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Transcripts: Eli Manning and Rashad Jennings

Eric from BBI : Admin : 12/17/2014 4:24 pm
QB Eli Manning
December 17, 2014

Q: What do you think of St. Louis’s front seven?
A: They are talented. They have a good defense. It is not just their front seven. Their defensive backs are playing well and are aggressive. They have done a great job of getting to the quarterback lately. Stopping the run. They’ll get complex and show you a lot of different looks, so you have a lot of preparation to do. It is a team we are not really familiar with. We haven’t played them in a long time, so I have to get really familiar with their personnel and their schemes and we have to have a great plan.

Q: Odell [Beckham Jr.] has a chance to break the rookie record for most receptions… Are you surprised he has been able to accomplish this in so few games?
A: He has been playing at a high level these last few weeks, so hopefully he can continue to make plays for us and our offense can score points and move the ball. We are not going to try and force records for him, but if we have good matchups, then we will keep getting him the ball.

Q: They have the two disruptive forces in that front line between [Robert] Quinn and [Aaron] Donald… As a quarterback, when you go up to the line, you know you have to worry about those two guys up front. How much of a problem is that?
A: Everybody is going to have guys that are good players, and I’ll let the offensive line worry about those guys and getting them blocked up. I am going to worry about my reads and what the defensive backs are doing and try to get completions, but understand it is not a game where [I will] be able to hold it for too long back there.

Q: Do they do anything funny with those guys in terms of twisting them or moving them around?
A: No, they will move them around a little bit, especially on third down, they will move some guys around and try to get some one-on-one matchups. For the most part, you know where they are going to be and they are good players. They don’t need a whole lot of help.

Q: How nice would it be to win three in a row?
A: Two in a row has been good. Going into a talented team, they have beaten some really good teams. They have beaten the Broncos. They have beaten Seattle. They’ve played teams tough. They are a talented team and their defense has been playing really strong lately. We have a challenge ahead of us and we are going to have to play good football if we expect to win.

Q: What did Peyton [Manning] tell you about them?
A: I haven’t talked to him much about them. We didn’t get into details. He didn’t really offer up too much.

Q: The last few weeks, they haven’t given up a touchdown… That is pretty stout in this league especially?
A: They are playing well. They are a talented defense. They have good players. They have a good scheme. Guys are playing fast. They are aggressive, so we have to make sure we know what we are doing, sound on all of our calls, guys are doing the right things, because they will show some different looks that you don’t see every day. We have to make sure that everybody is accounted for and do a good job of getting the ball out on time and hopefully run the ball.

Q: Do you think Odell should win Rookie of the Year?
A: I haven’t seen all the other performances, so I am probably not qualified to give that answer. He has played very strong and played well for us. He definitely should be in contention, I would think.

Q: The numbers [Beckham] has put up after missing four games and all the time before that, I would imagine it is surprising to you?
A: Yeah, he has played at a high level. He has gotten stronger every game and playing his best football as of late. He has done a good job learning the offense and picking things up quickly and being committed and going out there and producing on Sundays.

Q: You and [Coach Coughlin] both mentioned how great [Beckham] is playing, but he has to keep his head on straight and can’t get too big of a head… As a veteran, how do you make sure you keep him grounded?
A: You keep challenging him with things he can improve on. Keep making sure you move him in different spots on different routes and understand that there is room to improve on. There is definitely room to get better and improve on and we can do that.

Q: Have you seen any sign of a big head from him?
A: No, I think he has done a good job. He practices hard. He does a lot of things correctly and hopefully he can keep doing that.

Q: He is also allowed to enjoy this as well?
A: Yes, you need to enjoy when you are playing well and winning games. That is fine. You should enjoy it. He definitely has an energy that he brings to practice and those things are all good. He has done everything the right way.

Q: He also was making plays when you were not winning and he was not enjoying it…
A: He is passionate about winning and doing what is right for the team and that is what you would like to see.

Q: We have asked you about this offense a lot… With the uncertainty surrounding the coaching staff, would you ever express that opinion to management and go to them and say, ‘I want to stay in this offense and I want things to stay the same?’
A: We will figure that out. Right now my focus is on the Rams and finishing the season strong and keep learning this offense and getting better and growing in it. There is still definitely room for improvement on my behalf. I am going to keep working on that and after the season, we will figure out what is going to happen.

Q: How close to a finished product do you think this offense is?
A: There is definitely room for improvement. I still make some mistakes. There are calls I wish I would have made or could have made that would have been better. Or different checks. There is definitely room for improvement for me and getting better with some of my footwork and my mechanics of the offense.

Q: I don’t want to misinterpret what you say… You didn’t say you wouldn’t [express your opinion to management]… Is that something you are not thinking about right now?
A: Yes, I have not thought about it right now. I am just worried about the Rams right now.

Q: Happy to be off the injury report this week?
A: Am I not on it? That’s good. I’m off the injury report? That is good to know. I am glad I am healthy.


RB Rashad Jennings
December 17, 2014

Q: The running game hasn’t been quite what it’s been. How do you get back to establishing the run?
A: You’ve got to knock somebody out and run with attitude. That’s it. It’s football. It’s no secret. Everybody knows the most physical team will win up front and in the trenches. We’ve just got to play our game, everybody. Get in all our calls and make sure we’re on the right point and the running backs…we’ve just got to make more plays. When the game is going well, it’s a testament to the quarterback getting us in the right play. The offensive line is blocking well. The receivers and tight ends are making blocks. And if it’s not, it’s because the running backs are not making enough plays. First thing, we’ve got to look in our room.

Q: When you see a defense that hasn’t allowed an offensive touchdown in 12 quarters, are you asking for a chance to break that streak?
A: It’s exciting. Competition always brings the best out of everybody. It’s kind of steak sitting in front of us for the offense. Of course, you always want to go against the best. They’re one of the top defenses in the league, so it’s going to be a great challenge for the offense and I know we’re excited for it.

Q: What do you see in their defense that makes them so good?
A: They fly around. They’re physical. They’re finishing every play. They’re scrappy and you can see a little bit of attitude and swag with them. That’s the makeup of a good defense and they’re sound. They very rarely have blown coverages, so they make themselves tough to beat.

Q: Does the offense need to bring attitude and swag now?
A: Yeah, every single week. Football, I was told, is really not a contact sport; it’s a collision sport. Obviously, to move the ball against a good defense, we’re going to have to bring two chin straps.

Q: Do you think Odell Beckham Jr. should end up winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award this year?
A: It’s hard to say because obviously I’m not looking at every single rookie across the board, but I’m sure he’s going to be up there, deservedly so. He’s a guy that works hard when nobody is really watching. He’s going to become a pro pretty quick. Obviously, the phenomenal catch and the way he catches the ball and finishes – I’m excited to see him grow and finish the season strong.

Q: Did you tweak yourself on the first carry the other day?
A: Yeah. It’s frustrating, obviously. That’s what it was.

Q: How do you feel now?
A: You know me. I feel great.

Q: Do you feel like you’re back to square one with the sprain?
A: I’m not going with that approach. We’ve got two more games and I’m putting myself in position to finish strong in both of them and that’s kind of my attitude.


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