Eli Manning is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL and he may be the best clutch quarterback in recent years after guiding his team to two Super Bowl championships.
Manning proved his toughness once again when facing defeat on Sunday against the Washington Redskins, throwing a 77-yard touchdown pass to Victor Cruz was under two minutes left in the game to give the Giants a 27-23 lead.
On Wednesday Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall made some comments to Washington reporters about the play, saying Manning "ultimately made the play to beat us, but I don't feel like he made that play; I feel like we gave them that play," Hall said on Wednesday to the Washington Times. "That was nothing he did - aw man, he saw this and saw that - we just had one guy set his feet, one guy not do this and, man, I could have threw that ball and he could have scored."
Ha saved his best comment for last:
"It wasn't something [where] he was just a rocket scientist and he just figured [it] out. We just played that as bad as possible."
Manning responded to those comments on Wednesday, using some of his own wit and sarcasm.
"I appreciate him giving it to me," Manning deadpanned, according to ESPN.com. "Thank you. No, I didn't think it took a rocket scientist to figure it out, either. We had a guy running open and you hit him. It doesn't bother me. If that is the way they want to put it in their heads, then that is fine."
Manning doesn't usually get involved in disputes in the press, but this time a response seemed appropriate. Other players thought the comments were amusing, including defensive end Justin Tuck.
"Well, DeAngelo is not that smart if they gave it to them," Tuck responded. "I love how DeAngelo plays; he is an awesome player. But to give a person a game-winning touchdown ... ehhhh."
The play in question came after Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III threw a touchdown pass with 1:32 left in the game to give Washington a 23-20 lead. The team had the victory in hand if they could stop the Giants, but obviously that did not happen.
While speaking on the radio on Monday, Manning said he saw the Redskins use a similar coverage earlier in the game and picked up on it. Hall refused to admit that Manning and the Giants flat out made a play to beat them.
"We tried to vary it as much as possible," Hall said, according to the Washington Examiner. "For him to say that in the first half he picked up on it and to not make a play until the last play of the game? I don't know how well he picked up on it. Ultimately, he did because he made the play to beat us, but I don't feel like he made that play."
The Giants have dealt with opponents saying they didn't deserve to win or that their own team gave the game away with mistakes. The San Francisco 49ers made similar comments after their loss in the NFC Championship game and Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews also made comments after the Giants sent them home in the playoffs last year.
"I hope we have nine more giveaways this year and then three to four more giveaways, I will be a happy man with that," Tuck said to ESPN.com. "So for all you guys out there listening if you play us: If you feel like you want to give us something, I will take some sacks, I am sure Eli will take more 70-yard touchdown passes, coach (Tom) Coughlin will take a couple more wins to separate himself from coach (Bill) Parcells, there are all types of things."
Tuck continued on about the idea of a defense giving away a touchdown.
"A 77-yard touchdown? No," Tuck said. "I've seen teams on the goal line kind of back up and let people score. But a 77-yard touchdown ... maybe he meant to say that we had some communication (issue) ... I am trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. I am not going to go down the road of what I want to say."
The play showcased how Manning has progressed as a quarterback over the past few seasons. Both Manning and Cruz silently saw the same coverage in the secondary and were on the same page with what route the receiver should run.
According to the New York Times:
"Before the snap, the Redskins didn't show blitz and lined up in a Cover 2 shell with both safeties deep. With man coverage underneath, Washington's Cover 2 Man Under defense was really a safe call built to limit the potential for a big play."
Whether Hall wants to admit it or not, Manning exploited the Washington defense and made an elite play that gave the Giants the win. When it's all said and done, the Redskins have a loss marked next to Week 7, while the Giants have a big W.
