The Texans practiced Wednesday at the Methodist Training Center, and after, head coach Gary Kubiak and some of his players answered questions from the media. Also, New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin and quarterback Eli Manning took part in a conference call with the Houston media about Sunday's contest against the Texans.
Houston Texans Head Coach Gary KubiakWR David AndersonLT Rashad ButlerLB Brian CushingC Chris MyersDT Amobi OkoyeQB Matt SchaubLG Wade SmithNew York Giants Head Coach Tom CoughlinNew York Giants QB Eli Manning
Houston Texans Head Coach Gary Kubiak(on how LB Brian Cushing looked in practice) "He looked fine. We got him as many reps as we can. It's just getting back in to talking with his teammates, scheme-wise, and all those things. We worked with noise today to make it even harder on him. It's very good to have him back; everybody is very upbeat and good to have him back on the football field."
(on if having LB Brian Cushing back felt natural) "No doubt. Football is his life. He's just been sitting around, chomping at the bit to get back out here and we've been waiting on him, too. There's a lot of guys counting on him and his teammates told him they'd have him in good shape when he came back and they've done their part. Now he's got to step up and do his."
(on how close LB Brian Cushing is to being game-ready) "He's just like he would be opening day, in my opinion. I don't like the fact that he's missed, like I said, a couple hundred snaps of football, but there's nothing we can do about that. But the good thing with him is he has proven to us before through some injuries and other things that he can go in and be effective. The conditioning is not a problem with him at all. If that's the biggest thing you worry about with him, it's not a problem."
(on what has impressed him the most about LB Brian Cushing's return) "Anytime you have setbacks; what's happened to him, what's happened to (T) Duane (Brown), you know, how do you handle it? How do you come back? How do you handle yourself? And everyone is going to be watching. He's always handled himself well with the football team. He's always been very accountable in his preparation and his work. So that's what the guys want to see. It's all that matters."
(on what LB Brian Cushing has been able to do to prepare for games) "Like I said, he's an all-ball guy. It's not like you got a player who we're having to fight to get him here and work and take care of his business. This guy's working all the time. That's not a problem. It's just really a matter of just getting back out there tomorrow. We'll put the pads on him; he needs to hit some people. He'll be ready to go."
(on the New York Giants defensive line) "Well, it's scary. What they did in that game (against Chicago) hadn't been done many times in this league. We got our work cut out for us from that standpoint because they can get after you. They can cause you a lot of problems, so we're going to have to protect (QB) Matt (Scaub). The best way we can protect him is to play well on the line of scrimmage with our guys up front. Like I said all along, it will be the most physical test we've had as a team."
(on how LB Brian Cushing changes the personality of the Texans defense) "He definitely does because everybody knows he's a playmaker and they are counting on him to raise the level of everything we're doing. That's his reputation as a player and guys are going to hold him to his reputation. So obviously, everything picked up, everything got a little louder here today."
(on the status of WR Andre Johnson and WR Jacoby Jones) "(WR) Andre (Johnson) actually ran pretty good here today. I watched him. He did not practice. He did not work out with the team. I liked the way he ran around and we're hoping tomorrow he takes same of his normal routes. But it was a step in the right direction today. (WR) Jacoby (Jones) did nothing today."
(on WR Jacoby Jones' status) "He'll be day-to-day. He didn't do anything. Kap (Director of Sports Medicine/Head Athletic Trainer Geoff Kaplan) wants to keep him off of it. We'll probably come out here Friday and test him to see where he's at."
(on other injuries to the Texans) "(RB) Derrick Ward has got some sore ribs and was kind of limited in what he did today but should be fine."
(on FS Troy Nolan's performance against Oakland) "I always tell you guys, in this league, when you're a backup, nobody really knows how you're taking care of you business until you get thrown in the fire. He got thrown in the fire the other and obviously he told everybody that he's been paying attention. He's going to play a lot, his reps are going to pick up. It's not a surprise but it's nice to know that he's fixing to help us big-time."
(on players stepping up to help the team beat Oakland) "Well, that was the key to the game. There were a lot of young players, there were a lot of new faces that stepped up and made plays. I could go on and on. Over the long haul, that's the key to the strength of the team. Can a lot of people carry us? Not one, two or three guys. That's what was very encouraging about the game."
(on FS Eugene Wilson) "He practiced today. So if everything goes well this week, he should be back."
(on TE Owen Daniels) "He's fine. I tried to limit his reps just a little bit. I think we were smarter with him last week and I think it showed in speed on the field. He was fine today."
(on how the Giants pass rush affects his offensive game plan) "It affects it big-time. The first thing you do as a coach is, 'How do I protect my quarterback?' That's where we started this week and we're going to have to get a lot of good work on that tomorrow with our pads on but everything we do starts with protecting number eight (QB Matt Schaub)."
(on players like FS Troy Nolan, who seem to always be around the ball on defense) "I think there are just some guys who have a knack and the ball seems to come their way. You look at those interceptions (Troy Nolan's interceptions at Oakland); they weren't easy. They were two very good interceptions and great catches. But he's done it on the practice field. We always talk as coaches; you do it out here and you usually on the field on Sunday and he did it."
(on New York Giants QB Eli Manning) "Very smart. He's going to have them in the perfect play. I'm very impressed with what he's done. He's a world champion quarterback and that's hard to come by in this league."
(on the progress of LT Rashad Butler) "Well, he got better from two weeks ago to this week. So there was improvement there. I think he's gaining confidence as a player. The team is gaining confidence in him. As I said after the game, it's a great opportunity for the young man; he's taking advantage of it."
(on the New York Giants' offense) "They're physical, number one; so if you don't stop them physically, you're in trouble. So, like I said, we're going to get challenged big-time as a team. Special teams also. You've got two great backs who can run at you and (QB) Eli (Manning) is capable of throwing it all over the place. You know, he had a 470-yard day against Tennesse two weeks ago, so that tells you what they're capable of."
WR David Anderson(On the opportunity of going 4-1 for the season) "If we want to go places we've never been we'll have to do things we've never done week-in week-out. We'll have to be 4-1 like we've never had or 5-1. We just have to keep continuing this on. If we want to be a winning football team we got to win every week. That's our plan and that's what we're sticking to."
(on if the return of LB Brian Cushing excites the Texans offense) "We're happy he's back. We know we can call our horses. We got an extra one running with us. So I'm excited."* *
T Rashad Butler(on how he's preparing for the Giants defensive line) "I'm just concentrating on myself and my technique. I watch film, but I'm not going to sit here and get too worried about (Giants DE) Osi (Umenyiora). He's a great player and we all know what he can do. I'm just going to concentrate on myself and on my technique throughout the week."
(on the 10 sacks recorded by the Giants defensive line) "(Bears offensive coordinator) Mike Martz throws the ball 50 times a game. When you throw the ball that much, sometimes things could happen. Defensive linemen in this league are not stupid. They know what's going on. They game plan. They knew the Bears were going to throw the ball 40-plus times a game. I'm pretty sure after a while they weren't even trying to play the run."
LB Brian Cushing(on how it felt to return to practice) "It felt great. Just the chance to go back out there, running around, have a helmet on, it doesn't even feel like I've missed a step. I'm feeling good, I'm feeling in shape and I'm ready to go for Sunday."
(on what the last four weeks were like for him) "You know, I really didn't think it would be that tough, and six out of seven days a week weren't, but every Sunday you see some football being played and you see some score updates, and it was pretty tough. That was definitely the toughest day of the week."
(on whether he has a lot of pent up energy to unleash) "I've got that every day, regardless of if there's a game or not. I'm ready to play, whether I'd played these four games or not. I'm putting the helmet and shoulder pads on, and come Sunday, I'm going to be me."
(on what it was like to watch games on TV) "It was very edgy. I'm not used to the experience of watching a game on TV. Half the people in the room didn't know what's going on; I'm pretty sure everyone in the room didn't know the technicalities of the defense or what we're doing exactly. I know the ins and outs of exactly what's going on in the game, and someone trying to watch the game with me and throw in their little commentary, it gets me going crazy."
(on if he'll have to guard against doing too much on Sunday) "I think going into the game, I have to keep my head, of course. I have to go over the basic things and I have to keep my technique right. I haven't played football for four weeks. There's going to be certain things I'm going to want to iron out before Sunday, but yeah, I have to go in with a level head. I have to play smart, stay focused and help this team as best I can."
(on being able to put his suspension behind him) "It's big. It's in the past now. I did my time, did the four weeks, and coming back now it's going to be a better feeling just walking in the stadium come Monday and being back with the guys, just going in the locker room, just doing the little stuff that you'll never take for granted again."
(on what it felt like to jump over a 64" hurdle during his workout routine) "It felt good. I thought I had a little bit more. Maybe next offseason I'll get a little higher."
(on what it means to return against the New York Giants, who he grew up watching as a kid) "It is. There's definitely a bunch of familiar faces that I'm going to be going against, but on top of it, the game is going to be televised back home (in New Jersey). So I've got a lot to prove to people back home, what they've missed the past couple of years not being able to watch me play."
(on where he is in terms of knowing his assignments) "I think I'm about 90 to 95 percent, and I think I'll be 100 percent come Sunday. A lot of it is just instincts. You've got to remember, it wasn't too long ago I was doing this stuff and I'm going over my playbook every single day. It's just a matter of getting on the field about two or three times and really getting it out, because you can go over as many things as you want and go on a chalk board and watch some film, but in order to fully be prepared, you have to go out there and do it on the field."
(on whether he is motivated by feeling as though he has something to prove) "I feel like I have something to prove every time I step on the field. That's just my kind of attitude, the kind of way I play the game. Nothing's going to change. I'm sure some people are going to be looking for drop-offs and stuff like that, but nothing like that is going to happen. Come Sunday, I'll be right back out there again. I'm looking forward to it."
(on whether there's extra pressure on him to be the 'savior' of a defense that has struggled early this year) "It's not. I don't believe that, either. I think we just have a couple of things to get ironed out. I don't look at myself as a 'savior' or anything, but I definitely think I can add a lot. I can add a lot of attitude; I can add a lot of just speed and overall I think I can help the defense a lot, which I'm looking forward to. It's not a pressure on me; it's something I expect out of myself."
(on how he feels about the defense's performance so far this year) "To be honest with you, I've been proud of them. I've been proud of the way they've played—they're 3-1—and the effort they've played with. There's been some nicks and injuries, and guys have battled through. Most importantly, I think the number one thing when you're taken away from this game and you watch your team play, you want to see them play hard, and they sure have."
(on whether he watched all of the Texans games from New Jersey) "To be honest with you, I only watched the first one. After that, I realized I couldn't really watch the games anymore. Just from the fact of not being able to be out there and not being able to help the team. It's kind of a helpless feeling and I just really couldn't watch the games."
(on what he did instead of watching the Texans games) "I played golf. I played golf and tried to get my mind off it, but I was on my cell phone every single second checking the score updates."
(on whether he watched tapes of the games) "Yeah. I watched tape of all four games so far, and I think I've actually watched it twice over. But there's no question I knew what went on in those games, the defense that was called. About two more days and I think I'll be 100 percent with everything."
(on the reception from his teammates when he returned) "Better than I could've ever imagined. They were happy, and I think after the last game all of them texted me saying, 'You're back.' It's just a great, welcoming feeling. It's a great team, it's a great locker room, the organization's awesome, and just the kind of welcome I got, you can't explain."
(on whether it's a relief to be back with his teammates) "Of course. It's peace of mind. For the last two weeks, it was getting to me a little bit. My mom and my dad could tell I was a little on edge. Now I'm back to football, back to doing what I do and it's a really mind-clearing kind of feeling. Now I'm home."
(on being separated not just from his teammates, but from his friends on the team) "Yeah, it's not like an offseason feeling where everyone's out and in different places. I'm the only one that's gone and I know they're going to work every single day and I'm not out there to contribute. It's a tough feeling, but I'm past it now and I'm going to try to make up those four weeks in these next couple of games."
(on whether he talked to LT Duane Brown about his suspension) "You know, I just reached out to him and said, 'Any questions, just let me know,' and I let him know that I know what he's going through and, like you said, just gave him some positive encouragement, told him to keep his head up and the time will pass and he'll be back on the football field again."
(on why he posted the video online of his workout session) "You know, just to show how I'm working. I definitely wasn't sitting on the couch for four weeks; it was six days a week going at it, and my trainer and I were really excited about certain things we were able to accomplish in those four weeks. I'm a real competitive guy, whether it's football or working out, so we definitely wanted to document some stuff."
(on how many hours per day he worked out) "Probably three or four. I'm not talking about just straight workouts, just physical therapy and that kind of stuff, film review and all those kind of things just to get me up to date with what I have to be and how good I have to be to come back and be fresh and be fine."
(on how important it is to him to show people that he's as good as he was before his suspension) "There's no question it is. That's just one of the many things, but I think that the first important thing is that I play for the team, I play for my family, I play for myself and I've got to prove to myself. I've got to prove it every single day. There is, but as I said, every time I go out on the field I've got to prove something, so that's just my mentality."
(on why he picked the song "Revenge" for his workout video online) "I actually didn't pick the songs. That was Joe (DeFranco, Cushing's trainer in New Jersey) who did that."
(on whether the 600-pound tire was Joe DeFranco's idea) "Pretty much all of them were his idea. I think the only thing I came up with was one band exercise. He's a workout guru, so that's kind of his forte, I guess."
(on whether he feels more explosive following his workouts with Joe DeFranco) "Yeah, of course. Because I came right off of football shape in camp and went to working out and I got fresh, saved my legs a little bit, and probably I can honestly say I'm in the best shape of my life right now."
(on who the doctors were who diagnosed him with overtraining syndrome) "I'm not going to get into names or anything. There were numerous doctors, but I'm not going to get into details about exactly who they were."
(on what led the doctors to diagnose him with overtraining syndrome) "Like I said, I'm really not going to get into the details of that right now. My focus is October 10 against the Giants."
(on whether he expects to have extra jitters before the game this Sunday) "Yeah, I've got to settle down. I know I'm going to be a little fired up and I'm going to be very excited to play the game. I've got to be smart and play what I do."
(on what he wants to show people on Sunday) "I'm back. I'm back playing football and it's going to be the same old 56 running around. It's what I do. I take a lot of pride in playing football and I want to be the best at it. So hopefully I can not skip a beat and come in Week 5, be the player I would be Week 1."
(on Texans linebackers coach Johnny Holland saying he would hate to be the ball carrier when Cushing makes his first tackle on Sunday) "There's going to be a lot of emotion going into my hits this week, I think. But I think whether it be an injury or whatever, any time off and you get a chance to get back on the field, it's a sense of realizing that you're blessed to have this job. It's an unbelievable opportunity and when it's taken away from you, you never want to take it for granted again. You really realize how much you love something when it's taken away from you, so now being back, it's time to go again and I'm excited."
(on if there is a challenge to recreate the chemistry with his defensive teammates on the field) "I think so, but then again, it was four weeks ago. I think a little bit of it can be made up during this week of practice. I'm just looking forward to the pregame jitters and stuff getting out of the way and being out there with the guys. I think it'll honestly take about two or three plays and we'll be right back into it."
(on how he balances playing with a chip on his shoulder with filling his role on the defense) "You've got to play the defense within the defense. You can't go out there and just start making things up and going wild. Everyone has a job out there. I have to do my job, and yeah I might have a little bit more energy doing my job this week than any other week, but most importantly I have to be responsible. I can't have any missed assignments and I have to play Texans defense."
(on if he's looking forward to the ovation from the fans) "Yeah. This game is for a lot of people coming back—family, friends, fans—and I'm just looking forward to running out of the tunnel and playing come Sunday."
(on what was the best text message he got from a teammate) "Probably all of my teammates just welcoming me back. That was the most important thing, just hearing all of them saying, 'Welcome back. You're back,' and all of that stuff, knowing that they're just as excited as I am to come back."
C Chris Myers(on the Giants defensive line's performance against the Bears recording 10 sacks) "It's a number. They're a real talented group, but that is what you have to treat it as an offensive line. You treat them and give them the utmost respect. They're like any other defensive line you prepare for, just like anyone else. We're not going to do anything crazy special, but we're going to go out there and play Texans ball."
(on what he couldn't understand why the Bears couldn't execute against the Giants defensive line) "You don't read into it too much. You don't understand exactly what their game plan was, but some of it was the line. Some of it where the back and some of it was the quarterback holding the ball too long; the blame isn't on one specific group. It's a big number and I'm sure the Bears will be getting better from here on out. We just got to focus on us."
(on coming off a game where the Texans offensive line didn't give up a sack and now feeling good about themselves) "You don't pay attention to it. Again, everyone's reading into it a lot. But it has nothing to do with our game plan. We're going in there and playing Texans ball and hopefully come out with a W."
DT Amobi Okoye(on what type of challenges the Giants offense offers against the Texans defense) "They seem to have that other brother, (Giants QB Eli) Manning. The running back tandem with (Giants RB Ahmad) Bradshaw and (Giants RB) Brandon Jacobs; I don't think we've faced any two matchups like that so far this year. So we have to handle the running game, definitely. Their passing really doesn't have a number one receiver, even though (WR Steve) Smith I think made the Pro Bowl last year. All those guys contribute a lot to the game. We just have to do a good job all the way around and outplay their defense without a doubt."
(on how the Texans rush defense will be tested against the Giants rushing game) "Like I said, they have two good running backs. We're looking forward to the test. I guess it's about time, in a sense. We're looking forward to it."
QB Matt Schaub(on his thoughts about the number of sacks the Giants defensive line had last week vs. Chicago) "It is what it is. They did a great job of pursuing. Chicago's pass game is a little bit different than ours in what they do and a lot of seven-step drops and holding the football and things of that nature. We've just got to go out with our plan and execute it and we'll be ready to go. It's a good test for us."
(on the offensive line saying they refuse to let the number of sacks affect their mindset) "Yeah, we can't sit here and protect with eight guys and send two out on a route and hope to beat these guys. We've got to just play our offense and do our thing. Those guys have been playing great up front so I'm confident in them to be able to handle the pass rush."
(on if it helps knowing the Texans aren't as one-dimensional anymore) "Yeah. We're confident in what we can do and we've been able to show them we can throw the ball. We've shown we can run the ball. We're a balanced team and we're still getting better at it. We can't really focus too much on what they're doing. We have to get ourselves ready to go and be ready to play on Sunday."
(on what it means to have LB Brian Cushing back) "It's huge for our team. It's huge, not just for the defense, but it's huge for us offensively to see him come back out here. He's ready to go. He's excited to be back. You can tell he's been working at things, back home working out, staying in shape and staying in football. It's just exciting. He's a leader on our team. He brings a lot of intensity and competitiveness to our entire team."
(on C Chris Myers saying they need to play 'Texans football') "That's what we do, week in and week out. We've just got to concentrate on ourselves and how to improve from the week before and continue to get better. If we just focus on our football and what we do, we're not really concerned about our opponent. Obviously, we want to get to know our opponent throughout the week but come Sunday, we've got to go out and play our style of football."
(on if the offensive line took a big step forward last week in terms of pass protection) "It was a big step for our team to go on the road and get our third win to end the first quarter of the season. Those guys up front really controlled the line of scrimmage, not just in the run game which is obvious, but in the pass game as well. We moved to the pocket a little bit and did some things to offset some of the things that the Oakland Raiders were doing. They played a heck of a game and really did a good job."
(on how excited he gets when the running game excels) "It's fun to watch that. Between last week, doing what they did and going back to week one against the Colts, it's fun to watch those guys and how excited they get to see that run game really take shape and work the way it did. Just seeing them out there having that much fun and doing what they're doing, it's fun for me to see that."
(on the offensive line really coming together) "They're really coming together and you bring (G) Wade (Smith) this offseason and he's really gelled and meshed with those guys and really working well with them. We always said, those guys, once they get a few years under their belt, because the offensive line position is so much about cohesiveness and they've played together for a few years now so they know how to work together. It's really taking shape and it's fun to watch that. They're only going to get better."
(on the backups of the team being able to step in and do their jobs) "That's the thing about football. We get so many guys to dress on Sundays. If anything happens to someone, you've just got to plug someone else in there and say, 'You know what? Go play. Make some plays.' We've had guys do that. We lost (WR) Jacoby (Jones) the other day and (WR) David Anderson steps in and (WR) Kevin Walter steps up or our tight ends play some more and make plays. You look at the safety Troy Nolan. He goes in and makes some plays. (DT) Earl Mitchell played well in the game. The young guys are stepping up. The more we can have that happen throughout the season, the more it's going to help us."
(on what impresses him most about the Giants) "They're an experienced group. They've got a lot of guys that have played a lot of football. They have a good front four, good players on the back end. They're a good unit as a whole on defense. We're going to have to be on top of our plan."
(on FB Vonta Leach's personality and style of play) "I've had the honor and privilege to locker next to him for going on four years now, so I definitely now his personality quite well. He's a fun guy to be around. He's a loud guy. He likes to be the center of attention. He usually always is wherever you might find him. When it comes down to it, when he gets between the white lines, he's all business. He's a physical player and a hard-nosed player. He's a guy that very rarely gets credit, but we know what he means to our offense. He really makes our run game go and everything that we do and he doesn't get a lot of credit for it."
(on what FB Vonta Leach must feel like on Monday's after games) "I definitely have a high respect level for what he goes through when we're just watching the film. I don't really see it on Sundays, but watching the film and just seeing the constant, play after play collisions with those guys, I don't know how he does it. My hat goes off to him for doing it each week."
(on if he appreciates FB Vonta Leach's music too) "Oh, I love his music. I do. Some of it. Yeah, there are some songs I can do without, but I do like some of his music."
(on the NFL being a joy-ride for FB Vonta Leach given his background) "I believe it is. He's in a good place right now and just needs to continue to play at that level and we expect him to. I know he will but he definitely makes things go for us."
(on his thoughts on LB Brian Cushing being back) "We're excited to have him back and be part of our team again. He's excited to be back, eager to get out there to play. He brings a lot of intensity to our team and a lot of playmaking abilities."
(on if Cushing will be able to help the pass defense) "I think we're constantly getting better at that and we're working towards that. He can definitely help us because we like to bring him. He can a combative pass rusher for us and he can cover guys as well."
(on if they need to scheme for any of the Giants' blitz packages) "The Bears' scheme is a lot different than ours. They gave up a few sacks, some probably that were avoidable. Their pass rush is definitely very good and an elite pass rush in this league. We're going to have to be on top of the things that they do and be ready to protect."
(on what impresses him the most about DE Osi Umenyiora) "He's a relentless pass rusher with a lot of athleticism."
(on QB Eli Manning's growth in the NFL) "He just continues to get better. He's a leader on the field and just makes plays and gets his teams in the right situations."
(on having many talented running backs that can makes plays) "Yeah, we've got guys that can make plays in the running game. They're very patient with the scheme. He (RB Derrick Ward) is a veteran guy that's played well in this league and been around awhile. We have a lot of confidence in him. Seeing him have those 80 yards in however many carries was definitely good to see he's adapted to our team."* *
G Wade Smith(on the goal for the Texans offensive line in pass protection) "As an offensive line you want to keep him (Texans QB Matt Schaub) as clean as possible and that's what we try to do."
(on looking ahead at the challenge the Giants defensive line bring) "They definitely have a really good defensive front. I think each guy in the front took turns getting a sack last week. We have to bring our A game and be prepared for them."
(on the number of sacks the Giants defensive line recorded) "It's a number. You really can't focus on that number. We just got to focus on each individual guy that we're going against and what we need to do to get a block."
(on if he was stunned at the amount of sacks the Giants defensive line recorded) "I was surprised to see that it was nine sacks in the first half, but you look at the tape a lot of the times the quarterback held on the ball too long. It was a lot of different things. It just wasn't one thing. I think as an offense we have to do what we did last week and what we've trying to do all year as a group to keep that from happening to us."
New York Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin(on what impressed him the most about the Giants' defensive line performance last week) "I think the consistency of our ability to win the individual match ups and penetrate whether it is from the inside or the outside. We just played hard and tough and finished the play. We finished the play last week in occasion the quarterback was forced to hold the ball and even if he was starting to roll out we were able to come in from behind and finish the play."
(on how impressed he was with Giants DE Osi Umenyiora play last week) "He missed a day of practice (due to injury). We felt confident that he would get to the game and he wanted to play and was excited about playing. When he did have the opportunity he certainly turned it loose and it was good to see."
(on the comparison of Giants DE Justin Tuck now compared to the Super Bowl year) "(Giants DE) Justin (Tuck) is playing very well. He's played very well against the run and he was able to crank it and get on the edge and do a couple of things the other day to affect the pass with the three sacks. He's played very well and I think his development has been steady. He did have the unfortunate shoulder injury a year ago. He played, but it limited his effectiveness and to date he's healthy and he's played well."
(on how the Giants defensive line matches up against Texans T Rashad Butler) "He's a good athlete. He does have long arms. He does protect the passer well and that's probably the strong point of his game. The match up will be an interesting one to watch."
(on is there a player in the past that he coached or coached against that compares to Texans LB Brian Cushing) "I wouldn't do that in (Texans LB) Brian's (Cushing) case. I think he's a good young football player. Obviously we know quite a bit about him. He's from right close by here. Always been an energetic and enthusiastic guy and is really excited about playing and bringing energy to his team. I would imagine that he would pick up right where he left off."
(on is better to test Texans LB Brian Cushing early in his first game back or avoid him) "He's one of eleven so he's going to be out there running around. I don't know how you could even categorize that one."
(on what are the biggest challenges for the Giants line backers facing Texans RB Arian Foster) "Their offensive line is performing very well. Their fullback (Vonta) Leach is outstanding. The tight ends have done their jobs. The wide receivers have contributed. Anytime you have the long touchdowns like you did the other day with the 74 yarder and the 33 yarder there's a lot of people doing their job well. Those two runs were both off the right side. (Texans G) Wade (Smith) has been given a lot of credit of creating the seal on the backside and the crease that the backs have been able to pour it up through. It's the style of running attack and a very good football player executing it."
(on what have he seen on the Texans secondary on film) "They're aggressive. They do a good job on the press coverage. They get down at the line of scrimmage. (SS Bernard) Pollard obviously does a great job of that. They responded."
New York Giants QB Eli Manning(on if older brother Colts QB Peyton Manning has given him advice on how to face the Texans secondary) "I haven't talked to him this week yet. I've talked to him a little bit on Sunday. I just haven't talked to him yet. I might talk to him later on, but I've seen their game. The Colts offense is a little bit different than ours. I'll probably call him and see what he has to say."
(on what could he take away from Colts QB Peyton Manning's performance against the Texans this season) "The Colts got down. They didn't score that many points earlier on in the game. Houston's offense played well and got a big lead. That's part of it. Obviously, you're going to watch all four of their games and some games from last year also just to get a feel of what they're playing and how they're playing certain formations and personnel. We got to get our own game plan and get out there and execute it."
(on how he has performed against Cover 8 coverage in the past) "I don't specifically. You just try to get an idea of how they'll play us. What their answers will be and try to have a good game plan and come out and see what their plan is and they're playing us. We should have some plays to attack it."
(on the Giants defensive line's performance against the Bears) "Our defense is playing outstanding. It was fun to watch for them to get after the quarterback and making plays and getting turnovers. You couldn't help but to keep your eyes a little focused the defense because it seems like every other play they were making a big play. Obviously, the Chicago offense and the Texans offense are a little bit different. Not as much as straight drop back like Chicago is doing, but hopefully they can get another good game plan and we could go out there and play well this week."
(on did he start feeling sorry for Bears QB Jay Cutler at any point during the game) "At the time, you're excited for your defense and you're happy for them, but for the quarterback it's tough sometimes."
(on what he sees in the Texans pass rush vs. Indianapolis) "All season, their pass rush has been very talented. They got a number of great players with great speed up the field. Especially if their offense can get a lead, those athletic defensive ends and defensive tackles are going to fly up the field and make it tough. We need to mix in ways to get the ball out quickly while also getting a chance to get the ball down the field."
(on if he look at game film of his brother (Colts QB Peyton Manning) differently or does he analyze it like any other game) "I just try to analyze and see what their defense is doing. Looking more at the secondary and linebackers; you got to watch and see what type of rush they're getting versus just the four man rush. Also, what kind of pressure they give when they are blitzing. It's a combination of looking at both things and just analyzing their defense." (on how the addition of LB Brian Cushing will affect the Texans defensive unit) "He's obviously a talented player. We just got to prepare with how they like to use him. Whether it'll be rushing him more or doing some different things like lining him up in different spots and using his athletic ability. You just got to really watch and have a very good plan at how they use him."
