Post-game quotebook: Tommy DeVito ‘kind of blacked out’ during pre-game introduction

What the Giants were saying after defeating the New England Patriots

Let’s took a look inside the locker room to see what the New York Giants were saying after Sunday’s 10-7 victory over the New England Patriots.

Brian Daboll on players having fun with Tommy DeVito at quarterback …

“I don’t know if you can quantify it. I just think that he’s got a great mentality. He enjoys himself out there. He’s serious when he needs to be. For a young, undrafted rookie, he’s worked extremely hard since OTAs and he’s made progress, still has got a ways to go. Obviously, he’s only played three games and started three games, but I’d say the defensive guys, you know, he’s out there, show team dancing in a defensive huddle this week. He’s got a little moxie to him in terms of his personality, but there’s still a lot to work on.”

Daboll on where DeVito, an undrafted rookie, has improved …

“I think he’s played two good games in a row, so he’s made good decisions with what we asked him to do. He’s made the necessary throws, he’s done his job for the most part, the way that the quarterback needs to do his job to help us. Obviously, we want to score more points. No question about it, but there are a lot of things that go into that too as well. We’ve just all got to keep doing our job and doing it as well as we can.”

DeVito on being the reception when he was the last player introduced before the game …

“I didn’t know until we were right there like, you’re up last. And it said ‘DeVito’ and it had a little emoji next to it, I thought that was kind of funny, but yeah, it was surreal … I’m not going to lie, I kind of blacked out. I was kind of just in my element I didn’t know if people were cheering or booing or what was going on, it could’ve been anything, but I was just locked in, enjoying it.”

DeVito on the fun of his first NFL victory at MetLife Stadium …

“A lot of fun. It was mentioned to me before the game, I didn’t even think about it. The last time I started here was in high school, my state championship and I was like oh. I was like yep, played in the stadium before. Be able to actually like start and play the game from start to finish, it’s a lot of fun …

“I try to bring that energy all the time. I respect this game so much, but at the same time it’s a child’s game in my eyes. So, I try to have fun with it. Like I was when I was kid, when I was five years old playing with my friends in the backyard and I try to just bring that throughout practice. It is a job, it is stressful. You are in all day meetings and workouts, so it’s like when you’re on the field, enjoy it and have fun with it. Bring your own kind of confidence and swagger. Kind of talk about that a lot, Kaf (offensive coordinator Mike Kafka) talks about that a lot in our offensive meetings. To let your personality show, and I just try to do that every play.”

LB Bobby Okereke on why the defense has created so many turnovers recently after not doing so early in the season …

“it’s obviously always an ongoing and growing process. I think Wink’s done a great job just seeing what calls work to our strengths, giving us opportunities to play with instincts in coverage, and we mix it up with our blitzes and everything. He just does a great job calling the game and putting us in position to make plays.”

WR Jalin Hyatt on chemistry with QB Tommy DeVito …

“We started at rookie mini camp, then OTAs and training camp, so for me I wasn’t really with the ones starting off and me and Tommy were with the threes starting off so we kind of built chemistry off of that during the offseason and going into the season. At the same time, it just goes to our preparation. Tommy had a great game. It all starts with the quarterback for being in the league. I’m very proud of him, what he has done, but for us we’ve got to keep going.

“Great quarterback, started in the offseason. I think it just goes to our preparation throughout the week. Game planning for teams that we were playing that week and I think now we’re starting to build some confidence and when you have a confident quarterback, you can do anything you want, so I’m proud of him.”