Winless Giants move on without OBJ
Denver — Aqib Talib is bummed out, although not nearly as much as Eli Manning.
Like so many football fans, the star Denver Broncos cornerback was eager for his marquee matchup with Odell Beckham Jr. before the Giants star receiver broke his left ankle against the Chargers last week.
"I love going against the best, and just to see him go out like that is just ugly," Talib said. "I don't even like to think about it. I definitely was looking forward to the matchup. Maybe next year."
The Giants (0-5) stagger into Denver (3-1) a team in turmoil.
They lost four wide receivers last weekend, and three of them, Beckham, GIANTS AT BRONCOS 8:30 p.m., Mile High (Chs. 10, 30)
Brandon Marshall (ankle) and Dwayne Harris (foot), underwent season-ending surgery during a tumultuous week in which the feud between Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Ben McAdoo boiled over .
The Giants' indefinite suspension of the veteran cornerback forced them to juggle their defense in addition to their offense. It raises the possibility the second-year coach is losing his locker room along with all those close games.
The tension was evident in McAdoo's voice when he was asked during a conference call with Denver media "how's Eli hanging in there with your 0-5 start?"
"Which Eli?" he replied, as if there is great interest in what second-year cornerback Eli Apple thinks of the situation. Not Apple, Manning. "Eli Manning? Eli, he's steady as steady can be," McAdoo said. "He doesn't flinch. He doesn't waver. He's a good of a preparer as any player or coach as I've been around. He's dialed in each and every week. He never blinks."
Manning spent the week getting Tavarres King, Travis Rudolph and Ed Eagan up to speed .
"The good thing is most of them were here during training camp," Manning said. "When you start getting brand new guys who are new to the system, that's when it's tough."