Giants’ Eli Manning: “I need the preseason”

Eli Manning was held out of the New York Giants’ preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins by coach Ben McAdoo last Friday. He certainly sounds like a guy who wants to play this Saturday when the Giants face the Buffalo Bills in their second preseason game.

"I need the preseason," Manning said Tuesday on Good Morning Football. "As a quarterback, you go a long time without getting hit. I haven't been hit coming up on nine months. It's been a while at practice and I can work on moving the pocket but I also know those guys aren't allowed to hit me in practice and in games those guys are trying very hard to hit me. I need to get that pocket movement, work on taking a hit and realize that it's not as bad as it seems sometimes, but I need that game speed, game environment to get ready for Week 1."

UPDATE 4:20 p.m.: Head coach Ben McAdoo said after Wednesday’s practice that Manning would “absolutely” play against the Bills.

“There’s nothing like the games to get those reps,” McAdoo added.