Injury report: "(G) Shawn Andrews is the only one who is out and who did not practice today. Everybody else was out there and practiced. Shawn had his check-up on Wednesday. The doctor is going to keep him there one more week, just for observation, before he allows him to get on a plane. He is going to observe him for the next week and see how he is doing."
Opening remarks: "We obviously look forward to the challenge of playing the Giants. We understand that they are playing good football; that they are holding the title of the World Champs. Our guys have prepared, I think, tremendously this week. They have all the respect in the world for the Giants. At the same time, I know they are going to play their hearts out and do a great job there. We look forward to getting those 60,000 fans in there at about 8:15 pm, ready to go."
On whether he expects CB Lito Sheppard to play: "He practiced today. He got some work in today and I think he feels pretty good. We will just have to see here in the next day or so how he does. He looked good, (FS Brian) Dawkins looked good, (CB Joselio Hanson) looked good. We will see how they make out tomorrow."**
On the Giants defensive line stepping up after losing DEs Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora:**
"I think it is a tribute to the guys who have stepped in. (DE Justin) Tuck played there a lot last year; he came off of a fantastic year last year. (DE Mathias) Kiwanuka had to switch from linebacker to defensive end. That's a tough thing to do. He has handled it well. He played there in college and a little bit in his first year. I think he has done a nice job transitioning into that position. Their inside guys are the same guys. They are good football players."
On what improvements Sheppard made this week that may allow him to play: "Obviously, he has rehabbed like crazy. He has been living in the training room. He ran a little bit last night after we finished practice; he felt good. It looks like the spasm is breaking up a little bit in there. He is feeling better."
On whether there is something specific that the doctor is looking for in Andrews' situation: "Just where he is at a comfort level where he can fly home, and that he is strong enough and so on. There is no hurry for him to get back here. He is doing rehab there, he is working his tail off, so we want to make sure there are no setbacks at all."
On whether there is a hope that Andrews could return to the lineup: "Honestly, I don't know that. We are not even to that point yet, so we just have to take it week by week here and see what happens. In the meantime, (G) Max (Jean-Gilles) is doing a heck of a job there."
On the team's struggles in prime time games:"You have been around here long enough. I look at everything. Whether we do well or badly, I am going to analyze it and try to figure it out. I can't actually pinpoint something for you there with the prime time thing. I haven't stayed up on the numbers too much there. I think each one is a little different. You just have to handle it the way you know how to handle it. I think we'll be okay here."
On whether facing Falcons RB Michael Turner helps to prepare for Giants RBs Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward: "I don't think it hurts. I think Michael is a very good football player and very strong. I think that's the correlation you are drawing between them. (Brandon Jacobs), I don't think you're going to find too many guys that big that you can practice against. He is a big man."
On tackling a guy like Jacobs: "You have to hit him and I don't think you want to get too high when you're hitting him. You want to make sure you do wrap up."
On whether he looks at things to try to figure out how to get off to a better start: "Like I said, we look at all that stuff. You emphasize it and hopefully you draw up the right plays for them and the players execute the plays you draw up. It's a culmination of a couple different things. The thing I've been proud about is the way the guys have finished. We will get the other part straightened out."
On whether there is something that is happening at the end of Giants games that is causing them to have close losses: "There are some things in between there. When you go up by a couple touchdowns, you have to make sure you finish it off right. You can take each game and pick out its problems. The bottom line is you have to concentrate on playing four solid quarters of football. That is our challenge for this week."
* On the importance of winning the battle up front against the Giants:*
"I absolutely believe that. When you have two good football teams play—I think this is probably around the NFL, but I would say in particular to this game right here—it starts up front. I always say that, but I would put a little extra on this one. It starts up front on both sides of the ball. The attitude you bring is very important to this thing."
* On how little margin for error there is against the Giants:*
"You don't worry about that. You just get in and keep punching. You don't worry about the score; you just take one play at a time. You give it everything you have on that play. If you did something wrong, you learn from it; if you did something good, move on. You can't worry about the score."
On whether RB Brian Westbrook will be limited in the game: "For the game? No."
On what happened to cause Westbrook's knee to swell: "When you play on turf, sometimes you have a little swelling in there. That's what he has. It has come down now and he feels pretty good."
