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Monday Media Transcript: QB Eli Manning

Eric from BBI : Admin : 8/7/2017 4:27 pm
QB Eli Manning

August 7, 2017

Q: How much are you going to play in Friday’s preseason game against the Steelers?

A: I don’t know, what did [Head Coach Ben] McAdoo say? Did he tell you all anything? He said it’s up to me? Alright, we’ll see. I’ll go play [laughs]. I don’t know. We haven’t had that conversation yet, so I’m sure he’ll let me know in the next couple of days what the plan is. So, we’ll go from there.

Q: Have you been clicking with the new players on offense?

A: I think we’re doing some good stuff. Brandon [Marshall] and I, getting on the same page. Every day there’s something new that comes up, though. A route here, a concept, just getting on the same timing. You can kind of talk about everything, but you’ve got to get in as many live reps, one-on-ones, get running different routes, getting on the same timing with things will be good. Same with Evan [Engram]. He’s making some plays, doing a lot of good things, but the more one-on-ones, the more situations, different things coming up every practice. There’s something to learn from it every day.

Q: Can you make any comparisons between Brandon Marshall and former wide receiver Plaxico Burress?

A: Yeah, I mean, they’re both similar height. And just smarts on football, body control, being able to go up and get the ball. So, yeah, I’d say some definite similarities there. Obviously, Plaxico, had a number of years playing with him, so I knew what he was going to do, knew how to read his body. I knew whether it was going to be a back shoulder versus a fly or a jump ball. So, we need more live reps doing that.

Q: What does a wide receiver with a big wingspan do for you?

A: Well, those big guys, you have an opportunity to throw them open. They can be physical at the line of scrimmage and get some separation that way, where the quick guys make moves. So, Brandon does a good job finding ways to get open. Whether it’s being physical with the DBs, or throwing the back shoulders, throwing the fly routes, going up and get the ball. I can always just have separation with the quick guys, but they’re still getting open in a different way.

Q: What has Brandon Marshall added to the wide receiver group, personality wise?

A: Brandon’s been great. Every day trying to learn, always has questions for me and we’re trying to figure out what he can do better, how we can get on the same page. So, I think he’s been dialed in and been a great leader and just setting the example for how to be prepared for every practice.

Q: Did you feel like you got enough game action during last year’s preseason?

A: I think I got enough action over the last 14 years to get me ready for the upcoming season.

Q: After hearing what New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady recently said about injuries, how fine of a line is it for players to share injury news with their coaches and with the public?

A: Well, I think if I’ve ever had an injury, I’ve got to talk to the trainers about it, talk to the coaches, be honest. But, Tom, I don’t know much information about what that’s all about. So, I’ve kind of been out of the loop on that, but if there’s something hurt, you’ve got to get it fixed.

Q: How much of an adjustment was it for you last season to get less snaps in the preseason than what you were used to?

A: Whatever Coach wants to do, what he thinks is best for me, the team, I’m going to do. So, again, for the first preseason game, you might take six or seven snaps. So, it’s not like it’s going to make a difference for that upcoming season. I think you’ve got enough reps in practice, enough reps in the second and third [preseason games] and obviously 13 other years of preseason and regular season games should get me in good rhythm.

Q: How much do current players talk about CTE and is it something that you think about?

A: I don’t think much about it, for myself. Around the locker room, I haven’t heard any players talking about that situation a whole lot. Obviously, you worry about the players and former players that are going through that and their families and the difficulties of what former players are going through, you feel for them. But, from the standpoint, I think a lot of players don’t want to think about injuries, don’t want to think about down the road too much. Some are, and you see some guys retiring, but I haven’t heard a whole lot of talk about it. I’ve been fortunate and haven’t had any head injuries.

Q: How much does it concern you to hear the results of different studies concerning CTE?

A: I haven’t had any head injuries, so hope for the best.

Q: What is the balance between giving a rookie too much information and helping him out?

A: Well, I think it’s a little bit of both. You don’t want to baby him too much, you want to see what he can gather. You want to give him a little heads up of what might be coming, though. Don’t just surprise a bunch of things on him, so in practice he’s scared, or a little lost, or indecisive. So, give him a heads up of what might be coming, talk a lot through to him and then see what he can handle. You want to be prepared for the upcoming season, you don’t want to be held back and say, ‘Hey, I can’t check into a certain play because you might not know what it is’. You need to know what everything is, based on what’s in the system.

Q: How did wide receiver Sterling Shepard look today?

A: I didn’t see Sterling out there. I don’t know if he did some stuff early on, but I didn’t throw him a route today. So, I’m not sure.

Q: Can you tell this early on about the chemistry of a team? And if so, do you feel like there is something a little different and special about this group?

A: I think it’s a close team. I think a number of them are now going into that third, fourth year together. Whether it’s Landon [Collins] and Odell [Beckham Jr.], Snacks [Damon Harrison] going into the second year, that offensive line group. And then you’re always going to have second [years] and some rookies. The rookies stepping in and they’re already a close group, kind of brings everybody in a little bit easier. So, I think that’s good, just because there’s always going to be ups and downs throughout the course of a season and you’ve got that close group that can rely on each other and be demanding of each other to get out of those lows.

Q: Are the locker room dancing videos a sign that this is a loose and close team that is getting along well?

A: Yeah, they’re having fun. That’s always training camp, there’s going to be different things. You’ve got to enjoy this time, it is a lot of practice, it’s a lot of meetings, it is hard work and there are hot days and those things, but there’s always those little thirty minute stretches where you have down time and guys get to mess around. It used to be, you did it at night, or you did it when you were in the dorm rooms, or hanging out, or playing pranks. Now in the hotel, there’s not much time at the hotel. You get done late and you’re kind of back in your room. So, that time has kind of come into the locker room during the day, where you get little breaks where I guess they’ve turned into dance parties now [laughs]. So, that’s the new thing.

Q: So are there no longer pranks?

A: I didn’t say that [laughs]. Yeah, not a whole lot. I think the hotel got angry about some damages over the years, so trying to be respectful.

Q: Do you feel as though you are installing more to the offense early on with all of the new personnel?

A: Yeah, well, I think so. There definitely are some new things going in and just different packages. Whether you have the fullback in there and some more two tight ends stuff. So, I think we do have different personnel, different packages going in that will let us be a little bit more multiple on offense.

Q: Do you have to wait for the preseason games to find out whether you are going to have a successful running game this year?

A: I think the preseason will help. It seems like we’re running the ball well, so far in training camp. It just seems like we’ve got the offensive line getting a good push and they can get into that second level. So, I think that they’re just working together and doing some good things.
Funny  
LCtheINTMachine : 8/8/2017 2:51 pm : link

Q: Did you feel like you got enough game action during last year’s preseason?

A: I think I got enough action over the last 14 years to get me ready for the upcoming season.
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