Eli Benched as Giants are Jonesing for a Win

We knew it was coming. Eli’s going, hide your heart girl.

We just didn’t know when. Now we do. It’s now. After game #2. Giants #1 pick, 6th overall Daniel Jones from college powerhouse Duke will make his first start in the NFL against Tampa Bay this Sunday in Tampa at 4:30 pm. Manning after 226 Giant starts is on the bench and working with the second team in practice today. Eli was 72-42 and is now 115-111. One more loss and he would tie Brett Favre for 2nd most losses in NFL history with 112. But Favre was 186-112. In another year Eli would have broken Vinny Testaverde’s record of 123 losses.

The Giants have been embarrassed the last two years and in the first two games this season after an opening TD drive in each game fueled by Saquon Barkley, Eli and the Giants fell flat. But it was because of the inexperienced defense, not Manning responsible for the losses. The Cowboys, in the first game scored TDs on four straight possessions after being down 7-0. The Bills scored three times in a row after their 7-0 deficit. The defense has given up 63 points and has not produced any sort of pass rush pressure either on Prescott or Allen. You don’t see the aggressive tackling you see on other teams’ defense, regardless of talent. Jackrabbitt Jenkins is frustrated and questioned how any DB could be expected to cover receivers for ten seconds. Being in a hole in the 2nd quarter in both games for the most part takes star RB Saquon Barkley out of the game plan. With Golden Tate suspended, the Giants have no #1 receivers to draw double coverage. Sterling Shephard was injured week #2. A recipe for disaster.

The Giants could have waited for Week 7 at Arizona, after the Patriots game to prepare Jones, so this early move comes as a surprise.
Giving up on the season and another waste of a year for Barkley makes sense. Let the kid have some playing time before Eli hits the road. Utilize the veteran’s experience until he walks.

Tom Brady is old but the Pats always protect him with a solid offensive line and a formidable defense. The Giants struggled, although improved this year so far, with protecting Eli in recent seasons. Ereck Flowers was a disaster at left tackle. The defense has been last or near last in the league recently.

So while I’m not against the switch, the Band-Aid had to be ripped off sooner or later, I’m concerned that maybe the method of replacing Eli could have been handled better. Replacing the New York legend never was going to be easy to sell.

It’s certainly interesting that the Mara’s and GM Dave Gettleman have been silent so far. I’m obviously rooting for the kid, he’s facing a tough going. Barkley will be featured even more and the defense will need to keep the offense in the game. Back in the 60’s, when the Giants defense came off the field, they’d yell at the offense, “Hold ‘em offense!” Engram and Shephard need to contribute and fix the low 3rd down success rate.

The change, now that’s it is official, should be permanent. It will stifle Jones’ development to be pulled for Eli or anyone else after a bad half or game. This is it, the team is now his to put on his Big Blue shoulders.

As for Eli, Terry Bradshaw said if this happened to him, he would have packed his bags and left for good. I don’t think Eli has processed this and made a decision either way. He has a no-trade clause, so he would have to approve any trade destination. I know he really wanted to finish his career as a Giant.

Eli’s best trade options would be Jacksonville where he could re-unite with Tom Coughlin and replace Nick Foles who is out for the year, or Pittsburgh, where Big Ben is also out for the season. The Rooneys have a kinship with the Maras and are more or less a class organization. In either case, at least he could play this year and then probably retire. My guess is he retires after mentoring Jones for the remaining 14 games. He’s loyal and likes his protégé and he might shelve his undersized ego for the good of the team.
You can debate all you want whether or not Eli Manning is a true Hall of Famer, it really doesn’t matter. He is and always will be a GREAT Giant. Two Super Bowls and MVPs.

I know he’s so competitive and not pleased with the timing but he knew this day would happen, Time waits for no one.

Thanks for the Memories!

-HB