That’s a good question, Jeff (Schudel). I don’t know. I’m not sure, historically, what the answer would be in that regard. But I know we’re focused on being better in both areas. I think there’s some things that we’re doing well, there’s some things that we need to improve.”

Do you think that offenses should have an identity?

“Yeah, I think every football team should have an identity, for certain. I think oftentimes how you play game-to-game changes because game plans change, and the availability of players change. So, you may change the style of play week-to-week, sometimes quarter-to-quarter, but there are things that are non-negotiables that you believe in, yes.”

What do you think is this offense’s identity right now?

“Yeah, I wouldn’t get too specific in what we’re doing other than to say we want to score some points, protect the football, play complimentary ball.”

Obviously, Alex Wright had the giant play at the end of that game. Just how have you seen him develop, maybe over the last year, plus? He kind of started off slow as a rookie, then it seems like he’s come on strong lately.

“Yeah, I think Alex has given us a ton of really good reps over his career. He’s made some big plays for us in big moments. Probably the biggest moment for him in his young career was that safety last week. But a young player that keeps coming on, has versatility in terms of where he can rush, but really excited about his continued growth.”

Similar to your quarterback, Daniel Jones is a lightning rod there in New York. Just what do you see from him when you watch him on film?

“Yeah, can hurt you in a bunch of different areas. Obviously can make all the throws from the pocket, but he is a very, very dangerous runner. We’ve all seen it over the course of time that he is a threat with the ball in his hands and they’re utilizing him, utilized him in this last game. It’s a big part of what he does, but he can also make every throw and they have legit speed on the perimeter, so it’s a very difficult attack.”

I saw (Zak) Zinter, I think the second play of the game, go in at left tackle. Is there any chance that he could…

“Say it one more time.”

(Zak) Zinter, I think the second play of the game came in at tackle.

“He didn’t play tackle. He played some tight end for us.”

As you move forward, how do you make sure that something doesn’t happen like it did at the end of the game on third and six, where I’m sure you articulated to Deshaun (Watson) exactly what you needed to happen there, and it didn’t go that way. So how do you fix that?

“I think every game Mary Kay (Cabot) has learning lessons for our players and for our coaches as well. And I think there’s some unique situations that come up. We had a onside kick after a safety. These are all things that you cover throughout the season, but you may re-cover it a week ago, or two weeks ago, whatever it may be. So, it’s constant dialogue with your players, understanding situational football, understanding all these situations that come up. So, it’s just a learning moment for everybody.”

So, did you tell him in the headset? Did you remind him what he needed to do there or how did that go in the heat of the moment?

“We’re moving on to New York, but I understand what you’re asking.”

I got a question on that situation, though. That whole end of the game, do you run it or do you try to get the first down to end the game?

“Well, I think four-minute football, these games are so close at the end, right? So, it’s two minute for the offense trying to go down and score. Sometimes it’s four minute, where you’re trying to protect a lead. That was a four-minute situation for us. So, we ran it on first and second down, didn’t get enough yards to get into a manageable third down. So now, you’re trying to make sure the clock is rolling in those instances. But there’s plenty of times in games where you have to make a decision in terms of how aggressive do you want to be. Do you want to try to go end the game right then and there, to your point, Mary Kay (Cabot), and I think that maybe came up in one of the primetime games recently. So those are all decisions that you make based on the down and distance, based on the play that you maybe have available to you.”

Did you listen to WIP Tuesday morning?

“6-10 WIP? The all sports, what is it, all sports talk on the all sports station?”

Besides a fresh set of downs, what is the value to an offense when you can consistently run it, specifically when you need two or three to be able to run it?

“Well, I think, and you guys will talk to Coach Dors (Ken Dorsey) this week, but Dors has a great way of putting it. He talks about the offense being in the green, having advantageous down in distances, and first and 10 is in the green and then second, and I think six or less in the green for the offense, meaning the offense has the advantage. Second and 10 is a tough — is a red, or maybe it’s a yellow, but not advantageous to the offense. So, when you’re in the green for a big portion of a drive, you’re staying out of third down, you’re getting explosives on first and second down, whether it comes via the run or the pass.”

I wanted to ask about Zak, too, using him in that eligible role for tight end. Just like, what did you guys see from him as a rookie that made you comfortable throwing him in there obviously where you guys are short on tight ends?

“Yeah, we’ve done it over the years with tight ends. I think James Hudson has done some of that, Nick Harris has done some of that, I go back to Blake Hance has done some of that. So, it’s always based on who’s available to us in the tight end room and then really who your offensive linemen six, seven and eight are. They oftentimes have to take on a role like that. Zak’s a young player, he’s a guard for us, but in that pinch, he’s got to go out there and play that position. It’s very different. You’re two positions removed from your natural spot. So he’s continuing to get better, but very, very intelligent kid. Takes it seriously, wants to be great, really, in any role that he has.”

I know when he was at Michigan, he played one spot in games. When you talked about cross training, like at the three interior spots, have you guys seen that he came into the NFL with some of that experience?

“Right, you have to have versatility on the offensive line, especially on game day. You’re the first guard in, then you’re the second center in, you might be the emergency tackle, all those type of things.”

It’s only been two games, but teams across the league are throwing it shorter than they have in a really long time. Have you noticed that and is that a product of two-high safeties or why do you think that is?

“I saw, there was a good article yesterday, I saw on that. Yeah, I think it’s definitely the increase in two-high safeties is a big part of it. The decrease in man, the increase in zone defense, I think factors into it. It’s a small sample size early in this season, but I do think that you’re seeing more of the defense play a two-high look, which can be a variety of coverages, but that protects you in theory, versus some deeper shots and maybe makes the ball be thrown into some check down areas more often than the three-deep where you can maybe rip a seam, rip a go ball, those type of things.”

Do you credit the defenses’ evolution to what we saw the last few years?

“Yeah, it’s a good question. I think there’s definitely an evolution going on every year in football. And it’s something offensive football is changing. Pre-snap motion I think is one thing that is totally different than it was ten years ago, and sometimes I do this; go put on tape from ten years ago and the quarterback maybe is under center on third and six and there’s no motion. If it is motion, it’s super slow. People are just lining up in two-by-two, three-by-one. It just doesn’t look like the same game. On the defensive side, every defensive end is in a three-point stance. Nobody’s rotating late in the shot clock and then there was a lot of man and closing the middle of the field. So I think both sides change and evolve as a response to the other side. So I think it’s constantly ongoing. But I would say for this season, it’s probably a little early in a small sample size to make too many proclamations, if you will.”

Considering the volume of holding calls that have been called against you, when did tackling defensive ends become legal? And going back and watching some of those matchups that Myles (Garrett) gets stuck with, it seems like teams are just very aggressive.

“You want me to get fined? Is that what you’re doing, Daryl (Ruiter) (laughing)?”

I’m not trying to get you in trouble, I swear.

“I will say this. I have a conversation with the officials before every game and I talk about our number 95 (Myles Garrett). He knows that he gets extra attention. He gets chips, he gets a slide to him. Officials are going to miss calls. But we expect when there’s an obvious one, we expect it to be called.”

Do you feel like Denzel (Ward) might be able to play a little bit more in this game than he did last game?

“I’m hopeful.”

I know on Monday you did not rule out David (Njoku). Are you still not ruling him?

“I would say he’s unlikely this week, yeah.”

So the penalties, how do you account for seven of them coming in the fourth quarter in? You only had six in the last game.

“Oh, I remember (laughing). Yeah, that last drive, Tony (Grossi), was unbelievable. To get the ball down there thinking you’re going to put the game away and then you’re looking at, what was it, third and 26? 36? Yeah, we have to play clean and we have to play clean with our technique, we have to be way, way, way better pre-snap. There is a difference between pre-snap penalties and post-snap penalties. Obviously, the pre-snap penalties should be easily correctable. The post-snap, there’s gonna be some calls that we get called for a holding that we don’t feel is a real strong call or those type of things. But when you get into the fourth quarter, to your question, Tony (Grossi), both sides are tired, but you can’t let your technique lapse when you’re tired.”

You say you don’t practice them, obviously nobody does. Some coaches have had players take laps when they come to practice. Are you changing anything?

“We’re being very intentional about what we’re doing, Tony (Grossi). I’m not going to ignore the fact that we have the most called penalties against us in the league. We watched every single one of them as a team. We’re going to correct the ones that we can correct and we’re just going to play really clean with our technique. But it’s something that we’ll continue to address.”

Kadarius Toney seems like he’s been dealing with like a minor injury. We’ve seen him walk in when we come out for practice. Is he closer to being able to practice fully and then if so, is he a factor?

“He’s not practicing this week, but he’s doing a nice job in his rehab and doing a nice job in the meetings.”

How would you evaluate D’Onta (Foreman) going from out of the rotation to playing well?

“Ran hard, first play of the game ran hard, I think eight-yard gain. He’s a bigger back, has good vision, runs behind his pads, is a player that I think will get better with more time in our scheme and as we have more time around him.”

Malik Nabers, with these two games, what have you seen of the rookie? How do they use him?

“Well, they use them a lot. I mean, second most targets in the NFL. They’re getting the ball to him. He’s very, very fast. He’s explosive. There’s a reason he was drafted where he was drafted. He’s a very, very, very good young player.”