Matt Ryan, Peyton Manning and Eli Manning have played a total of 782 games at quarterback in their NFL careers. They've been in many late-game situations where managing the clock is of the utmost importance. And they were unanimous on Monday night that no matter what the Eagles did while pushing ahead late against the Falcons, they shouldn't risk stopping the clock with an incomplete pass.
Ryan Manning joined Peyton and Eli on the cast, and the three were warning Eagles coach Nick Sirianni not to pass when the Eagles were leading 18-15 late in the fourth quarter.
“I don’t think the ball’s going to go in the air again,” Ryan said at the two-minute warning.
But Ryan was wrong about that, as Sirianni called for a third-and-3 pass that was dropped by Eagles' running back Saquon Barkley, stopping the clock and giving the Falcons 40 additional seconds in the game, which they could win by scoring a touchdown with 34 seconds remaining.
The Manning brothers believed this was the only way the Falcons would win.
“Do you think they’ll get the ball back, Peyton?” Eli asked on the broadcast as the Falcons were using their final timeout.
“If Philly throws it,” Peyton responded.
“They're not going to throw it away,” Eli scoffed.
Ryan agreed, saying: “This ball shouldn't go in the air for the rest of the game”.
Both Eli and Peyton thought the Eagles might try a Tush Push on third-and-3, and then try it on fourth down and try it again if the Tush Push didn't gain three yards.
“Push is coming. You can't just throw it away here,” Peyton said.
The Eagles threw it right there. Incomplete, after the Falcons used their final timeout to stop the clock.
“That's why you don't throw the ball,” Peyton said. “Kirk Cousins was there celebrating. As soon as he saw him fall back, he said, 'Yeah!'”
The Eagles' pass attempt was the most shocking decision of this young NFL season, and it was a decision that three quarterbacks were begging them to make before they made it.