Monday Media Conference Call: QB Eli Manning

QB Eli Manning

Conference Call, November 30, 2015

Q: A Giants fan asked me this morning, “Does this team really want to make the playoffs? They had so many chances and just haven’t capitalized.” What would you say to a guy like that?

A: Of course, we want to make the playoffs and we’re fighting our tails off and trying to do it. We didn’t have our best performance yesterday, that’s disappointing, and I wish we played better. I think our defense kept us in it, did a good job, and offensively we would have liked to get something going, we get a first down or we’d move the ball, and do something to force us back. We’d get into a third and long, so they did a good job. We had some opportunities to make some plays down the field and we just didn’t make enough big plays and make some of the challenged throws that we need to complete.

Q: This is another instance where you have a very good opportunity to take a big step forward and it’s happened before in previous years where you weren’t able to do it. Is there anything baffling to you about that idea of not playing well with prosperity on the line?

A: I don’t think there is something to it. I think we just have to find ways to make some plays. We have to prepare for the Jets. I don’t think it’s a matter of something with the team, we have a lot of new guys on the team that haven’t been a part of these teams these last few years, so it’s just a matter of us coming together and making plays. I don’t think it was part of our effort or understanding the offense or not. I thought our effort was there, I thought our desire to do it was there; just our execution has to be better.

Q: You probably didn’t get the production from the running game you would like, is that something that was dictated by what the Redskins were doing? Was that just execution on your end or what they were taking away?

A: I thought we were fine running the ball early in the game. We were getting four yards a pop, and had some nice runs, and put in some good down and distance. We just kind of got into the second half, and got down, started hitting some big plays in the pass game, finally connected on some, and once you get to the midway towards the end of the third quarter and you’re down 17, it’s a little bit tougher to stay with the run. We had to score, and score quickly and kind of got into a passing deal. We didn’t want it to be a game where we had to throw it 50 times; we would have liked to run it more, but I think it’s also a combination. We took some shots trying to throw the ball on second down and we didn’t complete a lot of them, and got into a lot of third and long situations. The second half, we also just had some runs where we were just losing yards. We lost yardage a few times, we weren’t getting a whole lot of it, and it just became one of those games. It wasn’t the game plan but just the way it became.

Q: I know you haven’t started on the Jets yet for this week, but you’ve been around and played against Darrelle Revis before. How intriguing of a matchup could you see Revis and Odell [Beckham Jr.] being with how well Odell is playing right now?

A: I don’t know about their scheme, but I think there’s a chance Revis could follow Odell around the field and be matched up with him. We’ll have to see what routes we want him running and we’ll put him in a position to win some one-on-one matchups. We’ll see what their game plan is and see how it plays out. For me, it’s not about Odell vs. Revis, it’s about our offense versus the Jets defense, and us moving the ball, finding completions, and not trying to win individual battles.

Q: Are you pretty comfortable at this point throwing to Odell no matter how tight the coverage is with the way he’s able to come down with the ball?

A: Well, I think we have to complete more of them. I know he had a great one-handed catch but I thought we had too many throws to him that we didn’t complete down the field. He and I have to get together on that and figure out how we have to make some of those plays. It’s not about forcing the ball to him, it’s about giving him a shot to make some plays, but we have to figure out how to connect on more of those.

Q: The fact that you threw to him so often, 18 times yesterday, is that a product of him being more open than other guys are, or just being a better playmaker?

A: It’s just kind of the way things were called based on the coverages they were playing and had a lot of man coverage, one-on-one coverage with him, and the routes. The timing of that, with the routes being called, with the coverage being played, he was my number one receiver on a lot of those just kind of based on where he was lined up at the time. When you have that matchup and you have one-on-one with him, you hope you can connect on those, and make some big plays out of it.

Q: How much does that idea of taking advantage of him being one-on-one change, if at all, against a guy like Revis?

A: I don’t know. I haven’t studied Revis in a while, we haven’t played against them. Played against them in preseason, obviously, this year but we have to look and see and be smart about it. He’s a good player and so we have to figure out what routes we want to run with him, where to be safe, and don’t force certain things his way. We have to figure out where we will have our opportunities to make some plays.

Q: Obviously the last time you played the Jets four years ago, that was a turning point in your season; do you think this could be a crossroad, this game coming up against the Jets?

A: It’s an important game and obviously a big one. We need a win to stay where we are in the division and we have to take it one game at a time. This is the next game and an important one, not just because it’s Giants versus Jets and both teams share a stadium in the same city and everything, but it’s important because of what it means for our playoff hunt. It’ll be a great test for us, they’re a good defense, their offense is playing well and scoring points, and we have to play well.

Q: From what you have seen from Hakeem {Nicks] since he’s been back and what you know of this offense, are there going to be opportunities for Nicks or is he in the role we saw yesterday going forward in your opinion?

A: I don’t think we wanted to put too much on him too fast. It’s one of those deals where it’s just hard to come in in one week and learn a whole offense as a receiver. It’s just learn plays, knowing what to do, the check, everything that goes with it. We have to smart about not putting him in there for too much or putting too much on his plate and make sure he knows what he’s doing so he can play fast and not second-guess if he’s doing the right thing or not. I thought he had a good first week of picking up the offense. I think as you go into the second week you get more and more comfortable.