Giants linebacker chase Blackburn took a timeout to tackle some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby.
Q: You play with a lot of emotion. Do you play angry?
A: I try to. … I feel like I play better, play more aggressive. You hit better, tackle better, get off blocks better. It helps your game.
Q: Do you feel you’re a typical middle linebacker?
A: I’m more of an all-down guy than I was in the past. To me, that’s what a middle linebacker is. He doesn’t come off the field.
Q: You said earlier this week that it’s time to come out swinging like you’re in a bar fight.
A: You gotta put it all on the line now.
Q: Have you been in a bar fight?
A: No comment (chuckle).
Q: What are your thoughts of Eli Manning?
A: He’s not afraid of the moment.
Q: You’re making $825,000 on a one-year deal. Do you realize how underpaid you are?
A: That’s life at some points, I guess. Someone has to be underpaid, I guess. If everyone was overpaid, they wouldn’t have any money left (chuckle).
Q: Do you hope to sign a long-term contract with the Giants?
A: That’s the only team I see myself playing for. It would be great if they see it the same way. I love the guys I play with. I love the system I’m in. It’s a great town. My wife and I are familiar with everything here. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. I would definitely love a little bit of stability. Coming off last year, I wanted a long-term deal. It didn’t happen.
Q: Is that something you’re thinking about?
A: I’m worried about the season right now.
Q: Have you ever played better?
A: I feel like I’m playing pretty well right now. I’ve tried to take advantage of each opportunity I’ve had.
Q: Has the game slowed down for you?
A: Definitely. With experience, you understand the whole concepts of the defense, what offenses are trying to attack, you learn how to study film better. I feel strong, I feel healthy. At this point in my career, I couldn’t ask for more.
Q: What is your mindset on the field?
A: I just try to get in a zone, get my mind right first. Go through all my checks, go through all my calls. Then I try to get into a zone, get my mind right for the physicality of the game.
Q: How do you do that?
A: I slap my helmet, kinda go a little wild.
Q: When do you do that?
A: Before the game, before series … every time I go on the field. I beat the crap out of myself (chuckle).
Q: What does that do for you?
A: It just gets me ready for contact. It gets me mad at myself. I can take my anger out on the other guy.
Q: Are you an animal on the field?
A: I try to be.
Q: One word to describe Chase Blackburn.
A: (Pause) I don’t know. … I’m just crazy.
Q: Have you had any concussions?
A: I had one in college.
Q: How about the NFL?
A: Not what you would call a concussion, I guess.
Q: You’re 16 tackles short of 100.
A: That’s what I set out for.
Q: As the father of two young boys, what were your emotions when you learned of the Connecticut school tragedy?
A: It’s scary. It doesn’t matter what area you’re in. You try to get your kid in a good school, but you just never know. It’s sad the way some people in the world think.
Q: What do you think should be done?
A: Honestly, I wish I knew. Realistically, if someone wanted to get a gun, they could probably find a way to get a gun. The other point of view would be if they’re able to have a gun, you should have a gun to protect yourself and your family. We’re a long way from where we want to be.
Q: You and your wife discussed it.
A: What do you do? Do you home-school your kid to protect ’em? I don’t think that’s the answer either. Your kid may miss out on other aspects of life. We’re both Christians. We believe God has a plan for everyone. If that’s in the plan, however it works out, you’re not gonna beat his plan. So if today’s your day, it’s your day, no matter if you went across the street, if you decided not to go to work. … You can’t protect your kid from everything. We’re not gonna keep ’em in a bubble.
Q: What did you think about what Victor Cruz did for the family of 6-year-old victim Jack Pinto?
A: Amazing. That’s the kind of guy he is. He was just trying to put a smile on their faces. He didn’t do anything out of character for him.
Q: You grew up in Ohio in a different time.
A: We were talking about that today actually. How you would go on vacation, or you went on a school trip, and you had a chaperone, and they weren’t with you 24/7. Nowadays, you have to have that kind of supervision. You can’t let your kids go that long.
Q: What is your 2 1/2-year-old son Landyn’s personality?
A: Out of control. Never likes to sleep. Doesn’t really like naps. He’s on the go 24/7. My wife and I, we were both crazy kids. I had to be the first to do everything. The first to touch the car every time we were going somewhere, the first one in the house, the first one to eat my food. And I would announce it to everyone. He’s gonna be the same way.
Q: My sources tell me your younger one, Bentley, likes Elmo.
A: He’s a big fan of his.
Q: What do you think of Ravens running back Ray Rice?
A: He’s built low to the ground and he’s aggressive when he runs the ball. We gotta gang-tackle, get more guys to the ball.
Q: You’ll see a lot of his fullback, Vonta Leach.
A: I’m sure I will. I have no problem with it. I like coming downhill. I’m up for the challenge.
Q: Ray Lewis was always one of your favorites?
A: Very aggressive and angry and 100-percent effort at all times. That’s how I try to play.
Q: How do you deal with the inspiration he might give his team today?
A: We gotta come out and create our own spark.
Q: You also admired Derrick Thomas, Cornelius Bennett, Darryl Talley and Lawrence Taylor. Do you remember Lawrence Taylor’s famous “Let’s go out there and play like a bunch of crazed dogs and have some fun?” speech on the sidelines?
A: I’ve seen it a million times. He doesn’t seem as crazy when he says it. He’s kinda smiling when he was saying it.
Q: Would that be your message to your defense?
A: It’s gotta be something similar. We gotta swarm and be aggressive when we get there.
Q: Was your Super Bowl interception in front of Rob Gronkowski your best play?
A: For sure. That’s your biggest stage you can be on.
Q: Other favorite plays?
A: The fourth-and-1, I tackled [Eagles RB Brian] Westbrook for a 1-yard loss to seal the win against Philly about four years ago. The interception for a touchdown against Washington my rookie year.
Q: Who was the quarterback?
A: [Mark] Brunell. … The tackle on [Santana] Moss against Washington, the forced fumble that [Jayron] Hosley recovered in the fourth quarter, they were driving for a chance to win.
Q: How much tape do you watch?
A: Enough (chuckle). Until I feel like I haven’t.
Q: Your goatee?
A: I’ve had it since 2007, that Super Bowl year. Jared Lorenzen always had a tiny goatee. We were in training camp and I said, “I can grow one of ’em.” I never had facial hair before. My wife really didn’t like it. I came home with it and she was like, ‘I don’t know …” I waited like a week and she said, “No, I think I like it.”
Q: What was your mother-in-law Kelly Daum’s battle five years ago with breast cancer like?
A: It was tough. We were gone for a whole lot of it. We were out of town. It’s always hard to not feel like you’re there to help out.
Q: You’re establishing Blackburn’s Chasing A Cure.
A: The good news is she was a fighter through it all.
Q: Favorite Christmas?
A: Last year was a good one. I had both my boys for the first time. My second one was born November 1.
Q: Favorite Christmas memory?
A: Probably the year my brother and I got 50 CC Honda dirt bikes and we got to ride that.
Q: Favorite Christmas movie?
A: That’s tough. The one I have to watch every year is “Christmas Story.” It’s tradition, we watch it on Christmas Day. My favorite would be between “Elf” and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”
Q: Following last week’s disaster in Atlanta, you tweeted: “Not a good showing today. Sorry to all the fans who support us. We will be better next week.”
A: What we put out last week was not acceptable. Let ’em know, stay with us. We still got a lot left.
Q: Were you encouraged by how this week went?
A: You don’t see guys moping around. I’ve seen it before where guys have that down attitude.
Q: The “Build the Bridge” theme — what is the state of the bridge right now?
A: We’re in construction still. It’s not built. There’s no lunch breaks going on right now. No union vacation going on. We’re fully committed to build that bridge.