Ex-Giant: Eli Manning finally has tools to show he’s not the problem
“As soon as he got in the locker room, we realized he wasn’t a diva, he was very good at just wanting to be just one of the guys. He tried to earn the things the right way and not through his draft status.”
The Giants hope that one day that’s what Daniel Jones’ teammates will be saying about him after a couple of Super Bowl championships.
For now, those words describe Eli Manning in his rookie season and belong to Shaun O’Hara, who was charged for years with protecting the former No. 1 pick. For now, Manning is the Giants’ quarterback even as the anticipation for Jones grows after four dynamic preseason performances.
O’Hara, now an analyst at NFL Network, is still a Manning believer. He is convinced the veteran’s struggles in recent seasons were due mostly to an offensive line that failed to protect him, in part, because “Ereck Flowers held the franchise hostage.”
“They’ve been counting him out for the last couple of years. There is a false narrative out there that Eli is washed up, can’t play and that he’s Old Yeller. Nothing could be further from the truth,” O’Hara said. “Collectively as a unit, this [season’s] offensive line is the most competent group he’s had in years.”
What has to happen for Manning to remain the starting quarterback? If both he and the Giants are either thriving or tanking, the answer is clear. If the Giants are winning despite Manning, or Manning is playing well but they are losing, then it will be up to coach Pat Shurmur to make the franchise-altering decision.
see also
The risks behind Giants QB transition: The franchise was ruptured
No one knows when it will happen. No one knows…
Click Here: NRL Telstra Premiership
O’Hara noted that Shurmur’s own survival — after going 5-11 in his first season — could be at stake and that could potentially lead to a longer leash for Manning.
“If Eli is playing well [and the defense isn’t], the question really is how confident are they in Pat Shurmur,” O’Hara said, as the Giants prepare to open their season Sunday afternoon at the Cowboys.
“If Pat Shurmur needs six or seven wins, if he needs improvement in the win column to keep his job, then you let Eli ride it out and play. … That’s a realistic conversation because Pat Shurmur got fired after two years in Cleveland. He’s not on scholarship, either. So that’s going to be a factor in all that. If he has the blessing and he’s coming back for a third year, then it’d probably make sense to make that kind of a move [to Jones]. That’s the million-dollar question. If the quarterback isn’t the problem, then what does changing it do. If it’s just to get Daniel Jones reps, then you’re basically saying Eli Manning is done as a Giant and you are going to move on. That would be unfortunate for everyone involved, but that’s the NFL.”
Thus far, with the Giants mostly consistent on the quarterback hierarchy, the murmurs for Jones have been fairly quiet. But the regular season is when those calls can be amplified by one game or one play.
Jones’ strong preseason play has been the rare victory for general manager Dave Gettleman’s regime after the decision to draft the Duke star at No. 6 was widely panned. That was preceded by the surprising trade of Odell Beckham Jr. to the Browns.
“What [Jones] has done this preseason has solidified the fact that the Giants got it right,” O’Hara said. “I am happy for Daniel that he has been able to prove people wrong who thought he was a mistake. When you get a guy who has those physical tools and the right demeanor to handle a huddle and a New York media frenzy, that’s the perfect storm. Daniel has been great with that and how he’s handled his relationship with Eli. I don’t think it’s been awkward at all.
“His accuracy was phenomenal. I’ve watched all the rookie quarterbacks: Kyler Murray, Dwayne Haskins and Drew Lock, they are not as accurate as Daniel Jones. He knows where to go with the ball. He has not seemed lost, it doesn’t look like he doesn’t know where to go with the football or panicked. He looks poised and confident. Those are the toughest things to teach.”