Giants’ Eli Manning says he’s got to play better
EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (AP) — Eli Manning is not ready to sit just yet.
A day after New York Giants coach Ben McAdoo floated the idea that he would consider using some young players, and no position was being excluded, the two-time Super Bowl Most Valuable Player said that he definitely wants to keep playing.
Manning told reporters Tuesday after the team’s workout that he didn’t hear coach Ben McAdoo’s comments on Monday’s conference call.
“I didn’t hear it,” Manning said. “My goal is to prepare every week and do my job. He said that he’s got faith in me and to keep grinding.
“So that’s what we’re doing. I want to play. That’s what I like to do. I like to play football and play quarterback. I understand that I got a job to do and I got to do it better and do it well and get wins and if you don’t, everybody’s job is up for grabs in this league.”
McAdoo said that he was impressed that Manning was a little taken aback by the suggestion of a possible replacement.
“What do you expect?” McAdoo said. “I’m glad he said that. He’s a pro football player, that’s what he should be saying. Eli, he’s our quarterback. I have a lot of confidence in Eli. That hasn’t changed. But that doesn’t mean at some point in time, we won’t throw another guy in there to get a look at him.
“Every position needs to be held accountable and every position needs to play to a high standard. The same thing goes with the coaches. And obviously, when you lose in the fashion that we lost (Sunday), it’s not good enough.”
Manning has made 207 consecutive starts going back to his rookie season. If he starts this week, he will tie his brother Peyton for the second-longest streak by a quarterback in NFL history. Brett Favre holds the record with 297 consecutive starts.
The Giants are still stinging from the 51-17 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
Manning was asked about the relationship with his head coach.
“Coach and I, hey, we communicate well,” Manning said. “We have great confidence in each other and have a good relationship. I haven’t been tested. I mean, I think, hey, he’s the coach. I’m the quarterback and just trying to keep getting better and keep working.”
The Giants (1-7) face the winless 0-9 San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in Santa Clara, California.
“Hey, I think both teams need a win,” Manning said. “I think you try to play your scheme. You try to do things correctly, do things right. We got to play our game. We got to be where we need to be. Make the plays that are there.”
Manning knows that he missed receivers Sterling Shepard and Tavarres King on passes that could have been touchdowns against the Rams.
“I missed Shepard on a post route that we could have made,” said Manning, who completed 20 of 36 for 220 yards and two touchdowns and an interception Sunday.
“We had a couple other plays. We had drops. You had just different things that keep you out of a good down and distance. There’s always little things. There’s always things you have to correct and missed plays. We’re not in that position where we can have too many of those.”
McAdoo agreed with Manning’s assessment of his play.
“It’s disappointing,” McAdoo said. “We had chances down the field. We got to make those throws and make those catches. It’s pro football. We got to catch them on all opportunities like that. You don’t get many in the game. It’s just incompletions and we got to clean them up.”
If McAdoo wants to go to Davis Webb, the third-round draft pick from Cal, then Webb will be ready.
“My job is to be the best teammate I can be,” Webb said with Manning standing in a locker immediately to Webb’s right.
“That’s my priority. I’m here to help the team win. That’s my role right now. I’m confident in anything I do. I’m confident when I’m playing checkers. I have learned so much from Eli. I’m grateful to have a teammate like him. Not many can say they’re learning from a Hall of Famer and one of the best in NFL history.”
Manning realizes that this has been a tough season — and there are still eight more games to play.
“Hey, it’s tough for everybody,” Manning said. “It’s no fun losing games and losing players and going through stretches where you’re not winning. So, a good thing is we got eight more games and an opportunity to fix it.”
NOTES: The Giants reinstated cornerback Janoris Jenkins from the suspended list. Jenkins was suspended for last week’s game against his former team when he didn’t report back to the team in time for practices last Tuesday after the bye week. … After the workout, the team announced the signing of linebacker Kelvin Sheppard, who played in all 16 games for the Giants last season. The Giants are without starting linebackers Jonathan Casillas (neck) and B.J. Goodson (ankle).
