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Trent Dilfer
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What do you think about the lack of respect that you and Kerry Collins have
received?
"It doesn’t bother me. I think you make a choice about what you’re going
to listen to and what you’re not going to listen to, and you recognize that everyone
has an opinion and they’re entitled to that. It’s not my job to respond to it
one way or another. My job is to go out and play the best football I can play."
Talk about the cornerbacks you will be facing, Jason Sehorn and Dave Thomas.
"They’re both very talented, big guys. They play very physical and they can
run. They break on the ball very well and it’s definitely a challenge for us. Across
the board on their defense they’re very talented. Those two guys sit back very well,
where they play to their strengths and avoid their weaknesses and you can’t ask for
more performance."
What about the Giants’ linebackers?
"They’re good. There’s not a negative thing to say about anyone on their
defense. They play very well and the linebackers are very aggressive and physical. They do
a great job of playing the run gap and on the play action, getting out to where
they’re supposed to be in zone coverage or picking out running backs and tight
ends."
When the offense was struggling so greatly, why wasn’t their a rift
between the offense and defense?
"I think it’s really because we have great veteran leadership and character
on this football team. I think guys took the perspective as looking at the season as 16
weeks, not a five-game stretch or seven-game stretch and we looked around the lockerroom
and realized that we were challenging enough that at the end of 16 weeks, we would have a
good enough record to get into the playoffs and continue to improve."
Do you think the adversity you have faced in your career has made you a better
player?
"Absolutely. I think first and foremost, it’s made me a better person.
It’s given me a much clearer perspective on life. Obviously, as a football player,
anytime you’re not disturbed by outside circumstances, you’re going to be a
better player."
How is your state of mind at this point in the week, with the game getting
closer?
"I’m excited. It’s a challenge today and tomorrow. We practice so much
that we have a good grasp on a game plan. It’s a challenge to not let the emotions
start to get too high and get burnt out. I’m relaxed in a sense that I feel like
myself and my team has done a really good job of coming down here and handling our
business. Being relaxed and loose, but at the same time we have to keep a business-like
approach to the things we have to. Practice sessions, meetings, but outside of that
we’re having a good time. We’re enjoying one another. You don’t see a lot
of guys going out and about. You see us kind of sticking together and hanging out and just
doing what we do best and that’s being together as a group."
How will you begin to mentally prepare on Saturday night for the game?
"I tend to try to get my mind off of football on Saturday. After morning practice
it’s a day just to relax, take a nap, kind of remove myself from the thought process
during the week. I think you can get overloaded if you think about it too much, so
Saturday night for me, I’ll relax, probably watch a movie, go to our meetings and try
to get a good night’s sleep so Sunday that emotion can start building."
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