After two poor to mediocre performances vs. the Eagles and Cowboys, Manning came to life and had one of his best games of his career vs. the Saints. It was his first time ever throwing 6 TDs in a game and to do it with no interceptions is almost shocking considering Eli Manning’s history. Unfortunately he was over shadowed by one of the best QB performances in history by Drew Brees in the same game. Manning’s season has been up and down a little bit but he is having his best year of his career at this point (99.9 Passer rating and 66.0 Completion % would be career highs and he is on pace for 34 TDs to 8 INTs). So lets take a look at what Eli Manning can do when his game is on.
Quarter 1
Pass #1
Situation: 1st and 10 NYG 40
Description: Q1-(13:40) E. Manning Pass Deep Middle to R. Randle to NO 41 for 19 Yards (B. Browner)
This play action pass shows off Manning using his eyes to open up a throwing lane. Manning coming off the play action initially looks to his right at WR Odell Beckham Jr. This moves WILL Ramon Humbar to his left. Combine that with MLB Stephone Anthony and SAM Hau’oli Kikaha respecting the flare route of FB Nikita Whitlock and a window opens up for Manning to throw through to WR Ruben Randle who beats CB Brandon Browner to the inside on the man coverage. The throw is good but not great as he gets it by Anthony but forces Randle to slow down but this could of been to prevent a big hit by FS Jarius Byrd. (1/1, 19 Yards)
Pass #2
Situation: 2nd and 9 NO 40
Description: Q1-(12:30) E. Manning Pass Incomplete Short Short Left to R. Randle (B. Browner)
This should of been defensive holding on Browner as he is grabbing Randle’s shirt around the shoulder area before the ball is thrown. But i digress. Manning sees the blitz coming by Humbar and Anthony and needs to get rid of the ball quickly. Randle is his hot read and initially beats Browner to the inside. Manning’s pass needs to be lower and inside to make this a completion as Brown has Randle by the shirt and is using his grab for leverage to make a play on the ball. Manning doesn’t have much choice but to go to this route as the coverage across the field is very good by the Saints. (1/2, 19 Yards)
Pass #3
Situation: 3rd and 9 NO 40
Description: Q1-(12:25) E. Manning Pass Short Middle to O. Beckham Jr. to NO 28 for 12 Yards (D. Breaux). Penalty on NO-K. Vaccaro, Defensive Holding, Declined
The referee called the wrong player on the defensive holding as CB Delvin Breaux held Beckham. SS Kenny Vaccaro was in deep coverage and was playing deep zone. Manning on this play shows great anticipation and is reading the body position of Breaux. Manning knows Beckham is coming back to the inside on his slant route. Beckham set up Breaux with and outside move and Breaux’s is turned facing the outside of the field. Breaux has no chance to cover the slant even with him holding Beckham as his momentum is going the wrong way. Manning sees this and start to throw before Beckahm gets open on the slant. Manning throws a good pass and the Giants pick up a first down. (2/3, 31 Yards)
Pass # 4
Situation: 2nd and 14 NO 32
Description: Q1-(11:29) E. Manning Pass Short Left to S. Vereen Pushed Out of Bounds at NO 8 for 24 Yards (B. Browner)
The Saints are in a Cover 3 Zone with Vaccaro assigned to play in the flat zone. Manning’s eyes to begin the play are locked on TE Will Tye who is running the post route. Vaccaro either blows the coverage or tries to gamble and jumps on Tye’s post route. This opens up the flare route by RB Shane Vereen because Browner has to respect Beckaham on his deep release when playing his deep third coverage. Manning sees Vaccaro jump the TE post and throws the easy pass to Vereen for a big gain on second down. Vaccaro as soon as the ball is thrown knows he screwed up and looks dejected during the play. (3/4, 55 Yards)
Pass #5
Situation: 1st and Goal NO 8
Description: Q1-(11:22) E. Manning Pass Short Right to R. Randle Pushed Out of Bounds at NO 1 for 7 Yards (K. Lewis)
This is a well designed play as CB Keenan Lewis has no chance to cover Randle on his route on the play action bootleg pass due to Randles route starting behind the line of scrimmage. Manning makes the easy and correct throw as Randle is open while Beckham is being held/locked up against by Breaux. (4/5, 62 Yards)
Pass #6
Situation: 4th and Goal NO 2
Description: Q1-(9:43) E. Manning Pass Short Right to O. Beckham Jr. for 2 Yards and Touchdown
This is a designed rub route play as well as WR Dwyane Harris runs the flare route to prevent Breaux from following Beckham in man coverage. This is perfectly legal since Harris never touches Breaux and has the right to run his route. Manning’s first read is to Beckham and Manning throws it with good timing as it allows Beckham to cut up field for a touchdown between Breaux and Humber. Manning didn’t do anything special on this play but he executed the play to perfection. (5/6, 64 Yards, 1 TD)
Pass #7
Situation: 2nd and 6 NYG 32
Description: Q1-(6:55) E. Manning Sacked at NYG 27 for -5 Yards (R. Humbar)
We can’t talk about the good without the bad and this sack is on Manning. Manning is pointing to Kikaha and calling him the “Mike.” Mike is a common term used to say which player on a blitz does the offensive line pick up. This forces the offensive line to shift to there left to account for this Mike call. Kikaha drops into coverage though and Humbar comes off the right edge. Since RT Marshall Newhouse is blocking to his left on DE Cameron Jordan’s slant, this allows Humbar a free rush at Manning. Manning is looking to his left initially until he sees Kikaha dropping into coverage. He tries to come back quickly to his right to Randle (who is open short as Vaccaro is playing off in his man coverage) but Humbar is on top of him for the sack.
Pass #8
Situation: 3rd and 11 NYG 27
Description: Q1-(6:16) E. Manning Pass Short Right to S. Vereen to NYG 34 for 7 Yards (D. Breaux; K. Vaccaro)
Not much to say here. Its a designed screen pass to Vereen and Manning completes the pass. (6/7, 71 Yards, 1 TD)
Pass #9
Situation: 1st and 10 NYG 21
Description: Q1-(2:19) E. Manning Pass Short Right to O. Beckham Jr. to NYG 30 for 9 Yards (D. Breaux)
This looks like an easy throw as Beckham gets open on the slant route against Breaux; but there is more to throw then initially appears and Manning makes a very good throw. The play action fake by Manning helps open up the window for the throw as Anthony respects the run fake. Anthony is dropping into the window fast after the play fake though and looks like he can undercut the slant route. Manning doesn’t allow this though by throwing it slightly behind Beckham. Beckham is forced to slow down his route but this avoids Anthony completely and allows for a good completion on first down. (7/8, 80 Yards, 1 TD)
Pass #10
Situation: 1st and 10 NYG 36
Description: Q1-(1:14) E. Manning Pass Incomplete Deep Right to D. Harris
Manning makes the right read on this play. Harris has a lot of speed and is running the go route against Lewis who is still recovering from hip surgery. Harris gets even with Lewis and Manning knows Lewis can’t keep up with Harris. Combine that with Vaccaro not being aware of the go route in his deep coverage (he is focused on Tye instead) and Harris is open for the touchdown. Manning’s mechanics look fine on the throw but he just misses the pass to Harris. (7/9, 80 Yards, 1 TD)
Pass #11
Situation: 1st and 10 NO 47
Description: Q1-(0:31) E. Manning Pass Short Left to R. Randle Pushed Out of Bounds NO 38 for 9 Yards (B. Browner). Penalty on NO-B. Browner, Unnecessary Roughness, 15 Yards, Enforced at NO 38
Manning does a good job reading the technique used by Browner in his man coverage of Randle. Browner is using technique to keep Randle from beating him deep on a route. This opens up the curl route though as Browner can’t react to Randle’s turn in his route. Manning sees this technique and makes the right read to go after Browner. The timing is a bit late but Browner lacks quickness so Randle is able to come back to ball with ease for the completion. Manning also does a good job going through his reads and making a quick decision as Randle is his second read (TE Larry Donnell on the seam route is his first read but Cover 1 takes away this route easily). (8/10, 89 Yards, 1 TD)
Pass #12
Situation: 1st and 10 NO 23
Description: Q1-(0:06) E. Manning Pass Deep Middle to L. Donnell to NO 1 for 22 Yards (B. Browner)
This pass is set up by a good play action fake by Manning. MLB/OLB Michael Mauti bites on the good play action fake, opening up Donnell on the seam route out of the backfield. Mauti cannot get underneath the route and Manning makes the right read going to Donnell. The pass is mediocre as he overthrows the ball to Donnell. Donnell bails him out with a great one handed catch though for a big play. (9/11, 111 Yards, 1 TD)
The 2nd Quarter throws are on the next page.