Beautiful day – no wind, no conditions, no problem.

Q:  Everybody always asks you if you want to practice out in the elements?

A:  The north Atlantic – that is the north Atlantic story.

Q:  You do get that question a lot.  Was that part of your thinking today?

A:  Sure, absolutely. We needed to be outside. There are days in which you have to consider the execution of your football and what is more important. Today, obviously, everything you do is important, but we did need to get outside. So we got a day outside and the wind is not scheduled to be as bad as it is today and it was yesterday. But you never know.

Q:  What about the cold?  What specifically do you do to prepare for sheer cold?  Do you worry more about fumbling?

A:  Well, you have to take care of the ball. There is no question about that. But basically you try to be in the elements a little bit and then you talk an awful lot about focus no matter what the conditions are and that kind of thing. But you have to take care of the football.

Q:  Does it look like you will have everybody healthy and available at least for the game on Sunday?

A:  We’ll see.  We’ll see.  They did practice today so we’ll see.

Continue reading this post »

Q. When was the last time you missed a game prior to this? Did you miss any games in college?

A. I got hurt my last year in college. I missed the last two games. So that was the last time I missed one.

Q. How is Aaron Ross adjusting to playing safety in the nickel package?

A. He’s good. I actually think he did some last year so he is getting more comfortable without having someone talking to him about it while he is out there. He is the one telling me what he should be alert to and what the checks and formations are. The way he explains it to me, I feel the same way about it.

Q. How did you feel today at practice?

A. I felt good.

Q. What do you think the chances are for Sunday?

A. I’m going to play. I didn’t really feel my groin at all today.

Q. When you look back on the last game against Philadelphia what do you feel was the big problem with them breaking big running plays like that?

A. Probably somebody out of the wrong gap. If the defense was supposed to be gap-sound, somebody was in the wrong gap. The ball might pop, but we will just chase them down and make them snap it again. Hopefully our defense will hold up. We didn’t play physical enough. This time we will go out there and play a lot more physical. Try to intimidate one on one every play. One on one battles every play. Try to beat them up. Play aggressive the whole game and win the physical battle.

Q. How are you coming along with getting back into the lineup?

A. It is looking good right now. I am getting more snaps each week. I am not sure if I am starting or not this week. Like I said all the time, whatever role they put me in, that is what I am prepared to play.

Q. How comfortable are you now at safety?

A. I am getting there. I still have some things to learn. I know the defense but I still have technical and just small things that safeties that have been playing the game know that I might not. I have Michael Johnson, (Aaron) Rouse and C.C. (Brown) to teach me. It's been going pretty well.

Q. One of the things that safeties have to do is tackle. You are a textbook tackler. Does that tell you a lot about your being able to play safety?

A. Of course. I told somebody last week that I wasn't afraid to tackle. I don't know who it was but they asked me. They told me I had to get physical. I am very capable of being that person. I am not scared to tackle at all.

Q. When you play safety do you play more free safety or can you play both safety positions?

A. The way our defense is set up you have to know both positions because the offense may switch their formation and we can't just keep running and flip-flopping. I have to know both sides.

Q. Are you making the calls back there at that position?

A. Yes. If it is on my side, then I have to talk to the corner who is on my side. We might have different coverages on both sides.

Q. Do you miss playing corner?

A. Of course. I have been playing corner all of my life. Terrell (Thomas), Corey (Webster), Bruce (Johnson) and (Kevin) Dockery are doing tremendous jobs. The coaches told me they needed me more at safety so that is where I am prepared to play.

Q. Is it a different mindset at all?

A. It was at first but now week by week and day by day in practice I am getting used to it. Like I said before, the biggest thing for me is transferring my eyes from the receivers to the quarterback. I am starting to get a feel for it.

Q. You said that was the biggest change?

A. That was the biggest change.

Q. What has been the hardest adjustment from a technique standpoint?

A. Just knowing my alignment. When we are in cover two, cover three, the different coverages, knowing where I am supposed to stand. I know my responsibility but I have to start learning where I am supposed to stand to disguise the defense.

Q. Are you still thinking more than you want to be rather than being instinctive?

A. I would say so. I like to just play freely. Day by day I am starting to cut the thinking out and starting to just react. At first, yes, I was doing a lot more thinking.

Q. Are you starting?

A. I don't know.

More photos » by Kathy Willens - AP

New York Giants safety Aaron Rouse (26) sacks Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) in the first quarter of their NFL football game at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009.

Browse more photos »

Here is some Friday afternoon reading material for you, New York Giants fans.

Aaron Rouse, acquired to take Kenny Phillips' roster spot after being let go by Green Bay earlier this season, has played exceptionally well the past couple of weeks. He even earned a game ball last week, with 12 tackles (10 solo) and his first career sack.

"He has been a big time pleasant guy for us in the last couple of weeks," defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan said. "He got a game ball the other day … and it was well-deserved. He is playing with a lot of confidence now that he is playing for a couple weeks. He is much more comfortable with the defensive calls and he plays super aggressive. He has a steady confidence about him, he tries to play physical. He made about a dozen tackles the other day and it looks like it, when you are on the sidelines watching it, he looks like he is in on a bunch of tackles. He has done an excellent job."

Rouse admits he endured an adjustment period, because changing teams and homes on the fly is difficult.

"As a young player, it is," Rouse said. "I had never experienced it; my first time was going from Green Bay to the Giants in the middle of the season. That was hard, but at the same time I have a great support system - my mom and my godfather were there. Basically, I know that being the good player that I am that I was optimistic about everything and never got down and was just waiting for the opportunity to play for another team. Mr. Reese (Jerry, the general manager) brought me in here and I am thankful for that and am just trying to make the best of this opportunity.

"This is my third year in the league, so anytime you go from a different team you try to think about things that have happened. But my main focus was to be optimistic. I know I am a good player, I know I am going to be a great player one day and when things happen you keep your head up and go forward."

My take: A couple of good games does not make a career. Rouse is just 25, though, and if he keeps playing as well as he has the past few weeks New York might just become a long-term home.

Continue reading this post »

Time for our weekly swap of questions with Ernie Palladino, long-time Giants beat writer and current wizard of Giants Beat. Hopefully, you will find this week's installment entertaining. And, don't forget to check my answers over at Ernie's place.

1. Where in the world is Kevin Boss?

Continue reading this post »

Who is in left field? Who is at designated hitter? Those are the basic lineup questions about our New York Yankees right now, and they all hinge -- of course -- on whether Johnny Damon will accept a contract offer from the Yankees much shorter and less lucrative than uber-agent Scott Boras would like.

Meanwhile, there is much discussion of other options should Damon decide to walk. GM Brian Cashman can talk about Juan Miranda all he wants, but we all know that is incredibly unlikely to happen. 

By the way, with the Rule 5 drafting of Jason Hoffmann another question seems to be whether or not speedster Brett Gardner will be part of the outfield mix. Seems the Chicago White Sox, and possibly the Kansas City Royals, are asking about Gardner's availability.

Personally, I love Gardner. Some folks think Jason Tyner or Joey Gathright -- speedy slap hitters who have never hit enough to play regularly, when they look at Gardner. To me, he's a lot closer to Scott Podsednik, a guy who can hit enough, defend and wreak havoc on the bases. Obviously, it's not going to be with the Yankees, but I still believe Gardner can play regularly -- and do it well -- for somebody.

Continue reading this post »

OK. You guys asked for an interview with 'Bye, Dawk:(:', and now you've got it. Our favorite Philadelphia Eagles fan (now, there is maybe the strangest phrase I have ever typed) graciously agreed to answer five questions from me. So, here is our interview.

Big Blue View: Obviously, you're an Eagles fan. Yet, you spend a lot of time at BBV, and you have actually become a valued member of the community. Why are you spending so much time sleeping with the enemy, so to speak?

Bye, Dawk:(:"There are many things my father taught me here in this room. He taught me: Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer."

- Michael Corleone

Big Blue View: The Eagles have beaten our Giants three times in a row. Giants fans will never say, oh, the Eagles are just better. Never. Not buying it. But, is there something you see as a reason why the recent matchups have gone Philly's way.

Bye, Dawk:(: Before I answer that question, I'll point out that the 3 games prior to our latest 3-game run were won by the Giants, but I digress.

This might be oversimplifying it, but in each of the past 3 games, the Eagles won the 1st Quarter. Let's throw out this year's game, which wasn't really a contest and focus on last year's games. Last year the Giants played extraordinarily well with the lead all season. They simply bullied teams once they got ahead, as evidenced by their 5.0 yards per carry and 157 yards per game in 2008. In the 2 games the Eagles beat the Giants last year, they won the 1st Quarter, kept their defense off the field, and the Giants only put up 88 and 138 rushing yards, both below their average. In the game the Giants won last year, they grabbed an early lead and bullied the Eagles for 219 yards on the ground, as well as a difference of 39:10 to 20:50 in time of possession. The Giants' run game this year is a far cry from their dominance of a year ago, but I think some of that is offset by the emergence of Steve Smith and the rest of the Giants' young receivers' ability to move the chains. I know I'm really going out on a limb here, but I think whoever wins the 1st Quarter, wins the game.

Continue reading this post »

Here are today's New York Giants transcripts.

• Defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan
• Offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride
• Head coach Tom Coughlin
• Running back Brandon Jacobs

Q. How about the Eagles’ speed this week? What challenges does that present for your defense?

A. Same issues, same problems. DeSean Jackson is probably as explosive a player as there is in the NFC. They have had their most success on big plays so that will be a huge emphasis for us. If we can just hang in there and keep the ball in front of us, we will have a chance to be competitive in the game. They get big plays, especially if they get them early, it is a big momentum swing for them.

Q. (Jason) Witten had a big game last week. It seems that the tight ends you have faced this season have found success against your defense. Is there something that they are doing or something that your defense isn’t doing? Have you identified why they have been so successful?

A. That is a good question. I know there has been some of that this year. One, we have played some good tight ends. We try not to have too much of a mismatch, you know maybe having a linebacker cover them that really isn’t as able as some of the safeties are. We take that into account when we put the game plan together and try to put the best available guys. You have such good quality receivers that you are playing against, as well, and normally from a size standpoint you are not going to put corner type of guys on tight ends. You are also mixing up your coverage. You are not just playing man coverage every single time. So sometimes in zone coverage those guys are very capable of getting open. They work away from the leverage of the coverage and that stuff. I know a couple guys, Witten alone, had a Pro Bowl performance against us a week ago. Just different things; you try to attack it and contain it.

Q. How were the Eagles able to get some big runs on you last time?

A. Really just not executing exact gap fits. If they don’t, the ball breaks, but when it breaks it shouldn’t be going for 40 and 60 yards. It should get corralled by the back end guys. The front end starts with the ball getting into the secondary. That is always an issue because you’ve got guys who aren’t executing their gap responsibilities. Actually two of the big runs they hit on us we were in stunts, so we had D-linemen moving, which can create problems in and of itself. But when the ball breaks out you certainly don’t count on it going the distance like those two did the first time we played them. So it is a combination. If the front doesn’t execute their leverages on the blocks in what we call ‘gap-fit’ responsibility, the ball gets out in the secondary, but the back end guys for sure have to corral it and knock it down for a 10 or 15 yard gain. It shouldn’t be out the gate like it was in the first game.

Continue reading this post »