Giants 27, Bills 24: Tom Coughlin Post-Game Transcript

Opening Remarks
No turnovers and plus-two, 122 yards rushing and outstanding play. I thought Eli played very, very well. We did have some opportunities to run the ball and Bradshaw did a good job. The offensive line did a good job. We made the plays when we had to make them. We had a couple lapses on defense obviously for big plays but we settled in there and came out after the half and played much better. The drama obviously with the ball in the end zone and it is ruled no catch and then we get the field goal blocked. We don't come away with any points and that was quite a moment right there. To come back down the field against a very good football team who does an outstanding job in all three phases really, that is a very good win at home.

Q: Can you talk about Corey Webster's interceptions?
A: He made two super plays. The one interception in front of our bench, it is going to be hard to say he even saw the ball. He just made a play on it and it was a last second reaction and intercepted the ball. The other one was when they were headed into the end zone. They are moving down the field, they had hit us on a fade stop and so they decide to go over the top and he makes a hell of a play.

Q: Was there any special message on the last drive?
A: It is the fourth quarter, so finish it, finish the job. Finish what we started. We talked a lot about positive energy this week because obviously there was a lot of negative out there and I think the players responded to that.

Q: How important was it to keep the ball away from their offense?
A: One of the plans was ball possession and time of possession, really emblematic of what they tried to do a week ago against Philadelphia.

Q: Did you say anything to the defense after giving up those big plays?
A: There were a lot of corrections being made on the sidelines and at halftime the same thing prevailed, and the guys responded.

Q: How do you feel going into the bye?
A: I would like to be 6-0, but this is a hard-earned win. To be 4-2 right now and have the bye and to be an optimist if I may, maybe we do get some guys back after this two week period. That can help us. You have to take your hat off to the guys who went out today and played the way they did from a team concept, displaying once again the mental toughness that we always talk about. We are a team and whoever is called upon has to step up and make a play.

Q: What was your message to the team this week?
A: It was about positive energy. It was about being a leader and an inspiration to your teammates. It was about bouncing back, obviously. It was about fighting and a 60 minute battle and not five or ten or whatever. We knew it was going to be a 60 minute game. There were a lot of messages this week. The obvious being the way we lost a week ago. We did an outstanding job of taking care of the ball today and I thought Eli did a superb job of that. He threw the ball away when it wasn't there and that was a huge message and, of course, the toughness issue. They had 155 yards rushing but 80 on one. We did a little bit better job after the half of stopping the run. There were many messages based on last week and trying to convert our energy and pick ourselves back up after a very quiet Monday and then get our energy going for the rest of the week and we did.

Q: How pleased are you with Corey Webster's play against number one wide receivers he is often assigned to cover?
A: He has had a lot of challenges and he has responded each and every time. He is a competitor and he likes that role and he does a good job with it.

Q: Can you talk about the whole team's effort today?
A: We always talk about complementing and the only thing that prevents me from talking about that is the (blocked) field goal. Otherwise, we did a pretty good job of tying up two pretty good return men as well.

Q: Can you talk about the pass rush?
A: We did a really good job of not getting frustrated. We kept coming and we kept coming. There were times when we didn't get there but we kept coming. The thing we talked about all week, especially with a lot of emphasis at the end of the week, is being in a position to get our hands up and finally on the last play of the game and on fourth down, it did happen.

Q: Why did you challenge the touchdown?
A: The ball was in the end zone and I know what the rule is but if you saw when he turned over, the ball was here (against his chest) when he turned over. They must have ruled that the possession was not there. The ball didn't actually come out until he was actually sliding into the white. It was the right call but in a situation like that, I felt justified, even though I probably knew that I was going to lose.

Q: What were you thinking when Eli nearly threw an interceptions on the play before the game-winning field goal?
A: Don't throw it to them and get yourself in that kind of a bind but they made a good play.

Q: Can you talk about Ballard's performance?
A: He did a good job and made some key plays when he had to make them. He put us in position and came up with some big plays in the middle of the field for us. He made some nice yards after the catch too.

Q: Was Bradshaw one of the players who assumed a leadership role this week?
A: Bradshaw is an inspiration by the energy and the way he plays. He is a tough, hard-nosed guy who wants the ball and will do what you ask him to do from a blocking standpoint. He is very competitive and from the standpoint of wanting to play according to the example he sets, it is a good one.

Q: Are there any players that stuck out to you this week in terms of stepping up as leaders?
A: I think they all picked up on it but I can't tell you any one. The end of the week was very energetic and the Friday practice was very energetic on the part of many guys. It was a lot of bounce in their steps and it was not false chatter. It was sincere.

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