NFL International Series Giants vs Packers

Sunday, 9 October 2022

New York Giants

Saquon Barkley

Postgame Press Conference


New York Giants 27, Green Bay Packers 22

Q. A lot of people discredited the first few Victors of the season because of the opponents, but I don't think there's any discrediting Aaron Rodgers or the Packers. Is there any statement to the league that you're legit?

SAQUON BARKLEY: I don't think it's any statement to the League. To be completely honest, it's the NFL. Every time you to against somebody, this isn't college it. Isn't like you're playing at Penn State and going against your Week 1 who is someone you should beat by 40. It's the NFL and it's hard to win in this league.

For us, we can't even focus on that. If anyone want to take us serious or not, the main thing we got to focus on is interior, inside our building, continue to love the process and continue to get better and continue to lean on each other and find ways to get with in.

Q. It's the best start for the Giants in 13 years.

SAQUON BARKLEY: Yeah, it's great start. 4-1, you know; where you want to be. But like I said, you can't get too caught up in it, you've just got to keep working and there's a reason why we're 4-1 and that's because of the process, and that's because we've got guys coming in and working and believing in the system, setting the culture, setting the standard and following it. And that's what it means. We've got to just continue to do that and if we continue to do that, continue to believe in each other, when we look back at this thing we'll be pretty excited.

Q. What happened on the ankle --

SAQUON BARKLEY: Just got banged up. Laid on me pretty wrong, pretty weird. It is what it is.

Q. Were you woozy on the sideline? Why were you stumbling? I'm just trying to gather exactly what happened, the evaluation.

SAQUON BARKLEY: I wasn't woozy at all. I wasn't stumbling. If anything, I was like this pacing back and forth trying to get back in the game.

There's protocols and things I've got to go through to get back in the game. We have some if not the best training staff, doctors, I put my trust in them.

Obviously I spent a little bit more time with them the last couple years rehabbing than I would like, but I know they have got my best interests at heart, and not only them, the coaches, too. Did everything they can to get me back in the game and help my team win.

Q. Were you able to watch the drive at the end?

SAQUON BARKLEY: I didn't see Gary's touchdown. I got to see a little bit of it. But I didn't get to Gary's touchdown which I'm a little upset about. I love Gary; that's like my little brother. I love the way he runs and carries himself. I'm really excited, and what a way, to get your first down: In a big game overseas in London. I made sure, I was like, "You've got the ball? You got the ball?" Yeah, he get it. That's big for him. I'm excited for him.

Q. How would you describe the atmosphere in the stadium? Something similar to Penn State or put you more energy to run more? How would you describe the London atmosphere?

SAQUON BARKLEY: The energy was amazing. It felt like a college game to be completely honest. You have to give credit, Green Bay, they showed out. I don't know if they came from Green Bay or just over here, it's a big fan base but they showed out and it felt like for me like you said in, college, like we were at a Michigan or at an Ohio State away as an away team.

And that's how you want it to be. We just said, it's backs against the wall, only us here and the only thing we got is each other and we'll lean on each other and we were able to get the win. The stadium was amazing, the atmosphere. This whole trip has been amazing and I love what the NFL is trying to do and expand the game and hopefully we're here soon.

Q. What are you most proud about as you leave here?

SAQUON BARKLEY: One, I would say just the win in general. Like I said, it's hard to win in this league. Two, just what we have been shown throughout the season, just how tough, how competitive, it's a dogfight, find a way to get in the fourth quarter and drown it. That's the mindset that we have. Just keep leaning on each other and trusting each other.

When they make big plays, don't waver. Never have that mindset that the game is over. At any opportunity we know we can come back and win a game and we showed that in the (last) couple weeks. And that all starts with the process. That all starts Joe and Dave and the coaches and leaders and us passing it down to the team and coming in with that standard and coming in with that -- changing the whole culture. We have got to continue to do that and we have got to continue to believe in it.

Q. You mention Brian Daboll. How much of a difference has he made?

SAQUON BARKLEY: He made a big difference. Not just only Dabs; all the guys that came in, all the coaches, the guys who were here prior and who are here now. You know, they are doing a great job. And we have unbelievable coaches.

And the big thing, we got players that trust in our coaches and trust in the system. And we know that, hey, this is the NFL, they are going to make plays, but at the end of the day if we just keep believing it, keep trusting the process, we can get the job done.

Q. On the touchdown, did you think they thought you were going up the middle?

SAQUON BARKLEY: No, I kind of just tried to make a play to be honest. I felt like I knew what we were doing and once I saw GB go out I knew it was only a corner there. I was like, GB is making a block and it's a foot race and I guessed right.

Q. We kind of saw it last week -- is this a new thing that's going to stay?

SAQUON BARKLEY: What do you mean by that?

Q. The wildcat.

SAQUON BARKLEY: I don't know. I mean, every week it's something new. I think Kaf, Bobby, the whole offensive staff do a really do great job not only in the whole run game but just as a scheme in general, but the run game. They put us in positions to succeed and we feel like we can find a way to make some plays in that situation. You know, obviously going to carry over.

That's the biggest thing I guess going back to your question, proud about just the way that we are able to adapt every week. It's a different run and it's a different type of scheme where we dress up in a different way to get it going and obviously the Packers came out with the mindset to try to stop the run and probably what every team is probably going to do from now on.

But we've just got to continue to adjust and for me find a way to make plays in the passing game that, would be better, earlier in the game with the drop -- I don't know why that sticks in my head but anyway I can find a way to get involved in there and make plays.

Q. The wildcat, what does it feel like having that as a part that you can add to this team?

SAQUON BARKLEY: I feel like the ball is in my hand and I can make the right decision, just go for the keys and go through my rules and just play the game.

Q. You said you get mad at yourselves -- what has changed?

SAQUON BARKLEY: Obviously just a standard, the coaches, but what I believe has changed is we are finding ways to win games. There's been a lot of times throughout my career that we've been in a situation in the past in the first couple of games, and we always end up on the wrong side of it. And we are finding a way to end up on the right side of it and it's all because of the process. All because of the way that we come to work; all because of the way that we have got guys that love to be coached; the way our coaches coach. Everybody from -- from all the way up to the top of the building to training staff to being in lunchroom and equipment guys, everybody, we got a really good thing going in the facility and we've just got to keep building on it.

Q. The respect and the legacy of Aaron Rodgers was a big story in this game. When he's at the six-yard line, what's running through your mind watching that?

SAQUON BARKLEY: Nothing. I wasn't really nervous at all. I knew we were going to find a way to make a play. That's what we have been doing. We have been leaning on stuff, whether it's defense, offense, special teams, making plays. Obviously 12 is 12. Aaron Rodgers is if not the best player in the league one of the best players in the league but our defense did what they had to do in that situation. I was probably a little more nervous on the Hail Mary attempt because you never know with that guy but our guys on that play made plays when we need the it the most.

Q. Obviously the goal is always to win the Super Bowl but do you take stock of how far you've come, making the winning touchdowns in the NFL?

SAQUON BARKLEY: I do that a lot. Try to live in the moment. That was like the first thing when we got over here. I was sitting there, jet-lagged, tired, and GB, Brightwell, he was like, "Man, I'm in London about to play a football game."

And when he said that, the reality kind of hit and it was like, we are overseas playing a game that we love trying to expand the game to fans, new fans. If I go back to when I was an eight-year-old kid and I started playing football, I'll be really happy where I'm at.

And obviously you can't look too far behind and you can't look too far in the future, but just try living in the moment, take it day-by-day and continue to fall in love with the process. And if you continue to do that and continue to take those steps and those little steps up that mountain, by the end of this thing, we'll be happy where we're at.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
125678-1-1003 2022-10-09 18:05:00 GMT

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