NFL Game Notebook: Giants vs. 49ers

The following interviews took place after the October 21, 2007 game between the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers.  The Giants won, 33-15.

Sam Madison:

Scott: “The team has been playing very well the last five games and now you’re off to London.  Is it something you’re looking at as exciting or something that might throw off this good rhythm you’ve got going?”

Sam: “Pretty much, we have another game, and we just take it one game at a time.  It just so happens the next game is in London.  It could have been in San Diego, it could have been in Seattle.  But we’re going to opposite way.  No, it doesn’t matter.  As long as we go out there and give a great effort.  I think over the last couple of weeks in the film room and in the locker room, everybody’s been seeing we’ve been giving a great effort and it shows what can really happen.”

Scott: “The 49ers were a team coming off three straight losses and a bye week.  Is that hard for a club to do because they had two weeks to think about the last game’s loss without being able to get back out there and fight for another win?”

Sam: “The thing is does is it gives your football team an opportunity to put new plays in and go against the things the opposing team does best.  Just gives them a little more time to get their legs up under them.  It can help and it can hurt by sitting there and not playing that game.  It could take your toughness out of it.  It’s part of it, everybody has one, it just so happened it was there’s last week.”

Jeremy Shockey:

Scott: “With the way that you guys are playing right now, how much fun is playing football in New York City?”

Jeremy: “These are the same guys that were in here bashing us last year so we’re not taking it that far.  Obviously we have a lot of work to do, it’s a long season and we’re just concentrating on the Dolphins.”

Brandon Jacobs:

Scott: “With the way that you guys are playing right now, how much fun is playing football in New York City?”

Brandon: “It’s fun.  It’s real fun.  We’re coming out, we’re playing real hard, we’re winning.  I think the ball’s in our court right now and we’re going to take it and play with it.  I think it’s going to be very hard to stop us.”

Plaxico Burress:

Scott: “With the way that you guys are playing right now, how much fun is playing football in New York City?”

Plaxico: “It’s fun.  It’s like me and (Amani) Toomer were saying on the sideline, it’s a pleasure to come to work with these guys.  It’s a pleasure to go out and play hard for each other.  At the end of the day, we can have a smile on our face and when I’m over there, standing on the sideline, with five or six minutes left in the game and we’re winning, it’s definitely a good day.  It doesn’t matter who’s scoring the touchdowns or who’s catching the passes, but me and Amani standing on the sidelines with five minutes left in the game, it takes the edge off.”

Scott: “You and Eli have connected so well this season.  Today Randy Moss and Tom Brady had two more touchdown connections.  What’s it like to know that you’re the guy and going to get the ball in the end zone?”

Plaxico: “Anything’s possible.  We’re going to go out and play hard from the start.  That’s something we’ve been trying to do, get out there and get off to a fast start and play well.  You know, Randy and Tom are playing great.  Me and Eli (Manning) just going on and doing what we have to do, staying under the radar, keep connecting for touchdowns and we’ll see what happens.”

Amani Toomer:

Scott: “Today you broke the record for most touchdown receptions by a New York Giants player.  What does that mean to you?”

Amani: “It’s definitely special, but I really don’t focus on those type of things.  We have so much stuff left to do in this season.  A five-game winning streak that we’re on, but there’s so much stuff going on right now I can’t really sit back and think about it.”

Scott: “I know you were battling some injuries early on, how are you feeling now?”

Amani: “I feel good.  Yea, I feel good.  I can’t complain.”

Osi Umenyiora:

Scott: “You had a long run on that fumble-recovery touchdown.  How much of it was spent thinking about how you’re going into the end zone or what kind of celebration you were going to do?”

Osi: “I was so tired, man.  I was just hoping to get into the end zone.  I was thinking, please man, before I pass out.”

Scott: “With the way that you guys are playing right now, how much fun is playing football in New York City?”

Osi: “It’s great man.  It’s great.  As long as you’re winning football games, it’s better.”

Mathaias Kiwanuka:

Scott: “With the way that you guys are playing right now, how much fun is playing football in New York City?”

Mathias: “This is where you want to be.  This is where I want to be.  I couldn’t imagine playing anywhere else, especially when you’re on a roll and playing well.  Being in the NFL, being in a great market like this, having fans come out week after week, even when you’re down, carrying you on.  You know, they boo a little bit, but you got to take the good with the bad.  And you know, this is where I want to be.”

(The following interviews are archived from “Scott Stanchak Exclusives” on ScottStanchak.com)