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As had been expected since Ben McAdoo and Jerry Reese were relieved of their duties, it looks like Eli Manning will return as starting quarterback for the New York Giants on Sunday when they host the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium.
Giants coaches and staffers had final game-planning discussions today and sources say the expected result is finalized: Eli Manning is the starting quarterback. On Sunday vs the Cowboys, he’ll extend his streak to one.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) December 5, 2017
Manning, of course, had his string of 210 straight starts — second-longest of all-time for quarterbacks — snapped last week when McAdoo did not play him against the Oakland Raiders. Instead, Geno Smith started.
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This certainly feels like the right thing to do, especially with the Giants at home on Sunday. It could help smooth ruffled feelings in the fan base and allow somewhat of a celebration of Manning’s accomplishments with the franchise.
It is fair, however, to wonder how long this tenure will last. With a likely top five pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and rookie third-round pick Davis Webb already on the roster it wont be a surprise if the Giants choose to get an extended look at Webb over the final couple of games.
Eli Manning starting vs. Dallas is the headline, but making Davis Webb the QB2 will be the more important move towards the future. I'm hearing the Giants are still a week away from that eventuality. Expect more reps for the rook this week, though.
— Tom Rock (@TomRock_Newsday) December 5, 2017
Even with the hirings of a new coach and GM who will want to make their own decisions on the horizon, giving Webb the opportunity to get some game experience and put some work on film can’t be looked at as a bad idea.