ALBANY — Though Eli Manning dramatically sliced his interceptions last season, limiting picks remains the main thing the two-time Super Bowl MVP wants to improve on in training camp.
Two years ago, Manning threw far too many passes to opposing teams — 25, to be exact. Was every interception his fault? Not at all, because several passes clanged off his own receivers. Still, 25 is 25, a career-worst for the Giants’ $100 million QB.
Last season, though, Manning was brilliant, not only in terms of his postseason performance. He threw for a career-high 4933 passing yards in the regular season and had five fourth-quarter comebacks. He also was intercepted just 16 times in the regular season, despite throwing a career-high 589 passes.
He was better in the playoffs, throwing just one pick in his 163 playoff throws.
In the 20-game breakdown, that’s just 17 interceptions in 20 games and 752 passes. One pick for every 44 throws.
By comparison, Manning threw a pick every 21.6 attempts in 2010.
“I think [the thing I want to improve is] still cut down on the turnovers,” Manning said after reporting to training camp yesterday. “Continue to concentrate every practice, every play, making good decisions. Make sure that whatever happens, the ball is in our hands on the next play.”
To be fair, the 25-interception season from two years ago has been an aberration in Manning’s recent career. In the 2009 season, he threw just 14 interceptions, and in 2008, he threw a career-low 10.
Is it unreasonable for Manning to throw fewer than 16 picks this year? Probably not. Especially if the Giants’ running game — with first-round pick David Wilson joining Ahmad Bradshaw — allows him to throw fewer passes too.
Either way, Manning not only wants self-improvement, but he wants the defending Super Bowl champs to show improvement as a team.
“We know we’ve got to improve,” he said. “We were 9-7 last year in the regular season. That’s not good enough.
“We were a better team than that. Obviously we showed that throughout the playoffs, but we’ve got to have that urgency, that consistency throughout the whole season and play our best football for the 16 regular season games.”