If yesterday's responses mean anything with the overwhelmingly negative responses, it means Eli Manning is probably the most loved guy by people who played for him. Amidst a very forgettable season where the New York Football Giants are 2 and 9, he had started every game this year. That will change late Sunday afternoon when the decision was made to bench him in favor of backup Geno Smith. That will mean his 210 consecutive game streak as a starter is over, leaving him second all-time for quarterbacks behind Brett Favre, who had 297. Ironically, the first game Favre did not start in when it ended was when the Minnesota Vikings faced the Giants in 2010.
I think it says a lot that a number of responses showed a lot of support for Manning and the way things have been handled by coach Ben McAdoo and the management of the Giants. Former players who were with the signal caller voiced extreme displeasure such as center Shaun O'Hara (Part of the 07 Super Bowl team) and Justin Tuck (07 and 11). Others like Plaxico Buress, (07)and Antrel Rolle (11) showed disappointment. Even radio color commentary man Carl Banks, who has called games since 2007, showed a lot of anger. Outside of the team, there's London Fletcher showing the disappointment. Marshawn Lynch even said his thoughts about it, and also mocked his time in Seattle with his former team's Super Bowl gaffe a few years ago.
McAdoo has said to the media about evaluating the positions. I think theoretically, he is looking to the future, whether or not owner John Mara keeps him on as coach. Come next year, he could be gone along possibly with GM Jerry Reese. The question was asked to Manning about starting the game for a half, but he declined to start. I think it says a lot on Manning's character. You can tell from his talk to the media how hard it was for him to know that he was going to be benched and that there was no point to playing a half just to be gone for the second half.
Something tells me the Giants will have a new guy under center for the 2018 season. Who it is, I don't know. I could see Smith being a starter, but only as a temporary guy until either rookie Davis Webb gets his due, or they draft a quarterback for the upcoming NFL Draft and have him back up Webb. The odds of Manning being back are there, but options could be set to see him in another organization. Some think the Jacksonville Jaguars would be a place to go to. It helps that there is some New York personnel there, including former Giant coach Tom Coughlin, who was there at the start of Manning's career, and current coach Doug Marrone, who coached Syracuse football and the Buffalo Bills. Coughlin talked to the media and was upset and showed a lot of praise for his former QB.
This year was supposed to be a hyped one for the Giants. At first it was offense, and then defense that showed issues. Losing practically the entire receiving corps in early October didn't help. Manning has had nobody for almost two months. Still, his stats aren't as bad as the record. He's thrown for 2,400 yards, 14 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, which will be the lowest for him in a season as a full starter. When it's all said and done, he has shattered a lot of team records that won't be broken for a long time. The Super Bowls will be remembered because of the late heroics and throws that cement his legacy. Odds are Manning will be in good company with quarterbacks Philip Rivers, Ben Roethlisberger, and receiver Larry Fitzgerald, all of which were part of that 2004 draft. (Manning was first overall, Fitzgerald third, and Rivers fourth) All four will be in the Hall of Fame when their careers end.
Phil Simms' last game ever was an embarrassing loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the 1993 playoffs. I don't think Manning is finished yet, but if Thanksgiving is to be his last game as a Giant, it marks an end of an era that has been a big roller coaster ride that has gone way downhill this year. The next five games will determine who is in and out. Any way you slice it, management is going to clean house and possibly set up a new coach, general manager, and a new set of players with a different style of play.
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