Pernell McPhee ready for Eli: ‘We’re going to tear his ass up’

A Bears defense that has jumped from 21st to ninth in the NFL in sacks per pass play in the last five games will be challenged to maintain that pace against the Giants’ offense, which has allowed just 12 sacks of Eli Manning this season.

Right, Pernell McPhee?

“We’re going to tear his ass up — I don’t care what everybody else [has done],” McPhee said. “We’re going to sack him. He could throw the ball out anytime he wants. We’re going to sack him. I’m going to make sure of that.”

As bold as he was, McPhee would not predict a number. “It doesn’t matter — how many god gives us,” McPhee said. “We’re going to be there, though. Just believe that. And that is a challenge.”

We’ll see about that. The Giants are fourth in the NFL in sacks allowed per pass play — and like the Bears’ defense, getting better. Manning has been sacked three times in 353 drop backs in his last four games, against the Ravens, Rams, Eagles and Bengals.

Manning, true to his nature, was unfazed by McPhee’s bravado.

“Well, he’s a good player and it seems like he’s playing a little bit more recently and getting sacks,” Manning said. “They’ve done a good job getting sacks and hits on the quarterback. We’re got to be prepared to block him up and do a good job up front.”

Let the record show that McPhee and the Bears have plenty of respect for Manning. “Two-time world champ. Makes great decisions with the ball,” McPhee said. “If he gets going, he’ll light us

up. He’ll light anyone up.”

Manning is an x-factor in almost any game he plays. He’s hot-and-cold, but doesn’t have to be red-hot to lead the Giants to victory. In the Giants’ current four-game winning streak, Manning has a Jay Cutler-like 89.4 passer rating (10 touchdowns, six interceptions). Overall, he’s 21st in the NFL in passer rating (87.6).

“He’s obviously running their show — their at-the-line operation, no-huddle,” Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “His pocket presence is underrated. I think his quarterback instincts are pretty high. And then you factor in his throwing ability and his accuracy — he really makes some nice throws at times, putting balls right on the money.

“And he’s a tough guy, too. He’ll hang in there. He’s a quarterback — to use the baseball analogy, he’s not just throwing the ball out there, he’s a pitcher. He knows his profession.”

A two-time Super Bowl MVP who has ranked in top-10 in the NFL in passer rating just once in his 13-year career (he was seventh in 2011), Manning is prone to poor performances but often has an uncanny knack for getting the job done when things are going his way. With the Giants in danger of losing their fourth consecutive game and dropping to 2-4 in Week 6, he threw a 66-yard touchdown pass to Odell Beckham, Jr. with 1:24 left to beat the Ravens, 27-23. Three weeks later, Manning threw two fourth-quarter interceptions in a tight game against the Eagles, but his defense bailed him out in a 28-23 victory.

The Bears have the wherewithal to keep Manning out of his comfort zone. Led by rookie linebacker Leonard Floyd — who has 4.5 sacks, a forced fumble, fumble recovery and touchdown in his last three games — the Bears have six players with at least a share of a sack in the previous two games: Defensive linemen Akiem Hicks (2), Eddie Goldman and Cornelius Washington and linebackers Floyd, McPhee and Willie Young.

“We’ve got our hands full this week,” Giants coach Ben McAdoo said. “The Bears obviously have some good length up front. They’ve invested in their defensive line and linebackers and we need to be at our best this week.”