Eli gets first start for Giants
Well, after the 210 he had before last week
Eli Manning’s consecutive starts streak for the New York Giants will start anew Sunday. It will make for an interesting scene at the Meadowlands.
It’s rare for the Giants, a traditionladen National Football League franchise known for its stability, to be in a state of upheaval. But that was the case this week, as co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch fired coach Ben McAdoo and general manager Jerry Reese. The housecleaning came with four games left in a miserable season in which the Giants have stumbled to 2-10, and the week after McAdoo sat down Manning to end his streak of consecutive regular season starts at 210.
Steve Spagnuolo, elevated from defensive co-ordinator to interim head coach, wasted little time reinstating Manning as the starter for this weekend’s game against the Dallas Cowboys. It doesn’t exactly right the wrong inflicted upon Manning by McAdoo’s clumsy handling of the attempt to get late-season looks at Geno Smith and rookie Davis Webb. But it at least restores the rightful status quo and calms what had been a volatile situation.
“It’s important to play,” Manning said during his weekly meeting with reporters. “That’s what I love to do. I love to play quarterback. I love playing quarterback for the New York Giants. That’s what I work on. Last week something different was asked of me. I tried to do to the best of my abilities helping Geno and being the backup. But if I knew, I’d want the opportunity to be the starting quarterback again.”
The Giants, who lost at Oakland last Sunday with Smith at quarterback, avoided what could have been an ugly scene in their first game at MetLife Stadium since the benching. Fans were outraged. Former Giants players were in virtual revolt. A group of Manning’s former teammates reportedly had been planning to show up at the game outfitted in Manning jerseys.
Now, the game is likely to be a celebration of what the two-time Super Bowl winner has meant to the franchise, rather than another dreary afternoon in a gloomy season.
“I feel for coach McAdoo,” Manning said. “He’s been a great coach to me, a great friend. We had a great relationship. I hope we continue to have one. I was able to have a good talk with him Sunday before the game and then got to see him Monday before he left as well. I have great respect for Coach McAdoo. I don’t think this is his fault. But obviously this is where the team is. The Giants had to make a decision. That’s what happens when you’re 2-10.”
Spagnuolo’s decision to go back to Manning seemed automatic once McAdoo was ousted. Just in case it wasn’t, Manning made certain to let Spagnuolo know that he wanted the job.
“I just wanted him to know that I do want to play,” Manning said.
“I want to be the starting quarterback. I want to be out there. I just wanted to make sure he knew that. He said that he was going to think about it and talk with the coaches, but his gut said that I would be the starting quarterback. So I’m happy that he went with that decision and he has the faith in me that we can go win this football game with me as the quarterback.”
Manning called the support he received from fans after his benching “overwhelming.” He said he does not have retirement on his mind. And, even with the Giants likely to use the lofty draft choice that’s coming their way on a quarterback, Manning said he is not necessarily eager to be on his way out of the organization at season’s end.
“This is all I know, is playing for the New York Giants,” he said. “I’ve never wished to change that. I appreciate everything the Giants organization has done for me. You’ve got so much family in this building from the Mara family and the Tisch family, people in the equipment room and the film room and the training room. I’ve known a lot of these people for 14 years and growing up around them. And so this is all I know. I’m gonna finish out this season and then I’m sure there will be a discussion with the organization to figure out what’s the plan going forward.”