Eli Manning’s 14 Interceptions in 2015

Eli Manning Forced Footballs to Covered Receivers

Situation: 2nd and 9 at NYG 18. Eagles and Giants are tied 7-7.
Description: (12:26 - 2nd) Nolan Carroll II 17 Yrd Touchdown Interception on Eli Manning. C.Sturgis extra point is GOOD, Center-J.Dorenbos, Holder-D.Jones.
Offensive Grouping: 11 (1 RB - 1 TE - 3 WR)

• The Giants are in shotgun slot left with Randle and Beckham as the outside wide receivers.
• Manning motions Odell Beckham closer to the formation.
• Cornerback #31 Byron Maxwell tightens his split to the middle of the field mirroring him.
• The Eagles have two deep safeties and are playing Cover 2.
• After the snap, #17 Dwayne Harris runs a quick-out route from slot, while Rueben Randle slips out of his break after #26 Nolan Carroll presses him.
• Manning immediately looks their direct after the snap, double-clutching it, before firing it towards Harris on the boundary.
• Carroll, still sitting at the line of scrimmage, has his eyes on Manning and intercepts the ball for an easy touchdown for the defense.

There are a few issues with this play. First, Randle slips before cutting inside. This keeps Carroll on the line of scrimmage in plain view of Manning. With the slot cornerback, Malcolm Jenkins on this play, he steps backwards expecting a slant-flat combination. This should immediately tell Manning to throw to Randle and not Harris. Third, Manning stares both receivers down, while his checkdown running back releases into the right flat completely open without any defenders within 10 yards of him.

Manning had plenty of time in the pocket and forced the football to Harris. Even though Randle slips and it throws the timing of this play off, Manning has to have better awareness to not throw this pass.

Looking at the play design, the left side is designed to beat man-to-man coverage with the rub-concept shallow crosses. The right side of the play is meant to overload the zones of a Cover 3 since the hitch by Beckham, and the spot route by the tight end would occupy the underneath linebackers.

Against a Cover 2 defense on 2nd and 9, there is no reason to throw this football. Checking down and gaining 3-5 yards through his running back is clearly the correct choice since he had plenty of time in the pocket.

This issue accounted for eight of Eli Manning’s 14 interceptions in 2015. Here is another example versus the Minnesota Vikings.

Eli Manning attempts to force the football Hakeem Nicks, who was perfectly covered by Xavier Rhodes. Since both slant routes on the left side of the field were covered, Manning should have checked it down to his running back from the backfield.

Here is one final example of this issue against the Washington Redskins.

Dwayne Harris runs a wheel route to the sideline versus the Redskins’ Cover 1 defense. The defensive line with Chris Baker and Ryan Kerrigan contain Eli Manning in the pocket not allowing him to escape or step into his throw.

This leads to one of the most ridiculous plays of the season as the ball bounces off the hands of Will Blackmon, Dwayne Harris, and then back into the hands of Will Blackmon since Kyshoen Jarrett levels Harris on the sideline.

Throwing Behind the Receiver

Three of Eli Manning’s interceptions were caused by innaccuracy. For example, against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Manning targets Odell Beckham on a slant route.

Manning reads this play correctly targeting Odell Beckham on the slant-flat combination against the Buc’s Cover 3 defense finding the zone, but he has to place this pass further ahead of the receiver allowing him to run after the catch. In this case, Beckham couldn’t get a clean grasp on the football, and it flew out of his hands right into the defenders’ hands.

Overall, eight interceptions were due to Manning forcing the football, three were caused by inaccuracy, and three weren’t the fault of him due to bad drops.

Last off-season I took a look at his 14 interceptions in 2014, and I noted that I didn’t see his touchdown to interception ratio improving significantly from last year. I would say that 31:14 and 35:14 (TD:INT) aren’t significantly different, and after reviewing his touchdowns and interceptions again this season, I am going to make that same prediction again.

Follow Samuel Gold on Twitter: @SamuelRGold.