david dieHl - New York Giants

Q: The defense seems to play solid for a stretch and then gives up a long play (58 of 20 or more yards
this season). How concerned are you about the long plays?
Coughlin: “I’m very concerned, but there’s a combination of things that occur when that happens. It’s
not just the ball in the air. How did the quarterback get that much time? What was the coverage? Where
are people supposed to be? What are they seeing? Do we see the ball in the air? Are we playing the ball
in the air? Are we in perfect position? You have a lot of things that you have to evaluate when you talk
about that. I certainly think we have to improve. We can’t give up the big plays. We gave up some big
plays the other day in a big win; too many, actually.”
Q: On both of Stevie Brown’s interceptions last week, he seemed to read the play immediately. Does
he have unusually good anticipation?
Coughlin: “That second interception was so important to our success, to shutting them down, to
creating a negative on their part, denying them an opportunity to score like that and then running it
back 70 yards to the other 20-yard line. He anticipated, he saw it, he knew what they were trying to do
trying to get (tight end Jimmy) Graham in position down the middle of the field, which they had done so
many times with big receivers, either Marques Colston or Graham. So his anticipation was excellent.”
Q: As you studied the Falcons this year in the offseason, did you have to study their new
coordinators?
Coughlin: “Absolutely. They have two new coordinators (Dirk Koetter on offense, Mike Nolan on
defense). You look at them from years gone by, but it's the personnel you’re looking at. You don’t get to
study what they really are with the two new coordinators until the season. So we’ve gotten information
about them, but what really is important is the way they played this season.”
Q: On offense, the Falcons have two terrific receivers in Roddy White and Julio Jones and on defense
they have outstanding safeties in William Moore and Thomas DeCoud…
Coughlin: “Strong. Big and strong. Look at Jones run through arm tackles and make plays. He had a great
play against Tampa when the corners really got him and they’re going to tackle him and they can’t tackle
him. The guy is so strong and White is the same way. Big and strong. The two safeties are outstanding.
Moore is physical. He’s going to put the hat on anything that moves.”