Let’s get this immediately out of the way before the praise of Eli Manning takes over this column:
In the best interest of the New York Giants moving forward, rookie quarterback Davis Webb should still play at some point this season, and yes, we’re running out of time.
I know, some of you are screaming while reading this right now after Manning threw for 434 yards and three touchdowns, albeit in a losing effort during Sunday’s 34-29 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles, insisting that we all should stop trying to run him out of town.
But this was never that. This was always about Webb, the 2018 NFL draft and the possibilities of evaluating their 2017 third-round pick with an eye on the likes of USC’s Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen of UCLA and Oklahoma’s Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield, among others.
This was never about Manning, the two-time Super Bowl MVP quarterback and his legacy, at least not until Ben McAdoo botched the handling of what unnecessarily turned out to be a benching for Geno Smith six days prior to his firing as head coach.
The Giants have made this about Manning and not what should be paramount as they try to move past a lost season that is now saddled by a 2-12 record: the quest to find his eventual successor.
Some will say Manning’s performance against the Eagles is proof enough that the Giants should completely end any speculation over who will quarterback the franchise into next season and beyond. That’s just not the smart play here, not by any stretch.
If anything, seeing Manning play the way he did Sunday is exactly why the Giants should play Webb in Arizona on Christmas Eve. (They probably won’t).
Asked if the public should assume Manning will be the starter against the Cardinals next Sunday, Giants interim head coach Steve Spagnuolo said: “Yeah, you can — that’s a pretty good assessment.”
Looking ahead to next season, with a new head coach and new general manager expected, the Giants actually gained some clarity about whether Manning can still do this Sunday against the Eagles and the fourth-ranked defense in the NFL.
Despite turning 37 on Jan. 3, Manning still gives them their best chance to win — if he has the right pieces around him and plays at the top of his game.
He should be their starting quarterback to begin next season, and ultimately, that’s what Giants ownership has wanted all along.
“I still know I can play at a high level, make plays and make throws and win football games,” Manning said. “And it’s good to go out there and make some plays.”
The Giants aren’t winning football games, however, so to say they need to put the brakes on the search for the next Eli Manning is completely short-sighted.
It’s foolish, actually, and it’ll only cost Big Blue down the road if that should happen.
Giants co-owner and president John Mara told reporters at the NFL owners meetings this past week that his desire is for Manning to be the team’s quarterback in 2018.
When asked for his reaction to Mara’s comments after Sunday’s game, here’s what Manning had to say while reiterating what has been his want all along:
“Yeah, I did see that. Hey, I want to be back next year as well,” he said. “So, again, I love playing for the New York Giants, I love this organization. I appreciate everything they’ve done for me and I try to give back everything that I have to this organization and this team, so I’d like to be back as well.”
The Giants lost their 12th game Sunday. The crowd at MetLife Stadium was, at best, a 50-50 split with Big Blue faithful and those who drove up the Turnpike to cheer on the Eagles. You can’t blame Giants fans for selling their tickets in what has been a dismal campaign, but the scene was still surreal: Manning and the offense driving for the potential game-winning touchdown in the game’s final minute with chants of “Defense! Defense” noticeably being shouted at them from the stands.
“I didn’t notice any chants going on,” Manning said. “But I did notice it was loud at times when we had the ball.”
Overall, there was enough to keep Giants fans entertained Sunday while also feeding into the frenzy that comes with wanting to maintain their current placement for the draft, which remains second overall behind the winless Cleveland Browns.
Evan Engram (8 catches, 87 yards), Wayne Gallman (79 total yards, including six catches) and Sterling Shepard (11 catches, 139 yards) all had their moments with Manning spreading the ball around, using a faster pace early on to establish a rhythm that seemingly kept the Eagles on their heels for much of the game.
Manning’s one interception came on a pass to Roger Lewis Jr., who appeared to lose ground to Eagles cornerback Ronald Darby at the top of his route, and Darby out-muscled him for the pick on a throw Manning probably should not have made.
Other than that, Manning was “locked in from the outset,” Gallman said.
“Laser focus” is how Engram described his quarterback’s play — “That’s the [number] 10 I’ve watched for so many years.”
“We know what he’s capable of, there’s no doubt at all” in Manning, Shepard added.
There was plenty of frustration for the Giants on how things ended. Engram believed he was interfered with on the game’s final play when Manning’s pass sailed over his head — it appeared Eagles cornerback Corey Graham had his arm.
The Giants were terrible on special teams, allowing three blocked kicks — two led to 10 Eagles’ points and a missed extra point cost the Giants’ another.
“That drive at the end was special. We all were hoping for a memorable score and a memorable game and a lot of what could have been,” Spagnuolo said. “But, a 2-11 team beating an 11-2 team on the last play would have been special. It didn’t happen.”
What should happen next is about the future. That goes for Manning and the Giants, even though it seems just about everyone is still stuck in the present and what could have been. It’s time to embrace the next step in making sure the debacle that is the 2017 season does not happen again.
Manning showed all of us Sunday that he’s still got something left.
Those who believe that should preclude the Giants from evaluating the position for next season and beyond just don’t get it, and probably never will.
