NFL Game Notebook: Giants vs. Redskins

The following interviews took place after the December 16, 2007 game between the New York Giants and Washington Redskins.  The Redskins won, 22-10.

Joe Gibbs:

Scott: “With the wind conditions, running the ball was a more likely scenario tonight. Clinton Portis came out and carried the ball tremendously. Talk about his contribution to the victory.”

Joe: “Yea, I mean, Clinton’s a 15/100 yard back, but I think as much as anything, for as much as he jokes around about wanting to miss practice and things like that, game day, you just need to look into his eyes. He knows what this is all about. He loves the game and the competitive part of it. I haven’t had a back that’s that physical without the ball in his hands. He’s going to go pass protect and block, and you just kind of look at him and he just says, ‘this is what I do, this is what I was made for’ and I appreciate Clinton. We have a lot of guys in there like that. I didn’t mean to go off on that, but you brought it up and I just wanted to say it because I happened to catch him today, just before we got down for our prayer before we went out there, I kind of caught his eye, you know what I mean, and he looked like, ‘hey, you can count on me.’”

Santana Moss:

Scott: “The team has two big wins in a row. Are you guys starting to feel the momentum build up?”

Santana: “Man, all I can tell you is every week, if we play the way we’ve been playing, you’ll see this kind of performance and that’s all we can do. Yes, we’re feeling good about it, but we have to strap it up again and go at it again with another good team. Every week is a playoff week for us and we have to play like that.”

Rock Cartwright:

Scott: “Does playing at night, in front of a national audience when no other football games are being played, do anything for you as a player?”

Rock: “I think it gives you more motivation to go out there and play harder because you got fans at home and your friends watching you. When you’re on prime time TV everybody’s watching you and you have your opportunities to go showcase your skills. I think I play that much harder on national TV.”

Andre Carter:

Scott: “Your last two games were prime time TV games and next week’s is as well. How is that compared to the usual Sunday afternoon contest?”

Andre: “It’s great. Playing prime time, it’s fun in general. I think one thing about us, and playing with the character that we have, is regardless of if we’re playing primetime or not, first things first, it’s about us and that’s the level of maturity we have on this defense. From the offense to defense to special teams, this is about Redskin ball and laying the chips down and playing good ball.”

Scott: “When the Redskins have made the playoffs in recent years, it’s been a last couple game thing. Why can’t it be easy and you guys just coast in?”

Andre: “That’s a good question. I wish I had an answer for that. It’s unfortunate and this year we kind of put ourselves in the hole. But it’s life. I think the true character, as a player, is when your back is up against the wall you keep fighting and swinging and see what happens.”

Shaun Suisham:

Scott: “When you were warming up before the game, I saw you missing a bunch of kicks because of the wind. Does any of that stuff get into your head?”

Shawn: “I think everyone looks at their warm-ups a little differently. I take the opportunity to gage what the ball is doing the best that I can. Sometimes the ball isn’t going to do what you want it to. Fortunately, I don’t carry a miss in warm-ups or a miss in the game with me. I’m fortunate I don’t carry that with me. I treat every kick independently.”

Scott: “Were you surprised, with 22 mph winds, that Coach Gibbs let you go for the 49-yard kick into the wind in the first quarter?”

Shawn: “I wasn’t sure what they were going to call. It sure makes me feel good as a kicker to have them let me kick that ball, yea.”

Clinton Portis:

Scott: “The Redskins have been able to show a national audience the past two weeks what they’re capable of. How’s that feel as one of the primary reasons for that?”

Clinton: “It’s good. It’s good to be centerstage, but at the same time, these are must win games. Last week was a must win. This week was a must win. Next week is a must win. Those are the teams we’re competing to get into the playoffs with and we go up against these guys who have playoff hopes, well we have playoff hopes too and we’ll show it in these games.”

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