EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning threw 27 interceptions last season, as you may have read in this space and a few others. So far this season, he has thrown five. Four of those came in the first two games. He's thrown only one interception in his last five games and none in his last three.

This is not a coincidence.

"We're trying to protect the football and make good decisions, not force things, not make it harder than it has to be," Manning said Monday. "I'm very conscious of that, and forcing things and trying to make plays doesn't always help things out."

This is a major philosophical shift for Manning and the Giants' passing offense, which for the first 10 years of Manning's career relied on complex option routes, downfield throws and Manning's confidence in his ability to complete any throw in the world. That confidence has not waned, but what's come this season with the arrival of offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo and the short-passing-based West Coast offense is an emphasis on knowing when to throw the ball away and live to fight another down.

"We have not had an interception in a couple of weeks, and that's been a very big part of our ability to control our game," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "It's not being cautious. It's, 'If it's not there, what are you going to do? Get rid of it.'"

Manning is a guy who's hit pinpoint deep sideline throws in tight coverage to win Super Bowls and who has, on occasion, thrown a ball left-handed in an effort to salvage a play. But he insists he doesn't mind the change to a more responsible passing game plan.

"I don't like throwing it to the other team," Manning said. "I don't like having to force things or create a whole lot. I want things to be clean and simple and go through progressions and get the ball out in time."

It's simple. It's responsible. It's a foundation principle of the Giants' new offense. And from the standpoint of taking care of the ball, it's working.