WATCH: Coach Coughlin talks updates on JPP, Cruz, and prepping for #Giants vs. Cowboys http://t.co/pYZohm8J8m
— New York Giants (@Giants) September 9, 2015
With Sunday's season-opening game against the Dallas Cowboys approaching New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin said Wednesday he is " just as excited, just as nervous, just as anxious to get started, just as anxious to see our team on the field" as he has been throughout his coaching career. Here are some of the other takewaways from Coughlin's Wednesday press briefing.
Jason Pierre-Paul "not ready to play"
Coughlin said Pierre-Paul was "in an outstanding frame of mind" during his two days visiting the Giants "was not ready to play" and has gone back to South Florida. He said Pierre-Paul is "optimistic" and the Giants will "monitor" him. Coughlin called JPP "Mr Personality."
"Be great if he was all healed and ready to go, but he's not," Coughlin said.
Victor Cruz still not practicing
Coughlin said that "nothing has come across my desk to indicate" that there has been a change in the status of Victor Cruz, who has not practiced in several weeks now.
Coughlin said it is the calf injury holding Cruz back, not the torn patellar tendon he suffered last season.
On roster moves
Coughlin said the Giants thought bringing in veteran middle linebacker Jasper Brinkley was "a necessity" with Jon Beason's health a question mark and Jameel McClain having been released. Cooughlin said Brinkley will begin by learning the middle and will eventually learn all three spots.
Coughlin said "we will" when asked if the team would bring in another defensive tackle after Louis Nix III failed his physical. In the meantime, Coughlin indicated that Kerry Wynn could go inside on passing downs and that Cullen Jenkins will also play inside.
On the 2015 version of the Giants
"I'm excited to see how the respond to going to Dallas and opening the season there. There's a few guys that have been through that experience when it was a positive thing, a plus," Coughlin said.
On the Cowboys
"I don't see any real radical change in what their approach is. Some of the names have changed. There's no doubt that they talk mostly about their offensive line, the strength of their offensive line. I think that's where you start," Coughlin said.
On not having won a season opener since 2010
"I don't want to go there. We're trying to win, we're looking forward to the opener," Coughlin said."I'm not interested in that part of it. All I'm interested in is getting these people ready to play, excited about playing. Let's go see what we got."
Injury Report
Jon Beason (knee), Victor Cruz (calf), Jonathan Casillas (neck) and Cullen Jenkins (hamstring) are on the Giants' pre-practice injury report.