for display only
Big Blue Interactive The Corner Forum  
Back to the Corner

Archived Thread

Post-Game Transcript: QB Eli Manning

Eric from BBI : Admin : 10/22/2017 9:18 pm
Quarterback Eli Manning

Postgame vs. Seahawks, October 22, 2017

Q: Going into the Bye Week, what is the message to the team?

A: Well, we’ve got to keep grinding. Obviously, we’ve had a tough start, lost some key players, but they’re not going to make it easy for us, no team [will]. So, we’ve got to keep finding ways to get better. I think the game plan these last couple of weeks was, try to keep the game close, get into the fourth quarter, try to make a couple big plays. We just didn’t quite hit those big plays, didn’t convert on some third-and-manageables today. But, we’ve got to get better with the guys that we got, and find a way to execute.

Q: How did you find the timing with wide receivers you haven’t worked much with?

A: Yeah, I thought the receivers did a good job, going against a good defense, some good corners. So, I thought they had a couple opportunities, I’ve got to do a better job hitting them with some things. So, that just comes with keep practicing and the games. Practice is one thing, games are always going to be different, different timing. I thought there were a couple of good things, but obviously we need to improve.

Q: How are you personally dealing with the offensive struggles?

A: Just keep finding a way. We’ve got to keep being creative in the meeting rooms and finding out how we’re going to be able to get completions, move the ball, get first downs. So, we’ve got to keep brainstorming and finding ways where we can put our guys in the best position for them to be successful and the team to be successful.

Q: Do you feel like you missed on opportunities today?

A: Yeah, definitely. Could definitely have played better, make some plays. Close on a couple of plays today. Early on, had one down the field to ‘TK’ [wide receiver Tavarres King] that [Seattle cornerback Richard] Sherman knocked away. Had [tight end] Evan [Engram] on the scramble that went out of bounds. So, a couple plays like that we can maybe hit and it’s a different ballgame.

Q: Why did last week’s success in the running game not translate to this game?

A: Well, that’s week-to-week. Obviously, we’re going against a good defense. Seahawks are good, they always have an extra guy in the box, so we were hoping we could break a few or just be consistent with it. Last week, we broke a couple big ones, this week we just didn’t quite break some. But we got to some third and very manageable situations and whether we tried to run it or pass, we just didn’t execute well enough.

Q: Is it hard to not think about the 1-6 record and everything that has gone wrong this season?

A: Yeah, obviously we’ll look at what we’re doing and look at our situation, but I think we’re also going to try to figure out how we can be better, just figure out how we can get some wins. We’ve still got a lot of football games left and each week, it’s about preparing to get a win that week.

Q: Does this loss change the thought that the team could go on a run and make the playoffs?

A: Well, I don’t think it changes your preparation for each and every game. You’ve got a mindset you’ve got to win the next game, and that’s all we can do. That’s all we can worry about, is prepare our tails off, go in there and fight each and every week and try to get a win.

Q: What do you think of Engram’s play the past several weeks?

A: Yeah, I think Evan’s done a good job. Making some plays, had a couple nice plays today where he was able to get open underneath and run after the catch, so we’ve got to keep finding ways to get him the ball.

Q: On the end around on the first possession of the thirdquarter, was it by design to have the running back and receiver go the same motion?

A: Yeah, that’s by design. We’ve run that before and had success. You kind of get a lead blocker with the back, and it just didn’t work out today.

Q: Did you throw the kind of ball you wanted on the deep pass to Tavarres King?

A: Yeah, it was one of those with the scramble drill and I thought he just started running, but obviously I could’ve put a little more on it. But, I thought I threw the right type of pass, just Sherman was able to get a good hand on it.

Q: Do you feel like the team needs to start doing anything different to avoid players checking out?

A: Well, I think, obviously, having great preparation and playing well. Winning a football game, it can help the morale. So, obviously, last week, this week, it helped getting a win and we’ve got to just play it week-by-week. But obviously, getting wins, playing well, being in games, will help the morale.

Q: Did the missed field goal take a little wind out of the sails?

A: You know, you’d like to get that and just get the game back tied, I think, at that point. But, that happens. We knew they were a fourth quarter team, they’ve played really well in the fourth quarters and that offense got rolling. So, we knew we had to either outscore them in the fourth quarter, or have a lead going in, and sure enough, they were able to make some plays in the fourth quarter and we were not.

Q: Is there any concern that the intensity will start to decrease as the season goes on?

A: Well, we can’t afford that. It won’t on my end, and I’ll do everything I can to make sure, offensively, defensively, everybody’s grinding, working, and doing everything they can to put us in a situation to win.

Q: How do you stay optimistic?

A: Well, we’ve got a job. We’ve got some young guys, we’ve got some new guys, we’ve got to get them up to speed. So, just working with them, talking with them, getting them on the same page, it’s going to be a challenge. It’s going to be a great challenge each and every week and you’ve got to accept that and embrace it.

Q: Is this a unique situation for you, having to bring young guys along as the season goes on?

A: Well, yeah, it’s a different situation. Just to game plan – I don’t know what I threw for in the first half, I didn’t have many passing attempts. It’s a different type of game offensively that we’re playing than we had the mindset going on, with the amount of explosive players that we thought we had. So, hopefully, we get [Sterling] Shepard back, and get a few guys – I know we lost a few guys on the offensive line – get some guys back and be able to make some plays.
Back to the Corner