- 3 weeks ago
John Harbaugh sets a new tone for press conferences, refusing to reveal team secrets before the season starts. Learn why coaches go silent when the games get serious.
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00:00Our Giants beat reporter from the New York Post every year basically here on Sean and RJ along with Cowboys
00:06insider Bobby Belt when we get ready to preview the Cowboys and the G-Men and I want to know
00:11if Paul was in the line of fire for John Harbaugh's viral press conference yesterday.
00:17I can just say this right now. We put a stop to all these questions because I'm not going to
00:21tell you who's playing in the game. I'm not going to tell you who's starting. I'm not going to tell
00:26you what package we have in. I'm not going to tell you what plays we're running.
00:29I'm not going to tell you any of that. So we can make it great and have a great press
00:34conference or we can make it uncomfortable. But I'm not going to tell you because when you know, the Cowboys
00:39know or every other team we play knows. And that's not in the competitive interest of our football team. Does
00:44that make sense? So I think you can respect that.
00:47Were you the one who set off coach, Paul?
00:50Guys, I'm not going to tell you anything about what happened.
00:56Because if you know, then your listeners know and then the Cowboys know and you don't want to do that.
01:04Yes, guys, I always enjoy when it's Cowboys week, I get that text from Bobby Belt and he usually asks
01:11me to come on earlier than I want and we do it and everything's great.
01:14So it's very traditional and I appreciate it. Yes, I was in the line of fire for that.
01:19He was he got cooking early when some some guys asked him about the release of Darius Slayton and he
01:27didn't like the kind of accusatory tone that he felt they took about why they released Darius Slayton.
01:33So that got him simmering a little bit. And then there were several questions about Malik Neighbors.
01:39And then I actually asked him something about Neighbors that was not about is he playing?
01:45My question was going to be because because John Harbaugh mentioned that, you know, he practiced fully.
01:52But obviously we know he hasn't played in any preseason games and he hasn't taken any real physical contact coming
01:58off that ACL.
01:59So I wanted to ask him, is there anything you could do as a head coach to structure practice where
02:05you can kind of give him a little bit of the business?
02:08You know what I mean? I've heard coaches that kind of use pads and things just kind of rough them
02:13up a little bit to get him more ready.
02:14But he cut me off when he heard me mention Malik Neighbors. And then he went into that, that, that,
02:20that you just played.
02:22But after he said that, I just came right back with my question and then he answered it.
02:26But yeah, look, you guys know, you guys know it's regular season mode. These guys are all nuts.
02:31Okay. So you've, you could tell that, have you seen this simmering where like there's been a change and a
02:36preseason into the regular season where he's been a little bit different and a little bit less talkative?
02:42Have you seen that?
02:44Um, well, maybe not less talkative, but look, I've seen it. I've been around for years. This is what these
02:49guys do. Now, John Harbaugh is, is in a new environment. Um, you know, his antenna is up, you know,
02:55he's talked to me about the New York media, the New York media, you know, and, and look, he had
03:00a good relationship with the media in Baltimore, but not always great, you know, and, and you can kind of
03:07chart it, you know what I mean?
03:09When things were going great and then things are not going great, then you're losing the playoffs, then you're losing
03:13the playoffs again.
03:14So, you know, I know people in Baltimore who've covered him, who said he can be certainly a little prickly
03:19and a little testy. And, um, as you guys also know in OTAs and in the early stages of the
03:25spring and in training camp, everything's great, right?
03:28Everything's great. Everyone looks good. Everyone's bigger, stronger, faster. Everyone's buying into the system. Everyone loves that the defense is
03:35going to get after the quarterback and blah, blah, blah. So, um, now we're getting closer and he doesn't want
03:40to talk about injuries and things like that. So I get it. And look, he's also kind of feeling out
03:45his territory and his turf.
03:47And I think he, he wanted yesterday to set a tone. Look, this is the way it's going to be
03:51in the regular season. We, you're not going to hammer me with injuries because then we're going to have stupid
03:56press conferences.
03:56So he's setting his turf. And I think some people in the media are kind of setting their turf and
04:01you have a viral moment.
04:03Paul Schwartz, New York post here on one Oh five through the fan giants fans loved it. And giants fans
04:08also love the thought of a real successful stabilizing force there in Harbaugh.
04:14Paul, what have the differences felt like, or Ben with John Harbaugh in charge so far, Paul?
04:21Well, my back hurts a little more because he has them on the field so long that you, when you
04:27stand there and watch, it can take a toll on you. Okay. So CBA violation. Right.
04:34Well, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Unfortunately the New York post doesn't have any of those violations. They, they, they, they, we,
04:39they can, we can cover as long as they, uh, you know, as long as they practice.
04:42Um, you know, look, he, he, he, you know, he, he got penalized in and, and the Ravens got, you
04:48know, got draft picks taken away at times during his 18 years there for doing things that are violations.
04:53Now I'm not saying he was doing things that were violations this spring and summer, but he has them out
04:57on the field long.
04:58I mean, they practice maybe 30% more just days off. Uh, you know, I mean, I was used to
05:05kind of three days on a day off three or four days on a day off.
05:08He practiced in, in training camp. They were in a green Brian, West Virginia, five days on one day off
05:15six days on that's 10 out of 11 days straight to start it.
05:19And once he was allowed to put them in pads, he put them in pads. So that is one thing
05:24I really noticed. And, um, you know, players have mentioned to me that they feel that getting through that has
05:30them better prepared for the season.
05:32And, and, um, one player told me yesterday that we know we get on the field with the Cowboys. They
05:36did not work harder than us. Now he's not saying they didn't work hard, but he says, I know they
05:41did not work harder than we did.
05:43So that gives the players kind of a sense that they're ready for this. Look, he's, he's the new sheriff
05:48in town and, and everything, not everything he wants. He gets, he's not the general manager. He's not the cap
05:54guy.
05:55He's the head coach, but he has a lot of power for a head coach. And, um, you know, he
05:59hired a lot of new guys on his staff and, um, everyone's getting used to it, including the players.
06:04Can you tell based on, you can mention obviously the, the, the difference in the, in the practices, but the
06:09team, is he trying to recreate the Ravens, like from a personnel standpoint as well?
06:16Well, he wants to be big. Um, he, he said in his introductory press conference, we are the New York
06:22giants. We should look like the giants. Um, so they're big, they're big. You know, I mean, they have a
06:28300 pound fullback, uh, Patrick Ricard from the Ravens. Most teams don't have that. You know, sometimes they have a
06:34H back or, or a tight end, but they have a legitimate, he is the fullback. Uh, you know, they
06:40drafted with a 10 pick CC Maui Noah at right guard. He's big.
06:44Um, they, you know, they signed, they lost a really big player in, um, in Dexter Lawrence and they replaced
06:50him with another really big, although not quite as big player and, uh, uh, reader. So, um, he wants to
06:57be big. They, they traded up in the draft to get Malachi Fields, who was a Plaxico Burris sort of
07:02size, you know, six foot four, a big dude at receiver. So he wants to be big. He wants to
07:07run the ball.
07:08Look, he hired Greg Roman, who's a true, terrific run game coordinator type guy. And he's not even a coordinator
07:14with the giants. He's just an offensive, you know, assistant specialist, whatever his title is. And so that's, they want
07:20to run the ball. I think they're going to try to run the ball a lot. And, um, um, you
07:25know, so I think that's the recreation. Certainly. I mean, you can't recreate Ray Lewis and Ed Reed and, and,
07:31you know, you can't recreate Lamar Jackson,
07:33even though, um, Jackson Dart has some of those qualities, not quite to the extent of Lamar Jackson though. Paul
07:40Schwartz from the New York post joining us here on one of five through the fan. Paul, is that desire
07:44to have big personnel and, and be bigger up front and in the trenches and everything? Is that the reason
07:50why ultimately Caleb Downs slipped past 10 and got to Dallas at 11?
07:56Well, I mean, I think they loved Caleb Downs. You know, I think they, they loved him and I think
08:01it was, they, they valued the starting offensive guard more than the, you know, potentially pro ball, certainly safety. I
08:12mean, I, there was nothing that I heard from the giants that did not like Caleb Downs other than maybe
08:17physically, he's not a dominant physical specimen. He's just a brilliant football player.
08:24You know what I mean? And, and, but I don't even think that's a knock. You know what I mean?
08:27I mean, I think it was just, they wanted the big guard more than the really good safety. I know
08:32a lot of fans wanted Caleb Downs and they thought, boy, we get these two Ohio state studs, Arbel Reese
08:38and Caleb Downs. And now we've, you know, locked down two areas of our defense for the next decade. Uh,
08:44they think they locked down, you know, a spot on the offensive line for a decade, but, um, there was
08:49a lot of talk about Caleb Downs. I mean, I did not pick them for them in any mock drafts,
08:53or maybe I did in one or two.
08:54But I didn't ultimately pick them because I had a sense they were moving away from that a little bit,
08:59but, um, I don't think it's because they didn't like the player. And, um, and, and I thought, uh, Harbaugh
09:05kind of liked his safeties a little more than most people thought he did.
09:08Paul, the Cowboys have said that Caleb Downs has met or exceeded the hype. I haven't heard too much about
09:15Reese. Bobby, we, we think that they loved Reese, right? Yeah. Thought about maybe even moving up for him. Yeah.
09:21Has Reese and Maui Noah, have, have they matched or met the hype? And specifically for Arbel, what type of
09:27camp has he had?
09:29Very good camp. He's one of those old school rookies, you know, do more, say less, you know, and in
09:35this day and age, it seems like say everything and then see what you can do. Right. You know, he's
09:40not a big social media presence. He's good with us, but he's not like looking to do media and he's
09:46not looking to make headlines. Um, look, he's an inside linebacker. You know what I mean? So those, those flash
09:52plays, I mean, it's strange because during the lead up of the draft, I don't know how you guys felt.
09:56During the lead up of the draft, um, I felt the jets were going to take all of our Reese,
10:01you know, up, up, up higher. And, and, and, and I was looking at him more as a pass rusher.
10:06And I said, well, the giants really aren't going to take, you know, they have Burns, they have cave on,
10:10you know, they, they don't, you know, they have obviously Abdul Carter, you know, they don't really, they don't need
10:15another edge guy. So he's more valuable to other teams than the giants. And, you know, I mean, you know,
10:20and after they took Reese, you know, somebody from the giant said to me, why is everyone in the media
10:23looking at him as an edge rusher? He's an inside linebacker.
10:26Who can rush. He, he, you know, he, he really only started rushing the passer his last year to Ohio
10:31state. And he had what six or seven sacks, but they didn't look at him as opposed to David Bailey,
10:36who the giants did take, who's an edge rusher. He's a classic edge rusher. And they said, he is an
10:41inside linebacker. And then I'm thinking, okay, well, then if he's an inside linebacker, he's the first one. The giants
10:46have taken up high in the draft since call banks, you know, what 83 or 84. So, um, you know,
10:54you don't take inside linebackers that high.
10:56Um, but they did. And, and so he's had a very good camp, but it's still, you know, he's had
11:02what 20 something snaps in the preseason. He is a, you need to see him in a game guy because
11:07he's very explosive. He's very violent. Everyone says violent, violent. You know, it's funny. All the words that you can't
11:13say in society are great words on the field. And everyone says he is a violent player.
11:20Look, you guys are going to see their two inside linebackers. Now are Tremaine Edmonds, who's darn near six, five
11:27and you know, two 40, two 50. And, and, and, and Arvel Reese was almost six, five, six, four and
11:34two 45. So, you know, Dak Prescott's going to get out there and Dak has seen everything, but this makeup
11:40of these two inside linebackers, they are defensive end size guys.
11:44So that's what, that's what you asked me something about Harbaugh big, right? Really, really big inside linebackers. And, um,
11:52they're very excited about Arvel Reese. And I am excited to watch him because I want to see some of
11:57that violence. Once he is unleashed to do that.
11:59Paul, what is the, the giants thought on what Jackson dark can be and, and how do they envision this
12:07passing in this season?
12:10Well, you know, I mean, look no further than John Harbaugh, John Harbaugh could have picked a bunch of different
12:15teams to go to, and he was not going to go to a team that either didn't have the first
12:19pick to take a quarterback or didn't have a quarterback in place.
12:23He was not going to screw around like some of these, you know, new head coaches have to with, with,
12:28you know, just, just, just some guys at quarterback and have to figure it out.
12:32I think he realizes, um, having Joe Flacco who won a super bowl with him and Lamar Jackson, he didn't
12:38have to figure that out. Right. It was, you know, they had, you know, he had a quarterback almost every
12:42year in, in, in Baltimore between those two guys.
12:45So he didn't want to come to the giants and, Oh, we'll figure it out. He's like, okay, the giants
12:48figured it out. He likes Jackson dart.
12:50So I think right away, um, John Harbaugh coming here, put a stamp on Jackson thought. I think I can
12:57win with him. Um, and, and I asked him the other day, you know, what have you learned more?
13:00And he said, he, he's an incredible preparer and he will be prepared on Sunday night. So that is something
13:06that head coach doesn't really know, but he learns as far as the passing game.
13:11Um, one of the first guys they signed was Isaiah likely right now they had a good slot receiver last
13:18year in Wondell Robinson, who is like,
13:21five foot seven, five foot, you guys, you guys know Wondell, you know what I mean? He's, he's a good
13:26player, but he's small and they essentially replaced him with a tight end.
13:30Who's going to play a lot in the slot. And as Isaiah luckily also goes back to Harbaugh's mentality, right?
13:35Six, four to 40 bigger versus smaller, bigger is better.
13:39So I think the passing game is going to be, um, you know, it's going to center around Malik neighbors
13:44when he's healthy.
13:45I think he will play Sunday night. I felt that for, you know, a couple of months now because he's,
13:50everything is on track, but I don't think he's going to be the dynamic Malik neighbors.
13:54We saw as a rookie yet in his first game. And I think he'll be on some sort of a
13:58pitch count, but I think it's going to be, look, the, the, the, the wide receiver core doesn't scare anybody.
14:03It really, I mean, Odell scared someone 10 years ago, but he doesn't now. Um, you know, you know, Darnell
14:10Mooney is, is, is, is a complimentary piece.
14:12They cut Darius Slayton, uh, like I said, the Theo Johnson and Isaiah likely give them two pass catchers. Um,
14:18although Theo Johnson drops the ball too much.
14:21I think they want to run it. They want to do a lot of play action. They're going to be
14:24in, um, behind the hill. He's going to be under center. Jackson Dart, maybe 70% of the time.
14:29I think he was under center. Like, well, maybe that's high, but, uh, he was under center, like 30%
14:35of the time last year. And those days are over, you know, shotgun, shotgun, shotgun, those days are over.
14:40You know, he's going to be on the center. They want to do play action. They want to, you know,
14:44pound the ball. Look, they signed Najee Harris. I mean, you know what I mean?
14:47They signed a guy coming off an Achilles who's looked good. And, and I think he's number two on the
14:51depth chart now behind Cam Scatterboot.
14:53So, um, I don't think the, the passing game is going to be incredibly dynamic. They know Jackson Dart can
14:59make great plays.
14:59I mean, he threw one touchdown pass in the preseason to Malachi Fields, totally broken play, uh, you know, designed
15:06to go to the right.
15:07And, uh, Jackson spun to his left, uh, back shoulder throw to where only the six foot four fields could
15:12get it. Um, they, he can make spectacular plays.
15:15I'll be interested to see if he can make the nickel and dime, you know, move the chains. Um, you
15:21know, if it's third and 10 and you can't get the first down,
15:23get the six or seven and you punt the ball, um, they feel they have one of the best punters
15:28in the league.
15:28Now, Jordan scout, that's another hall bar, you know, special teams, uh, you know, stamp, really good special teams.
15:35So, um, um, you know, I, I think it's going to be more of a running team than a passing
15:38team.
15:39Paul Schwartz, New York post joining us here. 105 three, the fan cam Scatterboot. I love them.
15:45You know, I like the, uh, the idea of him, you know, he's like a meathead, just, just, just, I
15:50love meatheads,
15:51but do fans love his actual game or do they just love kind of his mentality?
15:58Oh, I think they love his game. Now, now look, he averaged 3.9 yards a carry last year. You
16:02know what I
16:03mean? So this is not Derrick Henry. Um, you know, can't scatter who's another guy. If you, I think
16:07you guys, you know, do you guys feel that sometimes you get really surprised when you see players like
16:12at events who you don't know and you say, Oh my God, he's huge. Oh my God. He's small.
16:16Yeah. Caleb Downs is that way. What did you guys originally think when you first saw Caleb
16:23Downs? I just didn't think he was that short. Yeah. He's short. Yeah. I think, yeah. Is
16:29he six foot? He's what? I think he's listed at six. He's probably five 10. Yeah. I mean,
16:36you know, Wandale was listed at five 11 and I am not five 11 and I was, you know, I
16:44stood
16:45at least eye to eye with him. Um, so, and, and Cam Scadaboo is what the heck is he? Yes.
16:51Cam
16:51Scadaboo is short. So, I mean, if you, if he walked into the studio, I guarantee you guys after
16:57what you said about Caleb Downs would go and say, man, I, that guy's fun. And he's, you know, like
17:01you said, he's kind of a meathead. He's interesting, but he is short. So he's short, you know, he's,
17:06but he's a power back. Um, you know, I think Harbaugh likes his skillset. I mean, he's been RB one
17:12all summer. Um, you know, he had that terrible dislocated ankle last year. So my thing with
17:17Cam Scadaboo is, you know, we all know, right. Rookie signed four year contracts. And I, when I,
17:23as soon as I saw Cam, I said to myself, is he going to make it, you know, is he
17:28going to make
17:28it through his rookie contract? And, you know, and you don't usually think that with players,
17:32right. And usually think, are they good? Are they going to start? Are they going to great? Are they
17:36going to, are you going to recruit over them in a couple of years with him? I said, I think
17:40he's a
17:40capable running back. I don't think he's a star. Uh, he's, he's, he's, he's a grinder. He has moves.
17:46He can catch the ball, but he's short, but he's powerful. Um, I said, is he going to make it?
17:51Is
17:51he going to last the four years? Okay. Now he got it, you know, he had a really tough injury
17:55as a
17:56rookie. He's back. He looks fine. So I'm wondering, is he going to make it? Can he stay healthy? Um,
18:02he's fun. He is fun. You know, he's a little different in the media than he is his, his,
18:06his social media persona. You know, he's a little either more serious or I don't even
18:11say guarded with us. I wouldn't say serious, just a little more. He doesn't want to play
18:15the game as much as he does. Um, you know, in viral moments, but I do have to give him
18:21this look, the guy, as you said, he is a football meathead. Okay. And so what happened? Football
18:27was taken away from him, you know, midway through his rookie year. So he got, he got a little
18:32off the rails on social media with things. And, and, uh, you know, he's a young guy who
18:37had it taken away and he was like, he didn't know what the hell to do with himself during
18:41a rehab. So, you know, I give him some of that, you know, if it was my kid, I would
18:44say,
18:45look, I understand, but try to try to not get too stupid on social media, you know? Um,
18:50you know, but, but he had no football, so he had nothing else to fall back on.
18:53Paul, was there any, is there any truth to the report that his defensive teammates
18:59specifically were getting sick of him? Yes. And no. I mean, you know, however, you
19:07know, there were things that are interesting and happen and they become bigger because
19:10of, of just the, the, the, the snowball effect. Look, he is a classic guy that you
19:16love if he's on your team, if he's not on your team, I think the same thing with
19:20Jackson Dart, the hair, the chains, the swag, you know, I think if he was your
19:25quarterback, you love them. And, you know, you know, at Ole Miss, you love them. If
19:28you're Mississippi state, you hate them. You know what I mean? You want to beat
19:31them. Um, you know, I, Cam's not a quarterback, but you know, so in practice
19:36he would, you know, look, you can't throw the guy to the ground. So would he,
19:40would he kind of take a liberty or two in, in practice when they're in pads by,
19:45you know, something past the guy or, you know, and, and, you know, the defensive
19:50backs and, and the linebackers are like, dude, you know, I would have thrown you to
19:53the ground if I could. So that got a little bit more heated at one
19:58point. So they got picked at him. He got picked at them. They, they, you know how
20:02it is. They, they look like they're going to, they look like the bloods in the
20:05crips. You know what I mean? And then they're having lunch together 10 minutes
20:10later. You know what I mean? So, um, I think they're fine, but yeah, I mean,
20:14it's, it's hot and they get irritated and he's a guy who can irritate you.
20:17Paul, last one for you, Paul Schwartz with the awesome preview, New York
20:20post here on the home of the Cowboys, one Oh five, three, the fan prediction for the
20:24game. And do you feel better about what the Cowboys are going to be this season
20:28or the Giants?
20:31Well, I think the Giants are going to be vastly improved. I picked them for nine
20:34wins, nine and eight, and they won three and four the last two years. So the last
20:39two years combined, I think they're going to win more games. Um, now, um, I picked
20:45the Cowboys to be in the Superbowl.
20:47Oh, damn. Why don't we leave it? And you guys who are in Dallas and, you
20:53know, you know, pick apart every aspect of the third string long snapper, because
20:58that's what we all do. Right. We all see flaws in our team. Probably are like, what
21:02am I smoking? Right. But look, and, but look, I mean, I'm not, you know, I, I make
21:08the picks and I'm not, you know, you know, I, it's easy to pick the Rams, right?
21:11You know, I don't just pick. Yeah. No, I know. I, I, I look, it's been 90. The
21:17first Superbowl I ever covered was the Cowboys beating, um, winning, beating the
21:22Bills in Atlanta. Okay. That was what? 95. Um, that was my first Superbowl I ever
21:27covered. I've covered everyone ever since. And if you would have told me then, oh,
21:31by the way, the Cowboys are not getting back to the Superbowl and it's 2026. I'd be
21:35like, really what happened? So I don't think they're a perfect team, but I think
21:39they're good enough to make a run. And, and, um, so I think the Cowboys will win
21:43on Sunday night, but I really have to admit, I, I think I know what to expect
21:48from the Cowboys and I don't really know what to expect from the Giants because
21:52it's a new head coach. There's a lot of excitement. I think the offense could be
21:56a little bit behind. Like I said, Malik neighbors is not going to be playing 60,
22:0170 snaps. I'm concerned about their run defense still, you know, they have a lot
22:06of pass rushers, but I'm concerned about their run defense. I know you're going
22:10to tell me that the offensive line for the Cowboys is, you know, your questions
22:13at guard now, and you have a question to tackles and I get it. You know, the Giants
22:17have four starters returning on the offensive line. They're all signed through
22:21like 2028 and their only new guy is a, the 10th round pick in the 10th pick in
22:27the draft CC Maui. No. So they feel really good about the offensive line. I don't know
22:31what to expect. I think it could be a good game, but I've just seen too many of
22:35these, you know, you know, primetime Giants-Cowboy games where the Giants
22:38don't win or sometimes don't compete. So I think the Cowboys will win, but I
22:44wouldn't be shocked either way. But I think I would be surprised if the Giants
22:47win. That's just my feeling. This preview just went from fantastic to immaculate.
22:51Thank you so much, Paul, for the time and the info. Enjoy Sunday night and the
22:56season. We thank you again. All right, guys. I always enjoy it with you guys.
23:00Take care. The great Paul Schwartz from the New York Post.