Brandon Jacobs, 09.24.09

Q. Is it going to be weird seeing Derrick (Ward) in another uniform this week?

A. Yeah, no question about it. We have been texting back and forth all week. Nothing about football. About him and how he is doing down there. He told me that he is getting ready to play against us. It is the same here. Derrick, we miss him here, we’re going down there to play a football game and we are still going to be brothers like we were four years.

Q. Will it be tough to see him in their uniform?

A. It is going to be a weird thing definitely looking at him in a, I don’t know what color they are going to wear, white, red, whatever it is, but any other uniform but a Giant uniform. He is playing well down there, so far. He is doing good. We got our hands full with a good football team.

Q. How about some gamesmanship between who is going to get more yards, more touchdowns, or more big plays?

A. No, we don’t really do that. That is the type of stuff that could break up a friendship. You do that kind of stuff if you are on the same team. I wish Derrick as much luck as I could possibly wish someone. I think he is going to do well, they have another guy down there, Cadillac (Williams), who I haven’t seen in a long time. He has been hurt the last two seasons, who has bounced back very well from these injuries, and he has been running well. I am looking forward to seeing those guys play.

Q. Derrick Brooks is not there anymore. He was always the one guy you looked to a lot on that defense. How have they changed without him?

A. They are a fast, physical defense and they can run very well. We have our hands full, as far as running the ball and doing a lot of things. They have been pretty solid, so we have to do our thing and get as much done as we can as early as we can get it.

Q. Do you embrace this road warrior mentality?

A. It is really hard to maintain an identity like that. But, we can do it. We did it, we won 11 straight on the road two years ago. We just have to stick together and look to each other in the locker room look for help, like we did.

Q. So, that brings the team together?

A. Oh, no question. When you are able to do something like that, you know that your teammates trust you and you trust them. That is the only way teams win, if they trust in each other, trust in the man next to you and know they are going to get the job done. It doesn’t matter how loud it is or whatever the case may be.

Q. Mario Manningham has had two good games now in a row. At what point do you think teams will start backing out of the box a little bit?

A. I hope so. Mario played very well last week, Steve (Smith) played very well last week, caught some deep balls. I am looking forward to seeing how teams are going to adjust to playing us. We will see when it comes.

Q. Do you think you are doing what Plaxico (Burress) did a year ago? He was effective by forcing the defense to defend him without putting up big numbers.

A. I don’t know. I am just going out there, doing my job, doing what I can do. Keep on plugging, keep on pushing. Hoping something gets done and I pop one. Just keep working. What he did last year, that was very special because we were able to do either, or. You won’t be able to stop us both, but you will stop one. That is what they are doing now.