Compiled by Matthew Lee
Washingtonpost.com Correspondent
Web Posted: Sunday, November 1, 1998; 8:21 p.m. EST

Norv Turner
Opening Statements:
I guess I'll start out by telling you that I don't really have a lot to say. I didn't have a lot to say to our team other than we've been talking about this for seven weeks and when you put a complete game together you have a chance to be successful. You put a game together where you don't have any turnovers, you limit the number of big plays you give up, you run the ball, you stay in the game so you can play four quarters, you're not trying to drop back and throw the ball every down and then, obviously, you play a complete game as a team. When they come back with a kickoff return for a score, that's about how our first two months have gone. It would have been easy to back off and our guys didn't. It was a great defensive victory and it was a great team victory.

Q: There were several players, who stepped up. Can you talk about Skip Hicks and Stephen Davis?
A: Skip is a talented player and we haven't been in this position before where we've been able to use all of our guys and run the ball throughout a whole game and Skip came in and gave us a burst. He's a talented young player and he continues to grow and understand protections and blocking schemes and those sort of things, he's just going to get better.

Q: What was the feeling in the locker room after getting your first victory?
A: Hey, it feels good to win. That's why you play this game and it is a great feeling to win a game.

Q: Is this victory particularly sweet?
A: When you're in a division where there is a rivalry that's a long lasting rivalry, I think to beat the New York Giants feels good.

If you go back to where we won games, we won by running the ball, high percentage in passing game and playing great special teams. We did give up a kickoff return but we certainly got the advantage in special teams, especially in the punting game.

Q: Can you talk about Trent Green's performance today?
A: The bye week helped us. It helped us regroup as a team, put together the kind of plan we wanted for New York and it was almost the game we were into when we were up there [in New York] before we turned the football over. Trent was awfully sharp early. I thought he was accurate and high percentage, he obviously got very cautious late in the game, took a couple of sacks where you'd think he didn't have to but I though he played well throughout the entire game.

Q: Can you talk about what Stephen Davis did for the team today?
A: Stephen gives us a little more speed coming out of the backfield than we're used to. New York commits so much to the run with their blitz package that we thought we could get the fullback in the flat like we were getting him.

You're going to go through situations where people are going to have to step up and we had some guys step today. We played awfully well. New York's a good football team, they're a sound football team. They obviously don't present the problems that a San Francisco or a Denver do so you can zero in on some things and our linebackers zeroed in on some things today.

Q: Can you tell us some about the Michael Westbrook situation?
A: I'll talk about that tomorrow at the regular press conference. I'd really rather talk about the guys that played today.

Q: Was this the best effort the defense had today?
A: It was an excellent effort. It was crazy if you go back and look at the first game up there, we played great defense. Our defense went into the game with the confidence that we could beat them. When you make the third and one plays, that comes from the momentum of playing well and playing with confidence and everyone playing together.

Q: Is this win particularly sweet considering the season up until now?
A: It's a great feeling for guys in that locker room because they're the guys. I know a lot of it ends up being focused on me but they're the guys that end up pounding each other all week, putting their bodies on the line. They're the ones making the physical and mental sacrifices and I'm happy for them. There's nothing quite like winning a football game. It gives some of the young guys a feeling like the can contribute and makes it a lot easier to get ready for the next game.

Q: Was it nice to finally have the home crowd on your side and the home advantage back?
A: That's the other thing that hits you in the fourth quarter. It's nice to have the other team be in a passing situation with the crowd going. They false start and they make some mistakes because it does get hard when you're trying to protect the passer and it's exciting and there's a lot of pressure on and it's nice to have the other team be in the position where the crowd is the factor and they're the ones making the errors.

Q: Did you feel shorthanded coming into this game with Dana Stubblefield and Michael Westbrook out?
A: I didn't at all. We have a lot of guys ready and you know in certain situations that guys are going to step up. Every time you're in a situation like this it gives a guy the opportunity and young guys have to thrive on opportunities. When you get an opportunity and you do good with the opportunity, you usually get more opportunities.

Matt Turk
Q: Can you talk about your performance today?
A: I just tried to keep my focus and I was determined to punt like I did in pregame warm-ups. I was hitting them well in warm-ups and I was struggling in certain punts today going into the wind and some punts I did what I was supposed to do.

Q: Did it feel like you were out on the field a lot today?
A: It did feel like I was out there more than usual. I think the last couple of games I was out there eight or nine times and that's a lot of punts.

Q: Is being out there for a lot of punts good, maybe not for the team, but for you getting into rhythm?
A: I think it is good for me, getting into rhythm and my leg doesn't get tired unless I'm out there hitting 300 or 400 balls.

Ken Harvey
Q: How was today different from other games in terms of effort by the defense?
A: Guys were hustling. I don't think it was just one or two guys that were doing it, I think everyone was getting into it and that puts pressure on the quarterback.

Q: What does this win do for the confidence of this team?
A: I think you start with one and you go from there. The confidence is we know we can do it and all the time we were talking, now we know we can. It's one victory and you enjoy it for today and then Monday you go out and get ready to play again.

Q: The defense made several crucial stop son third and one and making plays you haven't made in the past couple of weeks. What was different this time?
A: That's the thing. We had the opportunity a lot of times and we haven't taken advantage of these opportunities. This game, we took advantage and made some things happen and that's what wins games.

Q: What did Turner say to you players before the media got into the room?
A: The feeling was: we did it. We know we still have a ways to go but I think everyone is happy.

Q: Did things seem to finally click and come together in this game?
A: Well, we clicked, but there are still some things we can improve on. You can't just rest on this. That's the dangerous thing. You get excited for today and then you go from there.

Stephen Davis
Q: Was there a little extra enthusiasm today?
A: Yes. This week and last week, a lot of guys stopped and said: 'time out.' We started doing things we were supposed to be doing in practice, just getting ourselves ready.

Q: How much pressure has been lifted from this team?
A: Well, we're going to take one game at a time but it feels good to have this first win and it gets our confidence up.

The way they stunt and blitz, we knew we could get the ball out to me in the flat. It was a play action play to the tailback and I just go to the flat and they throw it to me.

Q: Where did you get that touchdown dance from?
A: Have you ever seen the movie, the Last Boy Scout? That's where I got it from. I told the guys that I was going to do it and they didn't believe me so I had to do it.

Q: Are you comfortable at the fullback position coming out of the backfield?
A: I just want to have the opportunity to go out and do the things I'm capable of doing. Today, I got the opportunity and made the best of it.

Skip Hicks
Q: What does it feel like for you?
A: It's a great relief. The first win is always going to be the hardest one for you. And finally we can be happy and go back and get back to working. We've got eight games to go and if we want to turn this season around we have to go out and do our best in these eight games.

Q: Can you talk about the first drive in the third quarter?
A: The beginning of the third quarter has not been our greatest time. We came in with the lead, everybody was happy and we wanted to go out and put more up on the board. But we knew to establish our game we had to come out and do that on the first drive of the third quarter. Everybody was like: 'we got to get it in the end zone, we got to score more points.' With the score, everybody was feeling comfortable that we could now stick with our game plan.

Dan Wilkinson
We went in there with the state of mind of let's just go out there and have some fun. Guys were flying around and it was a nice feeling. It was an energy surge. It's just one of those things that are just indescribable. You just feel like it's a gut-check and it was the different feel.

Q: Did having the attitude of having fun change the style of play for the defense?
A: Definitely. It kept guys mentally sharp and we had our lapses and ups and downs but guys stayed sharp throughout the game.

Q: Was the Giants scoring on the kickoff return a breaking point?
A: I was thinking as we were rushing back onto the field, wow, that was pretty quick. We went back to the sideline, we regrouped and guys didn't put their heads down and guys stayed with it and we came back out there and played hard.

Q: What's the difference between this week and the past seven?
A: I don't know. The feeling, the emotion. The guys were just more with it. It was just more inspiration and guys just played harder. Guys just went out and wanted to have fun. Guys were just sick and tired of losing. Fans were deservedly sick with it and the whole city was. It felt a lot better walking off the field.

Trent Green
Q: What do you think about the performance from Skip Hicks?
A: Skip came in and he was really running the ball well. The line had an outstanding day, all day, with pass protection and run blocking. Skip came in, he had a spark and he hit those couple plays and we just kept rolling with it. What had set that up, the pass play to Stephen Davis, was we had run to that side three or four times in a row and in a running situation we gave the same look except Stephen went out in the flat. We had a lot different game plan. We had a lot of turnovers in the first game with the Giants. I think what people saw today was a lot quicker drops, getting rid of the ball a lot faster. It's something we had two weeks to work on. Today, the thing for us was not to turn the ball over and get first downs.

It was tough. We lost Stephen Alexander, with what happened to Michael Westbrook and then Terry Allen getting banged up. Those are a lot of hurdles to overcome but ... across the board and everybody stepped up. Albert Connell had a good game, Leslie Shepherd stepped up and played well, Jaime Asher stepped in.

This is nice after the frustration of the last couple of weeks. It was a good week of preparation and guys were excited and guys were flying around. It's a momentum thing. We get that first touchdown and everyone is going crazy and then they go and get the kickoff return for a touchdown so that was a blow for us but we were on the sideline and said listen, we just drove it down and put it in, let's go out and get it started again. We were able to do that. All our scores were on long drives, getting first downs and consuming the clock.

Q: Does this win make things feel better?
A: Well, we have eight games to make it feel a lot better. But yeah, this is a good first step. This is what we wanted to get accomplished.

Q: This game was a lot different in that there were no turnovers. Can you address that?
A: It was something that stressed all week, not only to me but to the backs and receivers to hold onto the ball. There were times we were using quick pass stuff and there were times I was standing in the pocket where I do some things I don't normally do and that's when I saw the pressure coming I got a hold on the ball and just went down. You don't have to make things happen that aren't there and to just count on the other guys to just do their job.

Q: Did you guys expect to hit Stephen Davis in the flat the way you did because of the blitzing of the Giants?
A: That's been something they've done to us for years. They like to drop the safety in there and get eight men into it and pressure the run and make you throw the ball but our offensive line did a great job.

Brian Mitchell
It's good finally getting a win but you know, we're not finished. It makes you feel better getting a victory and lets you know you can win a football game and I think it makes things a lot easier going into practice this week. Guys see that if you work hard, bring enthusiasm, you can do the same thing.

Q: Was there more attitude this week?
A: There was and I saw that this week in practice. And I saw that happening during the week in practice. All this week, Jamel Williams and myself were going at it. And in the beginning of the game, I saw that carry over into the game.

Q: Why didn't the team panic when the kickoff was returned for a score?
A: I think it was about pride. We had the attitude that enough was enough. We wanted to go out and win a football game. When Norv brought it up last night the deal about people wearing bags over their heads to the game it gives you a little extra fire. It pumped me up because I don't want to look up into the stands and see people wearing bags on their heads. I saw that with the Saints or the 'Ain'ts' or whatever you call them and it gives people a little fire. The main thing was we were tired of losing and we had a week away from this to think about things and we did it today and if we can keep it up for the next eight games we can salvage this season.

You have to step up. You may not be a starter but when you get your chance you better play like you are. Fine example is Skip Hicks when he comes into the game and has a damn good football game. He helped us out and on that drive he worked that touchdown drive. That's a guy who probably didn't expect to go into the football game and he got in there and made something happen.

It felt better walking off the field than it did the last couple of times at home. You know the fans are disappointed and it hurts when you hear them coming off the field when you hear them booing but they have a right to feel like that. But when you come off the field and you hear the cheering it makes you feel a lot better and it makes you feel good that you gave them what they came here for.

Q: Can you guys look at it like this is a new season starting now?
A: When I got back from the off-week, I said, we have a nine game season. We have to worry about Arizona next week.

Q: How serious are you when you trash talk with the other team?
A: Hey, it's my game. I like to enjoy myself and they talk trash too. I think a lot of bigger guys like to talk trash to me but I'm not backing down because I'm going to talk with you. If you can talk and you can take it, but some guys get upset and start thinking about me instead of what they have to do. Everything I say, I don't mean. If I can get you riled up and get you to swing at me, or on the next play you want to come after me so badly that you make a mistake and hurt your team, then that's a good thing. I just say things like "that's all you have" and stuff like that but I don't have a script or anything. Sometimes things pop into my head and I don't know what it is I'm saying. It's just having fun.