Eli hitting his stride after slow start

Eli Manning said things would click eventually. Lately has become eventually.

After a very slow start that included the first preseason since his rookie year without a touchdown pass, a lackluster opener against the Redskins and a terrible start against the Rams, Manning has spent the last six quarters being among the most efficient quarterbacks in the league. In fact, his performance Sunday against the Eagles, which earned him NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. was, from a statistical standpoint, his best game ever with the Giants.

Manning completed 16 of 23 passes for 254 yards, which aren't exceptional numbers. But he threw four touchdowns for the sixth time in his career, and did it against no interceptions for only the second time ever, the first since 2005. His quarterback rating for the game was 145.7, the highest in his career.

After beginning the Week 2 game against the Rams going 1-for-6 with an interception, Manning has completed 34 of 46 passes for 461 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions.

"I always feel confident in what we're doing," he said. "No matter if at first you had a few incompletions or something happens, I always feel this series will be the one where I can complete every pass."

So what happened? And how can Manning and the Giants make it continue?

Perhaps the biggest benefit was getting more time to find his rhythm. The Giants -- like all NFL teams -- did not have an offseason program. That meant no practices to work on route running or refining offensive timing.

"There was some caution before based on the new figures and people around him and how they would react to what he thought they would do and what they did," Tom Coughlin said. "That takes time. That's why you have to have an offseason."

One of the biggest improvements to Manning's game so far has been the lack of interceptions. Coughlin said he drilled the need to protect the ball into the heads of the players so much this preseason that they can all recite the statistics verbatim. That apparently stuck with Manning, who is coming off a season in which he threw 25 interceptions.

"People are trying to do a great job of focusing on ball security," Coughlin said. "From Eli's standpoint, don't throw to people in trouble, try to stay away from putting it into the tightest spot."

That's really more of a guideline than a rule, though. There are times when a football player needs to take a chance. Like on the 28-yard touchdown pass Manning threw to Victor Cruz in the fourth quarter of his virtuoso performance on Sunday. Cruz, a second-year receiver, was double-covered in the end zone with All-Pro cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha in front of him and a safety behind him. Pause the film at the time of Manning's release and ask him: Was it a smart throw?

"Probably not," Manning said. "They had it pretty well covered. We got fortunate on that one."

Sometimes that's better than being smart. Even for Coughlin, who no doubt cringed when the ball was in the air. Until it was caught. And then?

"I was the first one cheering," Coughlin said.