Eli Manning, 08.26.09

Q. How does it feel?

A. It’s great to get back to the stadium and our own locker room. Get out on the new fields for the first time. We were kind of out there all spring but weren’t really on them so it was kind of a tease. Just to get back into a regular schedule like our season schedule will be good and we had a good practice today.

Q. Can you give any advice to a guy like (Mark) Sanchez who has been named the Jets starter?

A. You know, not a whole lot I can give. Just try and go out there and play well.

Q. Can you talk about going up against the Jets? Playing against the Rex Ryan defense and what you guys kind of expect?

A: We have seen a few things in preseason. We played against Baltimore (Ravens) last year and have the last couple years whether it be preseason or regular season. It’s obviously a complex defense, a lot of guys blitzing, a lot of guys moving around so you have to prepare well for this game. Everybody has to be on the same page and communicating, getting things solved. It will be a good test for us especially because our own defense is a 4-3 scheme and so far we have only been playing preseason games against 4-3 schemes to get into a 3-4 team and get work on that. To have preparation this weekend and next week with New England so I think its good for us to go against this type of defense to get great work and learn what you’ll have to know for the rest of the season.

Q. Typically the starters will play a half during the third preseason game or get your most work because this when you have to really get ready, is this how you see it?

A. Yeah, this is kind of the last preseason game where you’ll play an extended period of time.  Kind of really the last dress rehearsal is how we think of it. We are going to play into the third quarter. Both teams have kind of put in all their blitzes and all their stuff. So whether they show it all or not, it’s kind of a game where you want to go out there and play your best because this will be the last time we will be out there for extended period so you want to go out there and play well.