Bucs/NFL

Coaches corner

By TIMES STAFF
Published October 30, 2006

Bucs coach Jon Gruden

On the two failed fourth-down attempts:

"Those were big plays. ... What can I say? We had some opportunities to make it a one-score game as we headed into the fourth quarter and we weren't able to do that."

On the wind affecting the passing game:

"Obviously, we had some key drops. It was hard to do anything with the football today other than hand it off, and it is a credit to the New York Giants offensively. In the first quarter, they got a lead, and obviously it is hard to play catchup in weather like that."

On the weather conditions:

"It was hard for both teams. It was hard in pregame warmups and it was hard throughout the game. Not only was it hard to throw it, obviously, but it was hard to catch it, it was hard to snap it, it was hard to pitch it. It was hard, period."

Giants coach Tom Coughlin

On the weather affecting play-calling:

"You had to be very careful what you did with the ball when you were going into the wind. It was a strong, strong wind to start out with, but then the gusts would also be there. It was one of those days when you really had to focus on the ball all the way into your hands. It was a factor. There's no doubt about that."

On QB Eli Manning:

"I thought he managed the game very well. Obviously, I think both sides would say that we left some yardage out there. But he never got down. He never was frustrated. That was the important thing."

On RB Brandon Jacobs:

"He had some big runs there in the fourth quarter. We finally found an area where we could make a couple of yards. He had some power."

[Last modified October 30, 2006, 05:22:16]