The New York Giants are almost half way through an extremely disappointing 2017 NFL season, that has left them sitting comfortably at the bottom of the NFC East with a 1-6 record. However, through eight weeks of the season, quarterback Eli Manning is doing his best to capitalize on red zone opportunities for the team, and is quietly on pace to finish with the best red zone numbers of his career.
In general, Manning’s performance in the first half of the season puts him in the middle-of-the-pack among quarterbacks in most facets of the game. His adjusted completion percentage (the PFF metric that gives a clear measure of accuracy) of 74.5 percent ranks 11th of 34 qualifying quarterbacks, while his PFF overall grade of 76.3 ranks 16th among the same group. Through seven games, Manning has got the ball out extremely quickly, and averaged about 2.45 seconds to throw, the fifth-quickest mark. On throws that take 2.5 seconds or less, he’s posted a passer rating of 96.4, 14th among quarterbacks, but that passer rating falls all the way to 62.8 when he takes longer, which puts him at 31st among signal-callers.
However, Manning’s numbers on throws inside the opponent’s 20-yard line see a dramatic increase compared to his pass attempts anywhere else on the field.
Eli Manning threw two red zone touchdown passes to Odell Beckham Jr during the Giants' Week 3 game against Eagles. Here's the first one: pic.twitter.com/2e8ZynOEmb
— Mark Chichester (@chichester_mark) November 2, 2017
Take passer rating for example. Through seven games, Manning has completed 151-of-239 attempts outside of the red zone for 1482 yards, three touchdowns and all five of his interceptions, for a passer rating of just 76.0 which ranks 25th among 32 quarterbacks with at least 100 attempts. However, once inside the red zone, Manning has completed 16-of-21 passes for 140 yards and seven touchdowns, giving him a passer rating of 132.9, the best mark among 32 quarterbacks with at least 15 red zone pass attempts, and a mark that would easily beat his PFF-era-best of 100.6, which came in the 2006 season.
And here's the second one. A great throw and an even better catch: pic.twitter.com/UUe6ZvxKA2
— Mark Chichester (@chichester_mark) November 1, 2017
His two touchdown throws in the red zone to WR Odell Beckham Jr. in the Giants Week 3 game against Philadelphia almost matched his entire 2017 season total on touchdown throws outside of the red zone (3).
Passer rating aside, the same can be said for his adjusted completion percentage. Outside of the red zone, Manning’s adjusted completion percentage of 74.3 percent ranks 18th of 32 quarterbacks, and is just 0.7 percent above the NFL average. Inside the red zone, his adjusted completion of 76.2 percent ranks fourth among quarterbacks, and is 10.7 percent above the NFL average.
A big reason for Manning’s success is the addition of rookie tight end Evan Engram and rookie running back Wayne Gallman, who have both emerged as a highly productive red zone targets.
Evan Engram has caught all four of his red zone targets for three touchdowns this season.The first TD of his career came from a red zone pass where he lined up in the backfield: pic.twitter.com/4ck9JkQ1C2
— Mark Chichester (@chichester_mark) November 1, 2017
Through seven games, Engram has seen four targets, for four receptions and three touchdowns, while Gallman has seen four targets, for four receptions and two scores in the red zone.
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