Quarterbacks Coach Frank Cignetti Jr.
September 23, 2016
Q: How are Ryan Nassib and Josh Johnson responding to the competition in the middle of the season?
A: They're doing great. Both guys are doing a great job preparing in the classroom. They're doing a great job on the practice field. We have an outstanding quarterback room. We've got great relationships, great communication and great competition.
Q: Is it unique or different to have it happen during the season?
A: No, I don't think so. I just look at the history of coaching in the NFL; this isn't the first time I've seen it happen.
Q: What do you see from Eli Manning that impresses you?
A: Just about everything he does impresses me. Starting with his preparation, the way he is in the classroom, the way he is on the practice field, his communication with his teammates and, obviously, his performance on the field. He's a great decision maker. He's a decisive decision maker. He's throwing the ball with accuracy. He does an outstanding job running the offense.
Q: When you look back at last weekend’s game, were there a couple plays in particular that stood out?
A: I'll tell you what, he's doing such a great job trusting his reads, trusting what he sees, throwing the ball with accuracy. I go back to that last drive, the decision of throwing the ball to Victor Cruz, and Victor came down with a great catch.
Q: What does it say about his confidence in where he can put the ball right now?
A: I think Eli has confidence in himself and all of his teammates.
Q: What have you seen from Ryan Nassib, he had a rough preseason. How did he respond to that?
A: Ryan comes to work every day. He does a great job preparing like we've talked about. He's responded. He's practiced well. When you look at what we ask him to do during practice, he's done a great job. We thought he finished the preseason very strong.
Q: Eli is currently at the top of the league with a 73% completion percentage. What's been the biggest catalyst behind that?
A: Well, it's the ultimate team game; it takes all 11. We're getting good protection; guys are doing a great job running routes. Eli's trusting his reads, he's playing with timing and rhythm and throwing the ball with accuracy.
Q: How much do you ask of him at the line of scrimmage? Seems like he's doing a lot.
A: Being in this system, we ask the quarterback to keep us out of a bad play. Obviously, Eli does a great job. When there's a certain look, defensive look, (inaudible....).
Q: At the line, how much freedom does he have to check-in or out of plays?
A: He'll always have the freedom to get us into a better play call.
Q: Is Eli in person better, same or worse than the Eli you may have seen from afar?
A: Man, I tell you what, he's a special person. It starts with being a special human being. Just the way he treats people, the way he communicates with his teammates, the way he prepares. He's an ultimate pro.
Q: How often does he actually go to the line and have to change it? Is it a regular thing? A sometimes thing?
A: It's a sometimes thing. Depends what the defense presents.
