Wednesday Media Transcript: QB Eli Manning

QB Eli Manning
September 26, 2018
 
Q: When you look back at Sunday’s game, what did you like best about the offense?
A: I liked a bunch of things, I thought we got off to a fast start, which is great, going down and getting the touchdown and responded and kept – first half was impressive. Third quarter didn’t do as well, but when we needed a drive at the end, also responded and got a touchdown at the very end to seal the victory. Those are two good things to build off and knowing we have that ability to when you need a drive and you got to get something going, we can go make it.
 
Q: Is it always special to play against a guy like Drew (Brees) who’s been around the league for a long time as well and has done some magical stuff?
A: Yeah, known Drew a long time and watched his career and obviously what he’s been able to do in New Orleans is impressive, so great person, great quarterback and always fun to compete against him.
 
Q: Getting one win is nice, but how do you concentrate here and follow-up? How do you build something? How do you gain momentum?
A: I think last week we had great urgency and understanding what we had to fix it and get better. I think you have to have that same mentality. We got to fix things from last week that there were mistakes and I think that’s the mindset is to get better and improve each and every week.
 
Q: Is it a mistake to go in there and think we got to score 30 or 40?
A: All you do is game plan. You game plan, you see what plays you like and you go execute and so that’s all you can worry about. You never put a ‘you have to score this amount or that amount’, you always have goals you want to hit in general, but you play the game and you don’t know what’s going to happen or what the circumstances are. You just got to be ready for whatever game it turns out to be.
 
Q: They’re giving up only three yards per rush, which is the best in the league defensively. Is there something special about their D that seems to standout?
A: They do a good job. They like to play a lot of single safety and have a safety down so they’re pretty big up front in their D-Line and stuff. They do a good job against the run and we just got to be able to find the run game, but also see if we can hit some plays in the pass game as well.
 
Q: Is Drew inspirational for what he’s able to do at 39?
A: Yeah it’s been impressive. What he’s been able to do, the way he’s playing this year, the last couple of years. He hasn’t dropped off, still moving around, making plays and throwing it as good as ever.
 
Q: Is there one thing that has impressed you the most or surprised you about the production?
A: No surprise. Watched Drew play in college and his whole career. Known him for a long time so just he keeps doing it. He keeps being able to throw the ball accurately and still got great arm strength and get down the field, still runs around and looks young out there.
 
Q: Is it nice to play against a quarterback who can call you kid?
A: Again, Drew does a great job. Our focus is on their defense and just trying to get prepared to go play them.
 
Q: Coach was talking about there were a number of opportunities last week where you could’ve had a home run ball where there’s a big play mentality with your club. When you have a chance to do that with so many guys, so many weapons, what does that mean?
A: Obviously there’s going to be some opportunities to take some shots and you got to be patient, can’t force them, but we got guys who can get down the field and some of it is not necessarily throwing a 50-yard throw, it’s our guys – they’re shifty, they’re quick, you can hit them, throw it accurately out of breaks. When they’re on the move, they can turn short throws into big gains.
 
Q: Hot topic around the league right now is sort of how they’re protecting the quarterbacks. Have you seen guys approach the way they come at you or hit you any differently?
A: I haven’t noticed it. I haven’t seen it from personally being out there. I know guys are conscious of it, the way they’re being called on certain hits so not a concern for me really. I’m okay with it.
 
Q: What do you think about the overall impression of them wanting to protect the quarterbacks to this degree?
A: I think they understand it. They’re trying to make it safer. Obviously as a quarterback, you don’t mind them trying to eliminate some of the driving you into the ground and eliminate the plays that could cause injuries, so I see both sides of the equation there.
 
Q: What one thing did the reconstituted offensive line really do well last week that you can see them building off of going forward?
A: I think they did a good job just picking up the pressures, just competing, just keep fighting. I think just have that mentality that they were going to block up some good players. Good defensive line and they were tough and just kind of hung in there and if they gave up – a team’s going to give up a sack or stuff like that is going to happen, just not get frustrated, don’t let that affect the next series.
 
Q: How exciting is this home game, good team coming in, early in the season, trying to get things going – what’s your message this week?
A: I think everybody is excited. Been on the road two weeks in a row and get a home game and go out there and hopefully get our first win at home. I think guys are excited about that opportunity.
 
Q: Did you notice a different attitude in your line last week as simple as technique?
A: I think it’s just everybody being dialed in to what our jobs were, doing our job better and that’s me, that’s with the offensive line just being on the same page, we’re communicating things and so just an urgency to make sure we know exactly what we’re doing, what our calls are going to be so guys can play fast and know exactly what’s going on.
 
Q: Knowing Drew for a long time, do you remember when you met him? Was it at Ole Miss?
A: I think I met Drew – he was still at Purdue, I think we were both at a Colts game and somehow being at Purdue in Indiana and I said I was at one of Peyton’s (Manning) games and he came to the game. I think I met him on the sideline or met him maybe in the locker room after so I was in high school or college at the time and just kind of kept up. Just known him since then and watched his career.
 
Q: You’ve been through a lot. Have you ever been through anything quite like that game a few years ago in the Dome?
A: That was a wild one and just back and forth high scoring. Had an opportunity to win it at the end and had a crazy kind of kickoff return and field goal, so no I don’t think I’ve been in a game quite like that one.
 
Q: When you walked off the field, you had six – you never had six touchdowns before in a game. In high school or college, you ever had six?
A: I don’t know. Maybe in college one game.
 
Q: It was a weird feeling walking off –
A: Yeah, you kind of felt like you did a lot of stuff, but we also had a chance to win it at the end with the two-minute drive and we had to punt. Obviously you could always do more, but yeah felt like we had played a great game and lose and that’s what a lot of teams would’ve felt that a little bit against the Saints. They got the ability to score a lot of points.
 
Q: There aren’t a lot of positions in pro sports where guys thrive in their late 30s, but there does seem to be a bunch of quarterbacks that do that. What is it do you think about the position that lets guys play well for so long?
A: It’s not extremely taxing on your body. Besides your arm, practices aren’t brutal. Games you can take a few hits, but you don’t necessarily have to be fast or be explosive and those types of things which can kind of – you could lose at an older age, but guys are taking care of their bodies better, they’re taking care of their arm, more arm care and if you could still keep a strong arm and still keep your joints healthy where you can move around a little bit, you can continue to play.
 
Q: Used to be an anomaly. Why do you think your generation in particular, there’s a lot of guys that are – even your draft class, your brother played until 40.
A: I think taking care of your bodies and your arms. There’s more research. The workouts, the lifting, the conditioning. Yeah, I think arm care, you probably don’t throw as much. Two-a-days and those things where you used to tire out your arm and wear it out. Don’t have to go through those things anymore so probably just being smarter about everything and probably also some of the hitting. Taking care of the quarterback and the hits. Back in the ‘70s, a late hit on a quarterback wasn’t called that often. Injuries that you do have, probably better surgeries, better rehab to get back healthy.
 
Q: I know you’re not going to tell us how long you want to play, but because of that, can you reset your expectations of how long a career can be?
A: I don’t think I ever had an expectation of how long it would be in the first place. You kind of play until you’re not.