Giants QB Eli Manning discusses rhythm, and an offense that’s ready to play.

Yeah, just keep growing. Hopefully go out there, obviously work on getting a fast start. Haven’t been at that in the preseason. So in this game, we won’t have many options—maybe one series or two. So, hopefully, go out there and get something going. Get some first downs, move the ball, get a little rhythm, and then start getting our focus for Dallas.
 
Q: Would that be enough to kind of get rid of whatever taste you may have from the preseason?

A: Yeah, I mean, I think [we] showed some progress last week in the third game. So that’s what you want to do. I thought moving in the pocket, moving around—in my case, usually the last thing to come around. Just because you have so much practice when you’re not getting hit, then all of a sudden you’ve got live bodies running at you. So just moving in the pocket and setting your feet. Thought I made some improvements in that. I think go out there, run some of your base plays, and be good. See you if you get into a good rhythm.
 
Q: Coming into training camp, everybody thought this offense was going to be so explosive. In the preseason, it just hasn’t been that. Is it something that in the first week of the season it just might click?

A: We hope so. I think we obviously have to get all our guys out there. We’ve had guys limited and I think we’ve gotten better the last few weeks, kind of having all our guys practicing and finding that timing. I think we’ve been close on some stuff down the field and some big plays. We just can’t be close anymore. We’ve got to start hitting on it. But I think it’s good to get into the game and get to game speed, and make those adjustments. Just keep practicing. Having all your guys out there and it will get better once you start game planning and start getting real specific. Work on who’s running certain routes and work on that. I think you should continue to get better and grow. Hopefully Week 1, we’re better.
 
Q: You say close, but why do you think it hasn’t clicked so far?

A: I think we had some plays down the field where you overthrow a guy a little bit or a ball gets tipped or just a little off. I think it just happens, it just takes some time. Seeing game speed versus practice and having all your guys out there for reps. Getting practice reps with the guys you’re going to be throwing to in the game. So I think it’s just a matter of throwing to different guys and having different speeds and just getting the feel for where everybody is on their speed.
 
Q: Do you feel like you get a good barometer going into the regular season from this last preseason game? I know the other team sometimes doesn’t even play its starters?

A: I think you just have to go out there and try to run your offense and be efficient. You’re always going to go against a good defense that has a good scheme. You kind of never know what you’re going to get out of the defense—who’s going to be playing and what their scheme will be early on. Whatever they do, we’ll see if we can adjust and move the ball.
 
Q: You mentioned game planning. Is that something that is overlooked in the preseason?

A: Yeah. I think game planning is a big deal. A lot of times you’re running your base plays. You’d like to be able to go out there, but you haven’t looked a ton at defenses and what their schemes are or trying to run perfect plays versus what’s going on. The third preseason game, you may do a little bit more of that. It’s also just getting reps with the guys you’re going to be playing in the games with. Preseason, you’ve got a lot of reps and a lot of guys in and out. That’s part of it. There’s certain plays you know you’re going to run—red zone and timing patterns you like to get in with the guys that’ll be running the routes in the games.
 
Q: How much does it concern that you didn’t get any reps in a game with Victor Cruz? When he does come back, does it now automatically take some time in games before you can get back to where you want to be?
A
: We’ve just got to see. Hopefully he can get back healthy where he can get back practicing. We’ve had limited practice reps with him. I thought he looked good and looked sharp before the calf injury. Hopefully he can come back and get healed up and be back to his normal self. Yeah, there’s still some work to do with Victor. Again, getting familiar with the offense, the timing of certain routes. It’ll be a work in progress, but that’s okay. We’ve got a long season. We’ve got time to work and practice and get better at things.
 
Q: Does what happened in the summer affect your confidence in you and the offense in any way? Once the fourth preseason game is over, do you kind of shut that book and move on?

A: For me, preseason is just trying to grow within the offense. Just trying to get the timing of the game speed. Moving in the pocket, the rush, making adjustments. Some things that may come up that you don’t see with your defense and talk about it. Just get on the same page, same direction, see if you can get better at things. Sometimes you might get some coverages that you don’t get versus our defense in practice. So you’re trying to get a few reps on certain plays that you want to get some reps on versus certain styles of defense. You might press a few things or try to take some shots on different things. So I think it’s trying to get a good feel. Just be comfortable back there in the pocket, seeing things and moving around. That’s kind of what I try to gain out of the preseason.
 
Q: So numbers mean nothing to you?

A: I mean, obviously, you always like to go out there and have completions and score points. But it’s not going to affect the confidence in any way.