Giants sticking with Eli at QB to face Eagles
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. » The New York Giants are sticking with Eli Manning.
A day after saying he wasn’t sure who would start against the NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles, interim coach Steve Spagnuolo on Monday left no doubt that the two-time Super Bowl MVP would be his quarterback Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
Spagnuolo was not sure whether Manning also would start the final two games, against Arizona and Washington. The Giants (2-11) might want to see what rookie Davis Webb can do; the third-round draft pick has not played this season.
“Right now I’m talking about I’m on the week by week and let’s win the next game,” Spagnuolo said. “To beat the Philadelphia Eagles right now, Eli Manning is the starting quarterback, and I don’t feel that changing, but I don’t know what next week is going to bring.”
Manning returned to the starting lineup on Sunday and hit 31 of 46 passes for 228 yards and a touchdown in a 30-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. He threw two late interceptions in a game that was tied 10-10 halfway through the fourth quarter. Both came after the Cowboys opened a 23-10 lead.
“I thought Eli played really good football, real solid,” Spagnuolo said. “Watched the film. Got us in and out of some things that probably only he can do because he’s pretty special that way. I’m sure he’ll tell you there’s a couple of throws he would like back, and that’s probably true of any game.”
JETS LOSE QB MCCOWN TO BROKEN HAND » The best season of Josh McCown’s career has come to an abrupt and painful end.
The New York Jets quarterback who established himself as a respected leader will miss the team’s final three games with a broken left hand that will require surgery.
“It’s big for him and it’s big for us because he’s been leading us all year offensively,” coach Todd Bowles said Monday during a conference call. “For him to go down this late in the season ... but it’s next-man-up mentality and the next man has to step up.
“But you feel sorry for Josh. He was having a very good year.”
Bowles also announced that Bryce Petty will start in McCown’s place for New York at New Orleans on Sunday. Petty, a fourth-rounder out of Baylor in 2015, started four games for the Jets last season.
Second-year quarterback Christian Hackenberg remains behind Petty on the depth chart. Bowles said “it’s possible” the Jets could bring in another quarterback this week as insurance.
McCown was injured when he was hit by Denver’s Shane Ray in the third quarter of New York’s 23-0 loss on Sunday. STEELERS KEEP FINDING WAYS TO WIN » Ben Roethlisberger’s recordsetting day finished with a carry just as valuable as any of the franchise-record 66 passes he threw.
As the Pittsburgh Steelers poured onto the Heinz Field turf to celebrate a frantic 39-38 victory over Baltimore that wrapped up their third AFC North title in four years, Roethlisberger grabbed the familiar No. 50 jersey of injured linebacker Ryan Shazier and joined in the party.
An emotionally draining week for the Steelers ended with Shazier recovering from spinal surgery in a nearby hospital but still very much in the middle of things. Just like always.
“We love our brother,” Roethlisberger said. “We wanted to get this one for him, and I’m glad we did.” Barely. The Steelers (11-2) blew an early 14-point lead and found themselves trailing by 11 going into the fourth before exploding for 19 points over the final 15 minutes, the last three coming on Chris Boswell’s 46-yard field goal with 42 seconds left.
“I think championship teams find ways to win,” Roethlisberger said.
Having an offense that is starting to peak after a sleepy start certainly helps. Roethlisberger threw for 506 yards and two scores to become the first player in NFL history to go over 500 yards passing three times in his career. Antonio Brown caught 11 passes for 213 yards to fuel an MVP candidacy that no longer feels so far-fetched, including gains of 57 and 34 yards in the fourth to spark Pittsburgh’s comeback and running back Le’Veon Bell finished with 125 total yards and three scores.
“It’s an amazing feeling, especially for Ryan Shazier,” Brown said. “One of our brothers couldn’t be out here today. Obviously, he is watching.”