EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- On Tuesday we discussed the difficult decision the New York Giants could be facing this offseason (or next) with regard to quarterback Eli Manning. A two-time Super Bowl MVP and franchise icon, Manning is a very expensive quarterback who threw a lot of interceptions last year and then out of nowhere threw five in the same game Sunday. The Giants are clearly in a rebuild, coach Tom Coughlin's job status remains an unresolved issue that could depend on the way this season ends, and obviously the future is uncertain for a lot of people around these parts.

Manning knows this, but he says his hope is to ultimately land a contract extension that keeps him a Giant for the rest of his career.

"I think you always hope that. That's always the mindset," Manning said Wednesday. "I'm playing as if that will be the case, but I never thought Peyton would play for another franchise, and I don't think he did either. I'm just going to try to do my job and do it well enough to where the franchise wants to keep me here."

Manning has one year left on his contract after this year and is scheduled to make $17 million in salary in 2015. The Giants could sign him to an extension this coming offseason, but with the salary cap projected to escalate significantly in the next two years, they also could wait and see how he plays, risking that he hits the free-agent market two offseasons from now. It's possible they are a ways from a final decision on Manning's long-term future with them, and the way Manning finishes out this season will go into evidence as they deliberate it.

"Obviously last season was not good, but this season I thought I've been playing better," Manning said. "This last week wasn't good, but hopefully we can get on a hot streak and I can play well. I feel I can still make plays and make all the throws. I still feel energized every week. I work extremely hard, and I love what I'm doing. I feel I can play at an extremely high level and take over games and do my job."

Manning said he's not worried about his contract situation and that he's still enjoying football, in spite of the tough stretch the Giants are enduring right now. At this point, he said, all he knows is that he'd like to keep playing.

"Yeah, until it's not fun anymore, or you're hurt, or you don't feel you can play at that level that can win games for your team or win championships," Manning said. "I don't know when that point comes, but I guess I'll know when it does. You always hope to go out on your own terms, but it doesn't always happen. We'll see.

"This is the only franchise I've been a part of and I think it's the best one. I don't want anything else but to be here, play here and win another championship here."