It’s as if some around the football community decided to ignore Eli Manning’s comments after it was noted that Geno Smith will start over the future Hall of Famer this week against the Oakland Raiders.
Technically, Manning decided against taking to the field if the Giants had already decided that both Smith and rookie Davis Webb would also see action.
Despite this, the reaction around the football world has been interesting. We can add former New York Giants quarterback and Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner to this growing chorus.
Kurt Warner on benching Eli Manning: "Shame on the Giants."
— Judy Battista (@judybattista) November 28, 2017
At 2-9 on the season, New York wants to see what it has in the younger quarterbacks. Surely Smith isn’t a viable long-term option. But the team did exhaust a mid-round pick on Webb. Why not let him offer up what he might be able to provide moving forward?
New York’s offense isn’t automatically going to get better with Manning sidelined. It has no offensive line to speak of. The team’s running back situation is an utter mess. And the Giants’ top two receivers are lost for the season.
What else could Manning have accomplished in what has been a lost season for both the quarterback and the franchise?
Some food for thought, as a reactionary sports world becomes even more reactionary.