EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — An NFL quarterback isn’t always a leader because of touchdown passes, late winning drives and 400-yard passing games.

It’s the ability to take a troublesome situation and calmly make it go away.

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning did that Tuesday on his 36th birthday, and didn’t have to even take a snap.

Manning, a two-time Super Bowl MVP, defused a story that some tried to blow out of proportion because receivers Odell Beckham Jr., Victor Cruz and rookie Sterling Shepard took a trip to Miami after Sunday’s 19-10 victory against Washington to celebrate.

It was the players’ day off and they boarded a yacht owned by the singer Trey Songz, and met with Justin Bieber. Pictures of Beckham and Shepard with their shirts off were circulated.

Of course, some suggested what the players did was wrong because the Giants (11-5) are traveling to play the Green Bay Packers in the NFC wild-card game Sunday. It will be New York’s first postseason game since the 2011 season.

Manning didn’t have to wait long to be asked about the trip.

“I think as a team we kind of always pride ourselves on being well prepared, so when I saw some of the pictures I was a little disappointed, just because obviously they didn’t pack accordingly,” Manning deadpanned. “They didn’t have any shirts, obviously, all long pants, no shorts, no flip flops or anything. So I am just disappointed on their packing and not being prepared for that situation.”

It got people laughing, which was perfect. Manning was a little more serious when asked if he was disappointed in the players from a football perspective.

“I don’t really get into what guys do on their off days,” he said. “It is their off day and they can do what they want, and it is about coming here today, being prepared and really getting ready for tomorrow’s practice, and being able to go out there and perform at a high level.”

Beckham told ESPN that the receivers made the trip “to get our minds right.”

Manning, on the other hand, followed his normal routine on his day off. He showed up at team headquarters, watched some videotape, talked to the coaches about the Packers and went over some schemes.

“But that’s kind of what a quarterback has to do,” he said. ” If guys want to get away for a day, I think they were a little low on their Vitamin D and went to get some sunshine to get the Vitamin D up, to make sure that they are staying healthy for the cold weather in Green Bay.”

Manning cracked a few jokes about the receivers in the practice huddle Tuesday.

“It’s all good,” said Manning. “Those guys come out to practice and are prepared for everything we do, so nothing has changed.”

Manning said getting to the playoffs after missing the last four made him realize how tough it is to get to the postseason.

“You want to take advantage of every opportunity you get to make them because you don’t know if you’ll get another chance,” he said. “I guess early on in your career you think you kind of know that, but in your later years you just don’t know if you’ll get that opportunity again, so you want to give it your all, give it your best like you always do. But just understand that it is special to get here, and you want to try and make a run when you can.”