Jason Pierre-Paul says Giants 'can be as good as we want to be'

Jason Pierre-Paul says Giants 'can be as good as we want to be' Updated July 20, 2017 11:12 PM

By Brian Heyman Special to Newsday

New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul reacts against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second half of an NFL game at MetLife Stadium on Monday, Nov. 14, 2016. Photo Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott stepped out on the red carpet at the ESPYs last week and declared that his team will repeat as division champ.

“We’re the Cowboys,” Prescott said. “We’re gonna win the NFC East.”

So how about them Cowboys doing some talking, Jason Pierre-Paul?

“I don’t condone stuff like that, but he should feel like that,” the Giants defensive end said Thursday night at an appearance in Brooklyn. “They won the division.

They had a great season. I think like that all the time. I think nobody can block me. Nobody can stop me . . . He’s confident. I hope his team is confident behind him.”

The Giants report to training camp next Thursday to begin prepping for a season that kicks off Sept. 10 at Dallas. Pierre-Paul also has rather high expectations with nine starters back on a Giants defense that excelled last season.

“I feel like no spot is weak,” Pierre-Paul said. “I feel like with the players that we have, as long as we all work together, we’ll be undefeated. Nobody can defeat you when you all are working together.”

He knows expectations are high for Big Blue, too, after the offensive upgrades that were made to an 11-5 playoff team — the Giants signed receiver Brandon Marshall and drafted tight end Evan Engram.

“I think with the people that we added, I think a lot of people are like, ‘Wow, they should be a team that goes to the Super Bowl,’ ” Pierre-Paul said. “But it’s all about the hard work . . . I think we got a team that can be a lot better than last year. We can be as good as we want to be . . .

“You can’t call it a Super Bowl team. Every team that goes into training camp thinks they’re a Super Bowl contender.”

Pierre-Paul served as an honorary bailiff at Brooklyn Borough Hall, where law students competed in mock arguments for a Philip R. Shawe Scholarship Award.

He spoke to the media during the charity gala that followed at 1 Brooklyn Bridge Hotel.

“He agreed to come and support the charities and we’re really excited to have him here,” Shawe said.

After returning for the second half of the 2015 season following the July 4 fireworks accident that mangled his right hand, Pierre-Paul really began to become a game-changer again last November when he totaled 5 1⁄2 of his seven sacks in consecutive games.

“I was on a roll,” JPP said. “Once I get on a roll, it’s hard to stop me.”

Then he stopped rolling after getting injured and leaving the next game. PierrePaul said he’s ready for training camp after having two abdominal issues and two groin issues surgically repaired last Dec. 7. He missed the final four regularseason games and the 38-13 playoff loss in Green Bay. “Not to be cocky,” he said, “but if I was there, it would’ve been a totally different ballgame.”