Eli Manning vs. Saints: 30/41, 350 Yards, 6 TDs

3rd Quarter

Pass #28

Situation: 2nd and 5 NYG 40
Description: Q3-(14:18) E. Manning Pass Short Left to D. Harris to NYG 48 for 8 Yards (M. Mauti)

Manning knows a blitz is coming and figures out that Mauti is not the one blitzing (he points to Anthony as the Mike I think). Manning immediately goes to his hot read which is Harris in the slot. The Saints bring Swann off the edge on the blitz, opening up Harris quickly as Mauti has no chance to get into his hook zone and Breaux in the disguise is playing off in his flat coverage. Manning recognition of the blitz makes this an easy completion for a first down. (19/22, 173 Yards, 3 TDs)

Pass #29

Siutation: 2nd and 8 50
Description: Q3-(13:08) E. Manning Pass Deep Right to O. Beckham Jr. for 50 Yards and Touchdown

Every team in the NFL runs the play action boot flood pass. The Giants run this play but instead of Beckham coming across the field, he runs the backside post. Manning rolls out and sees that Byrd as flowed with the bootleg, giving Beckham a one on one opportunity with Breaux deep. Once Byrd stops getting depth on his drop, he has no chance to catch up with the pass and Breaux cannot easily keep up with Beckham’s speed. Manning’s throw is not ideal as it is slightly underthrown but it is good enough as Byrd cannot make a play on the ball and Breaux gamble to break up the pass misses badly. This is partly great play design and partly good read by Manning in seeing Byrd had taken himself out of the play. (20/23, 223 Yards, 4 TDs)

Pass #30

Situation: 2nd and 6 NYG 47
Description: Q3-(9:32) E. Manning Pass Deep Middle to W. Tye to NO 21 for 32 Yards (J. Byrd)[H. Kikaha]. Penalty on NYG-E. Flowers, Offensive Holding, 10 Yards, Enforced at NYG 47 - No Play

I have a tough time determine if this play was good Manning or just poor defense. On one hand, Manning’s eye placemebt on Beckham keeps Breaux in his deep third coverage focused on Beckham and that influenced him not going deep with Tye. But Byrd is drifting to his left away from Tye and towards Harris. Maybe he is expecting Manning to try to look him off and is taking away the Harris throw but he and Breaux leave a giant gap in the seam for Tye to exploit. Manning makes the easy read and makes a better then expected throw for being in the process of being pulled down by Kikaha. Ereck Flowers holding call though negates a big play.

Pass #31

Situation: 2nd and 16 NYG 37
Description: Q3-(9:21) E. Manning Pass Short Incomplete Short Left to R. Randle. Penatly on NYG-W. Richburg, Ineligable Man Downfield, Declined. Penalty NYG-G. Schwartz, Offensive Holding, Declined

This play is a disaster from the beginning as RG Geoff Schwartz gets run over by Jordan and Kikaha gets inside penetration. Manning does a heck of a job getting out of the pocket and rolling out to his left. Randle should of be lit into after this play as he doesn’t follow the rules of the scramble drill. He should of turned upfield and try to go deep since he was on a short route. Instead he stands there and does nothing, giving Manning no where to throw. Manning should of either chucked this out of bounds or tired to run with the ball but instead he tries to force it to Randle and ball ends up being incomplete. (20/24, 223 Yards, 4 TDs)

Pass #32

Situation: 3rd and 16 NYG 37
Description: Q3-(9:13) E. Manning Pass Short Left to W. Tye to NYG 37 for No Gain (J. Byrd). Fumbles (J. Byrd), Recovered by NO-J. Byrd at NYG 37. J. Byrd to NYG 36 for 1 Yard (J. Pugh)

This is a designed “screen play” to Tye on the out route as Harris and Beckham are downfield blockers. There isn’t anything to talk about the play. (21/25, 223 Yards, 4 TDs)

Pass #33

Situation: 1st and 10 NYG 21
Description: Q3-(6:31) E. Manning Pass Incomplete Short Right to R. Jennings

Manning does a good job throwing this ball away as no one gets open on the play. The Saints Cover 2 takes away every route but the offensive line does a great job in pass protection. Manning is constantly scanning the field trying to find someone open but after four seconds the clock in his head is going off as he expects the pass rush to get to him. Harris gets open late but to expect Manning to hold the ball for 5-6 seconds and find him is asking a ton for any QB. (21/26, 223 Yards, 4 TDs)

Pass #34

Situation: 2nd and 10 NYG 21
Description: Q3-(6:24) E. Manning Pass Short Right to R. Jennings to NYG 46 for 25 Yards (D. Swann)

Even though Manning’s eye placement doesn’t mean much since the Saints are in man coverage, it shows great discipline by him and attention to details. This is a screen pass to the right but Manning is looking to the left until right before he throws the pass. Against zone, this would get the defense to move away from the screen pass but since it was man coverage, only the deep safeties were watching his eyes. (22/27, 248 Yards, 4 TDs)

Pass #35

Situation: 2nd and 10 NYG 46
Description: Q3-(5:08) E. Manning Pass Incomplete Short Middle to R. Randle (S. Anthony)

Manning’s mechanics betray him on this play as this was a completable pass to Randle. Manning as he has done all game does a good job of going though his reads and scanning the field for his receivers. Randle does open up late on the slant route and is open with an outside and high throw to him. Manning’s mechanics are horrible here though as his momentum is all moving to his left while Randle is moving right. This leads to a ball that is thrown very behind Randle and Anthony (who is behind Randle) makes a play on the ball instead. (22/28, 248 Yards, 4 TDs)

Pass #36

Situation: 3rd and 10 NYG 46
Description: Q3-(5:02) E. Manning Pass Short Middle to S. Vereen to NO 47 for 7 Yards (S. Anthony)

I don’t think there is much more Manning could do on this play. First off, the pocket collapses around him quickly and Edebali and Jordan both get edge pressure on Manning. His WRs don’t get open either on their routes and Tye falls over. This only leaves Vereen who is open but covered tightly by Anthony. Manning makes the right read and throw but Vereen cannot get past Anthony for the first down (23/29, 255 Yards, 4 TDs)

Pass #37

Situation: 1st and 10 NYG 20
Description: Q3-(0:29) E. Manning Pass Short Right to O. Beckham Jr. Pushed Out of Bounds at NYG 30 for 10 Yards (D. Breaux)

This is a very easy read and throw for Manning to make but again he sets it up with his eyes. Manning is looking at Tye initially on the curl route. This freezes up Vaccaro (who is suppose to drop into the flat in cover 3) and he stays on Tye’s route. This opens up Beckham on the outside because Breaux has to bail into his deep third zone. As soon as Manning sees Vaccaro sitting on Tye’s route, he whips his eyes to Beckham and throws the ball to him for a first down. (24/30, 265 Yards, 4 TDs)

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