Fitzpatrick: 'Not a Lot of Room for Error' (11/30)

we know we're we're still in it. Uh, we also know there's not a lot of room for air, and so um, each one of these games, you know, and I said yesterday, as we continue to win, that become more and more significant in terms of putting ourselves in a position to make the playoffs, and so um, you know, it's just there's a there's a huge focus on one game at a time, one game at a time, not getting ahead of ourselves and you know, making sure that

we're all our energy and focused into the opponent each week because all these games are obviously extremely important to us, and there's so many teams that are lumped up right now. You know within a game of each other that we've just got to continue to stack wins. Do you feel like yesterday give you more reason to believe that this is a playoff team? No? I think you know, I'm glad that we got back to playing our brand of football yesterday that had been lacking the last few weeks.

But I don't think the the confidence has wavered it all this year in terms of the team that we think that we have. And you guys are obviously old. Established the run pretty early yesterday. At what point or was there a play for you that you know, felt like that the run was going to work for you a little bit better than it had It would be something you'd be able to stick and then it had you know the previous week in Houston, was there a player a moment that kind of clicked it for you?

I mean, you know, we opened up the game and had a nice little ten yard run or whatever it was, you know, and even though we ended up getting shut down on fourth and one, um, you know, having a having a run early that there was a lot of daylight. I think that gave us a lot of confidence. But you know, it's just something that you know every week we try to scheme different runs and you know, get ways to get the ball in Chris his hand and get him in space. And this week, you know, we

happen to get a couple that worked. And you know on his touchdown run obviously a great effort by him where he just makes people miss and breaks tackles. Right, And what do you think that the biggest difference was for you as an offense yesterday compared to two more recent weeks. Uh, I mean that's I think I tried to go into the game with a little more patience. I tried to go into the game, um, you know, not not trying to force things, and I think that

helped us out a little bit. Um, you know. And then the guys when they had opportunities to make plays, whoever it was, they stepped up and made the plays. But you know, we Todd had made the comment, uh, during the week about just getting back to the basics, and I think focusing on that and everybody kind of

knowing and focusing on their assignments helped us well. And you guys, you know, not to keep talking about the back to basic things like you still cast them all a lot, but you know, a lot more than than you ran. But where does where is in the passing game? Does that basics coming? Like? How can we see you guys getting back to that in the passing game? Um? Yeah,

I mean, I mean getting back to basics. Each game is gonna be different in terms of how many times are gonna run it, how many times are gonna throw it, kind of what we're doing on uh, first and second down versus third down, what our plan is in the red zone. But um, you know it's more of just getting guys in in spots. Um you know, for me,

making making throws that I'm comfortable with. Uh, you know, giving given receivers different decision routes, but putting receivers in the right spots guys that are comfortable making those decisions. And so there's a lot that goes into it, right. Obviously you've only been on the scene here for a few months. But what have you been able to pick up on what yet? Giants means maybe something you picked up at the preseason game. You know, what, what sort

of appeal do you get to the revelry? Uh? You know usually you know with the with the with the game like that. Um, then you rely on the guys that have been around, and so UM talked to Nick about it a little bit today and I'm sure just throughout the week get a better sense from the guys that have been around and been in a type of game.

But already plenty of chatter, uh, just around the community and with with different people that I know that are either jeffs or Giant fan and Um, you know, it's it's gonna be a great atmosphere that I'm looking forward to. What did you learn from Nick? Um? I mean, he just kind of talked about the significance of the game, uh,

and the the passion of the rivalry. Ryan, You've had a number of experiences around the league, so you're in a position to know does this in particular feel like a kind of a right place at the right time situation for you? Where do you not like yourself even think about that in that way? Uh? I mean, do

you think about it a little bit? You know the fact that Um, I mean I I came this team, was able to step into a offense that was full of veteran guys that have played a lot in the system that I've played in for a few years, and I'm comfortable in with the coach, uh, you know, and and Chan that has a lot of trust and experience with me. Um, so there's a lot of things that fell in place for me that that I've I've definitely been able to appreciate this year, and I's got to

continue to try to take advantage of the opportunity. Ryan, what is uh, what is Brandon into this offense this year? I mean Brandon Brandon is our go to guy. You know, He's a great playmaker. It seems to step up every time we need to play, um, you know. And it's just his football, like you was so high, which you know, it's really helpful for a quarterback, um, you know, and that means said, sometimes he'll tell me that my read was wrong or I needed to just throw some more else.

So sometimes the football he is too high. He's not to know some of that stuff as a receiver. But um, he just he brings a great passion to the game. He worked hard every single day. Um, whether it's whether it's in practice or in a game. You know, he's always uh, he's always up and in high spirits. And he's just he's a great leader for us. Not just because his passion for the game but because he shows

up every day ready to work. Do you think that the intentity of this upcoming game it's heightened because not just because of the rivalry, but because both teams are in the same which is slow but not quite in the playoffs at the term moment. Uh, I mean, it probably helps it a little bit, but you know, it's a it's just another it's another step in for us to get get ourselves in the right direct and then to get ourselves in the where we want to be.

And so I think, uh, you know, I don't really look at it that way, but um, you know, like I said, the more games we win, the more important the next one becomes. So this one is more important than the game we just played because of that. Right. How happy would you be if you guys saw the type of consistent single coverage on Brandon that you did yesterday? Well, I mean each team plays plays differently and has their own thoughts, so it just kind of depends. You know,

it'll be a wait and see things for us. We'll try to evaluate throughout the week with film on kind of what they do and what their philosophy is, and you know, go go from there, um, you know, and there's always adjustments yet to make in the game, but he's always gonna be a big part of our offense. Bryan, how did your play yesterday reflect the patients that you tried to bring into the game. Um, I don't know.

I mean, I just tried to stay away from uh, you know, trying to make too much happen, trying to force balls, just taking what they were given me. And you know, even you know early on uh installed on a few drives, but just making sure that the confidence was still high and everybody trusted in the game plan that we had in place, you know, not not trying to go off and invent different plays and different throws, but trusting what we had, um and what we had

worked on throughout the week. And I thought that was we did a good job of that. Brian, you with some good players throughout your career, and obviously you were complimentary of Brandon Marshall just a few minutes ago. Have you ever played with somebody liked him? Guy that has the mental aspect of the game and has uh, I mean,

I've played I played with some really good receivers. He's he's definitely right up there, um, you know, and was still I we've only played together for uh eleven games now, so there there's definitely um room to grow in terms of kind of our chemistry and all that. But he's I mean, he's right up there on the cop of the list for sure, right and there was right there was one snap yesterday even the first quarter that you you found molding the end up beaming yards with that

was that your thumb affecting you at all? That was kind of the first time we've seen you have any problems since the injury. Um, it's my to Ben. It was a gun snap. It was a good gun snap, and one that usually didn't drop. Uh that you know that I wouldn't drop, And so I don't know if it you know, hit my brace or what happened, but I think it might have had something to do with it, you know. That being said, we were fortunate to think

it was maybe a third in one. I was fortunate enough to pick it up and then run for the first down. But um, yeah, we you know, other than that one, you know, again, we've kind of been able to avoid, you know, and even with Nick's hand injury, been able to avoid any of those uh, those bad turnovers that you can't have and uh, you know handed off and stuff was clean yesterday as well. Try to mention after you got hurt that he really did want you to concentrate on trying to slide when you could.

It doesn't seem like, Um, I don't know, there have been many opportunities for for for that for that to happen, or many attempts for you to slide, you just keep running forward. Is it something about your style that lead you not to be able to slide, or just you know, you just don't want to do it because you'd rather

gain the yard. Um. I mean like I've been that's my eleventh year in the league, and you know, I've always kind of played a particular way and I continue to try to get better and play smarter and all those things. But they're just are certain times in the game where, um, you know, all the arts that we can get madder, and that's that's kind of how I'm play the game. And you know, I try to put

myself in the best situation. Um, you know, when I'm when I'm diving or getting down to try to avoid those big hits, and I can usually do a good job of it. Ryan, you know, for the second straight time, Uh, Dominican Sue wasn't able to have, you know, a monumental impact on a game against you guys, What did you think of the job that Winters did on hand yesterday? I thought Brian did a good job. And it's you know, there are some one on one matchups there, and it's

also just a collective effort. You know, part of it with um the game planning and the different runs and the way the game was called, and then part of it was just the way those guys worked together up front, and I thought they did a really nice job collectively as a group. Um, you know, in that something we can just continue to build on. You know, Brian stepped

in and done a done a really nice job. You know, it's not always easy to step in from not playing, and you know, he's really done a good job with the getting chemistry with the guys he's next to, and um, you know he's he's a tough competitor, so he's fun

to have out there in the huddle. Brian. Obviously the Jets, when you came to the Jets run, you know, you didn't really know what necessarily what your role was going to be for say, I mean, they brought you in sort of kind of the beat back up here, but to be starting out down the stretch and have a chance here to play in the playoffs for the first time in your career? What what is this meant to you? I know, I don't know if you could have expected this,

But what what is this kind of experience? Mess? Uh? I mean, I don't. I don't know if that's a if I can answer that one yet. You know, there's still some games left and stuff that we need to get accompliced, and so, um, that's why I'm still playing, you know. I want to be out there competing, and I love the guys that I'm playing with, and so we just need to, you know, continue to build off of this last performance and continue to stack up the winds.

But I don't, I don't really know, you know, if I can give a completer affair answer until the season's over on that one, right, it was the one weird start from yesterday? Uh? Did that didn't have any sort of milestone mean for you? Yeah? I thought, I thought, uh, yeah, that's preignificant to me. That that was my dad texted me earlier in the day. I knew that it was

going to happen at some point this year. I kind of forgotten which game it was going to be, but my dad texted me earlier in the day and um, you know, and so then I was kind of made aware of it, and so that was that was cool

for me. I mean, that's a neat thing that, you know, and my careers over with, uh, you know, it's definitely I wanted to keep the ball at the end of the game and throw that one in the trophy case, you know, because being a seventh round pick, uh, you know, being a guy that wasn't really recruited to play college football that stuff. It's been a pretty cool ride. So your dad's texts basically indicated just telling you this is

number one hundred or it was. Did you share that, Yeah, yeah, I am, you know, something about, you know, congrats on one today, let's go get you know, I don't know, let's go get on something like that. But yeah, his his text basically it just made me aware of the fact that this this was number one hundred.