Eli Manning, 09.13.10

Q: Do you know anything about the quarterback you're playing this week?
A: Is that a question? Yeah, I know him. He's my brother.

Q: Have you talked to him at all during the week about it or anything?
A: I haven't talked to him this week. I might talk to him in the next couple days, I might not. I don't know. We'll see how it goes. We really just don't know how many times it's going to happen, and that's really what it's going to come down to. I think you have to try and enjoy it, and understand it is special to look over there and see your big brother on the sidelines. You have to enjoy these times and take advantage of it, and remember it. Once that game starts, I'm worried about the Colts defense. This whole week of preparation, it's not Peyton that's my concern. It's that Colts defense. It's Dwight Freeney and those guys who I'm trying to game plan and get ready to play.

Q: Last time you guys played, you were pretty young and inexperienced. Now, you're established:
A: Yeah, it's a little different than last time. It was my first full season being a starter, and the first game of that season. There were a lot of things going on. With this one, I've been playing a little bit longer. Still, it's going to be fun. It's going to be a great environment, it's my first time to play in the Indianapolis stadium. I've been there for a few games but never played in the stadium and I'm looking forward to that. They are always a tough team and it's going to be a challenge for us, so we have to go out there and play great football.

Q: It's only natural this game will be hyped up, would you prefer that it goes away and just becomes a game?
A: I think that would be the goal, but whether that happens or not, that is out of my control. All I can do is prepare for the Colts defense and try and go out there and play to the best of my ability. We need the whole team to play well like we did last week, and go out there and see if we can get a win.

Q: Do you think Hakeem Nicks will be more of a big play threat this year?
A: I hope so. I think all of our receivers made a lot of big plays. That's something I think that we've known about these guys is that we have the potential to make a lot of big plays in the passing game. We did that on Sunday, a lot of short throws and these guys made guys miss and get extra yardage. We just have to eliminate the turnovers, and that's been the problem. Just being more consistent, and the drops, the bad throws by me, we need to eliminate those things because our guys are making up big plays. We're going to be okay and we're going to find ways to score touchdowns.

Q: Looking back at the tape, what was the issue with all the tipped passes?
A: Just high balls, a little combination of both. Some I have to pull down. Really, the last one was the one that was way too high and should've been an easier throw. The one Hakeem had, I might have been forcing it a little bit, trying to throw it over a linebacker. I had to put it where it had to be and I have to be careful throwing it high over the middle. If the ball gets tipped, there is a good chance of getting intercepted. It's a combination of both, me and the receivers. I just need to put it a little lower, and sometimes you need the receivers to come and make great catches for you. If they don't have to make great catches, though, don't try and make them.

Q: What changes for you as far as the playbook and plays go when you're down a tight end?
A: You just have to scramble around so the formations and packages that we have put in all of the sudden you can't run. You have to think about certain checks that you have been checking during the week, you can't check certain things. You have to have an offensive lineman like Beatty playing tight end for you. Your packages kind of shrink a little bit, and you have to be conscious of what you're getting with certain checks and protections. We'll have some tight ends up this week. Hopefully, Kevin comes back healthy and can play, but if not, we'll have some other guys in the game. On Sunday, when you only have one tight end, it changes what you can do.

Q: Can Bear Pascoe do the same things that Kevin Boss can do?
A: Yeah. Obviously, Travis (Beckum) has to play well for us. Get Beckum in there and he's very talented, and he can really run and get down the field. He has to help us out in the pass game and the run game. He has to get his assignments down and be comfortable, and a lot of it is that he hasn't had many reps. He didn't get many reps last year during the season, he was banged up. He missed a whole lot of training camp this year. It will be a great week of practice for him, really good. We'll get him a lot of reps and get him comfortable with what we're doing and his decision making. Then, if Kevin can't go or we get another tight end, they have to step up and play well for us and learn everything that's going on. Bear knows that, or whoever they bring up, and we'll be in good shape.

Q: You went to Manningham in some key situations yesterday...has he gotten better at running precise routes and all?
A: I think all the receivers have gotten better, and these young guys. A lot of it is having another year to watch yourself from film. The offseason, we get to look at the film, see your route running and your decision making, and you learn a lot better when it's yourself rather than watching someone else or seeing how it's drawn up in the play book. I think he's gotten better, and again, he's made some big plays. He had a couple catches, made some guys miss, some key first downs, and that's what you get from Mario, an explosive receiver who can make some big plays.

Q: How invaluable is the time you spend with those guys training in the offseason?
A: Oh yeah. That's a key time to get together and talk about different things, situations, work on different routes, and it's very important. Obviously, there is only so much you can do during the offseason and working on certain things. A lot of it comes from training camp, working versus live corners, and working versus different defenses, and that's the most important thing.