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Post-Game Transcript: Quarterback Eli Manning

Eric from BBI : Admin : 12/17/2017 6:30 pm
Quarterback Eli Manning

Postgame vs. Philadelphia, December 17, 2017

Q: What did you see on the fourth down pass to tight end Evan Engram in the end zone late in the fourth quarter?

A: Yeah, it was tough. There’s not a whole lot of great fourth-and-goal from the 12 plays. But I was trying to get him, I had him on a corner route, maybe I was playing some outside leverage, just trying to back shoulder it and give him a chance. Got it in the end zone and there was some contact being made, I don’t know, it’s tough to know if it’s interference, if it’s the call or not. You kind of just put it up high and give him a chance to make the play and we didn’t make it.

Q: Were you given an explanation from the officials on that play?

A: No, no explanation.

Q: How much more difficult was that fourth down play, being backed up five more yards after the penalty?

A: Yeah, obviously you have more options from the five. From the five, we had a different play called where you get four guys in the end zone, five guys in the end zone with a back, possibly. From the 10, it’s just tough to get everybody in the end zone with routes and things going. So, yeah, it’s unfortunate. I had the false start. It’s a tough situation, I don’t blame Bobby [Hart]. At home, it’s loud. (Center) Brett Jones couldn’t hear me call the cadence. You don’t think having that [at home], but I guess when you’ve only won two games, there’s a lot of Eagles fans and they were loud and we couldn’t hear the cadence, that’s why we jumped offsides.

Q: Did all the Eagles fans in the crowd bother you?

A: Well, it bothers me because that’s where – I don’t blame our fans, that’s the way this season has turned out. We didn’t do our part. You’re playing late in the year where you’re not playing for a spot in the playoffs, so it bothers me from that standpoint.

Q: How impressed have you been with guys like Sterling Shepard and Tavarres King, who have stepped up after dealing with injuries at wide receiver all season?

A: Yeah, I thought the receivers made some outstanding plays today. Tavarres, Roger Lewis, Sterling and [tight end] Evan [Engram] have been playing great. So, I thought we threw the ball well against a really good defense, a great front four and the guys made some plays. We had a good plan, started out fast, went right down there, had a couple double moves to guys, some scramble things, did pretty good on third down and then we had some great run after the catch, individual efforts. Sterling on the touchdown, TK on the touchdown, so I’m proud of the way the guys competed and hung in there, kept working and they’re making some plays.

Q: Do you take something out of the fact that the team is improving and you were in the game until the end?

A: Well, I’m proud of the way the guys are competing, the no quit from the guys. They work hard, they practice hard. We’re being creative, whether it’s the coaches or the players coming up with ideas, we’re being creative and doing some different things. Some are working, some aren’t, but we had some good stuff today and it’s fun when you feel like you had a great plan and some of the stuff worked and you made some plays. So, just happy the way guys are keeping their head up and competing hard.

Q: Today was one of your best statistical games of the season, what was different for you?

A: I think we had a good plan for how they were going to play and guys did a good job getting open. They covered us up a few times, but we had a good plan of getting the ball out quickly, which we did. Playing fast, some up-tempo stuff, I think that confused them a little bit. Hit some guys in stride, hit some guys running, so I think we just had a good plan. Guys were winning and that’s fun when that happens.

Q: Over the past two weeks, how impressed have you been with the development of running back Wayne Gallman?

A: Yeah, I thought Wayne’s been making some plays. Runs hard, had a couple nice runs today, had some nice catches, making some guys miss. So, being creative, keep finding ways for him to get some catches and we’re ready for him to break a long one.

Q: Do you take away from this game that you came so close to beating possibly the best team in the NFC?

A: At this point, I don’t know if you take much away from it. I think, who got the win? I think you can take away, hey, we’re competing, we’re moving the ball offensively, doing some good things, we’ve just got to keep working, finding ways to finish though. We’re close, there at the five-yard line. You want to be in those situations and we expect to make those plays next time.

Q: Did you notice the Eagles fans chanting in the fourth quarter?

A: No, I didn’t notice any chants going on. But I did notice it was loud at times when we had the ball.

Q: Did you see that President/CEO John Mara said last week that he wants to have you back next year?

A: Yeah, I did see that. Hey, I want to be back next year as well. So, again, I love playing for the New York Giants, I love this organization. I appreciate everything they’ve done for me and I try to give back everything that I have to this organization and this team, so I’d like to be back as well.

Q: Were you pleased that the offense was able to execute a game plan where you can demonstrate that you still have it?

A: Well, I like the game plan. I think, obviously, we have some guys banged up, we’ve got some new faces and I think this style of play, a lot of up-tempo, playing fast, gives us a great opportunity to be successful. It helps out the offensive line, going against the front four, it gets them tired, it keeps them from substituting a lot if we play fast. The receivers, I’ve been with these guys for a while, they know the routes and giving them opportunities to get open. I still know I can play at a high level, make plays and make throws and win football games and it’s good to go out there and make some plays.

Q: Does playing at a higher tempo allow the receivers to get into a rhythm?

A: I think it can just throw a little bit of confusion out to the defense and they’re trying to get lined up and figure out what coverage they’re playing and our guys know exactly what their route is. So, they can just play fast and have an idea what the routes are, what’s coming and you can just catch the defense by surprise a little bit. I think it helps receivers, but I think it’s more about helping the offensive line, just getting a little jumpstart when the defensive line is not ready, so we can fire off the ball really fast.

Q: On the first touchdown pass to Tavarres King, is there something you saw pre-read, or was that the designated play that was called?

A: No, that was the called play and the first plays of the games we hit those short slants and the last time we played them we hit a bunch of them. We hit two in the first series and then we came out with kind of that slant and go and we hit two of them. Hit one to Roger Lewis on the left, came back and hit one to TK on the right. So, it was good to have those work.
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