QB Eli Manning
October 8, 2018
Q: How much do you pay attention to what’s going on in the division, in terms of records and seeding?
A: I think you definitely pay attention to it. Obviously, there’s a game tonight, but it’s still wide open. A lot of football to be played. A lot of division games to be played, and none bigger than the one we’re facing right now against Philadelphia. There’s got to be some urgency. We’ve got to get going, and we got to get hot and get on a streak.
Q: Do you feel like yesterday was a winning performance?
A: You felt good there for a little bit. You go around and understand the situation. You’re down six with two minutes to go, and you’re telling guys a touchdown wins the game. You go get it, and we scored quickly. We scored in a minute and a few seconds, so there was still some time on the clock there. They had a timeout. It definitely hurts, but you still take some good things from the game. I’m proud of the guys and the way they fought. They were down in the fourth quarter and rallied back, scoring touchdowns, and making some big-time plays. I’m proud of the way the guys handled the situation and came back to get the lead.
Q: There’s been a lot of talk about the lack of downfield throws. Why do you think you were able to connect on them so well yesterday?
A: We just hit a few. Coach called a good game. We got some looks we wanted, and executed. It’s a team effort. It’s the offensive line doing their job, receivers getting open, (running) backs doing their job, and making it work. I don’t think there was any different in the calling or what we’ve been doing. It’s just the execution was better.
Q: On the two passes to (WR) Odell (Beckham Jr.) in the end zone, one he caught and one got broken up. Was that just giving him a chance to make a play? He wasn’t really open on either one of those.
A: That’s open in the NFL (laughter). That’s what it is. The touchdown one, the safety was a little tight. He had a post route. I thought I could throw it over. The other one, they just didn’t play it very good. He kind of adjusted his route and just kind of felt the zone. I thought I could give him a shot right there. That was a little bit of a shot. It wasn’t kind of exactly how we drew it up, but just giving him an opportunity to make a play.
Q: I think Odell had 15 or 16 targets. Is that a conscious effort to get him the ball on your part?
A: We want to get him the ball. We want to give him opportunities to make plays and make catches. They were playing a decent amount of one-high (coverage), and kind of some man (coverage). He did a good job of winning some routes. I thought Sterling (Shepard), all the receivers did a good job of making plays.
Q: Coach said Ereck Flowers was going to be either traded or released tomorrow. Any thoughts on what he’s done here?
A: You always hate to lose teammates. Ereck, he’s competed his tail off. He’s fought, he’s been through a lot, adversity. I appreciate everything he’s done. I appreciate the way he’s played hurt and handled a tough situation. Even these last weeks, when you’re told someone else is playing, he’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. I hate to lose a teammate.
Q: Why do you think it didn’t work out with Ereck?
A: That’s coaches, that’s the GM, that’s their decision. They felt they wanted to go a different direction.
Q: What was your reaction when you say Odell’s remarks about the team?
A: I don’t watch Lil Wayne that much (laughter). So, I missed a lot of them. Coach handled the situation well. I think Odell, having him address the team, and setting the record straight from his point-of-view. I think that was smart and big by him to get in that situation and kind of own up to what was going on, and just kind of set the record straight so we can just avoid the distractions, avoid this and that, and just worry about playing football.
Q: Are there things that can be unsaid?
A: If you don’t know what was said. I think he did a good job when he spoke. Just had to see where he was coming from and what this team means to him.
Q: Someone said you and Odell had your own private conversation about it. Are you guys good?
A: Yeah, we talk a lot, as you always do with your receivers. I talked to him a bunch Sunday before the game, and after the game, and today. We’re always close, we’re tight, and we’re on good terms.
Q: You’ve never called out a receiver in your 15 year career. Does it hurt you that Odell would say those things about you?
A: I’ve never had a receiver that doesn’t want that ball more, and doesn’t want the ball thrown to him down the field and scoring touchdowns. That’s part of handling that. When you get a guy with social media and everything now, the ability you have to reach a crowd and express your opinions about everything on a whim, it can cause more drama. That’s just the world we’re living in and how you deal with it.
Q: Does the way he handled the situation sort of put it to bed now?
A: Yeah, I think that was good just for the whole team to hear it. When you have new guys and young guys that don’t know him or not familiar with him, I think it was good just so other guys aren’t talking about it or worried about it, or trying to change how they pregame, we have to get more energy, this or that. I think you kind of just end it and just move on and let’s worry about winning a football game.
Q: Usually when you’re losing, you often hear those things. We need more energy, we need more fight in us.
A: Usually when you’re not winning, there’s not a whole lot of energy around. That’s kind of the way it can work. You’re probably not playing real well on Sundays, so you’re not excited about things, that’s football. The energy, the excitement, the enthusiasm, all those things, they come a little bit with the execution and kind of one helps the other.
Q: Why do you think you guys have more success when you go up-tempo?
A: I think it’s been good. I don’t know why. It’s something we’ve been good in the past with. A lot of the receivers are used to playing that way, just from past offenses. It’s good to have. Late in games when we had to score, we’ve gone down and scored, and that’s a great quality to have. We got to work on getting the lead on some things, and holding it. Knowing that you can score in critical moments, whether it’s before the half or at the end of the game when you need a quick score, we can score quickly. That’s a good thing to have on our side. We have to keep doing that.
Q: When did you start breaking down the Eagles film?
A: This morning. Came in a little bit later today. Got up this morning and started watching them. Obviously, it’s a team we know well, in the division. They always have a few new wrinkles. So, we’ll get ready for that. Obviously, we know who they are and what they like to do.
Q: You never had to face a Super Bowl Champion in your division before. Does that add anything to this?
A: I don’t think so. It’s Giants-Eagles, that’s enough said right there.
Q: Does anything impress you about QB Carson Wentz and the year he had last year?
A: Carson, I’ve been impressed with him. He’s done a good job coming into the NFL, learning the system, making plays, he throws it well, he moves around the pocket well. Obviously, coming back from a knee injury. He seems to handle himself well, the whole situation, and playing good football.
Q: How important are divisional games knowing the fact that the division is up in the air?
A: No doubt that the division games are always important. That’s always the goal. Winning your division is the only way to ensure making the playoffs. Where everybody is right now, these are crucial games, so we have to get going.
Q: Is it hard to refer to them as the Super Bowl Champion Eagles?
A: I haven’t referred to them as that I don’t think (laughter).
