Wednesday Morning QB (Week 2)
The New York Giants are a team that has constantly been in the news and largely because they are in the biggest market in the country.
New York has always been a tough place to play football as the media concentration is so big on every team.
There is constant media pressure and every player that plays any sport in the city is always being watched.
It takes a special person to be successful in New York but even when that special person comes along they have a pretty short leash.
Just ask Eli Manning who was drafted by the San Diego Chargers first overall in 2004 but was immediately traded for Philip Rivers bringing him to the Giants.
That trade was a result of his statement that he would refuse to play for the Chargers should they draft him first overall and landed him under one of the biggest microscopes in the league.
The refusal to play for the Chargers led to plenty of questions about what type of person Manning would be.
His brother was already doing great things in Indianapolis as a quiet leader and some wondered if the family name could mean success in New York.
Then again, he already came off as a diva by essentially deciding where he was going to go or rather where he wasn’t going to go without playing a snap in the NFL.
The Giants needed someone though as they had failed to find a leader in the position since Phil Simms retired in 1993.
Manning had all of the tools to be that guy but the real question was whether or not he would be able to handle the pressure.
He got a real introduction to that media in his rookie year as he struggled at times and the New York media began writing him off as another failure.
His second year went much better as he led the Giants to the top of the division and was one of the top five QBs in the league.
It only got better from there as Manning continued to show his potential and continued to be one of the top QBs in the league.
In 2007 he led the Giants to their first Super Bowl win since 1990 and then did it again in 2011, both times beating the New England Patriots in the final game.
Yet despite all of his success on the field the media never seemed to be convinced as they essentially said that the defences carried him to both championships.
The defences were great in both years but Manning was the offensive leader who helped them to two championships.
The debate continued about whether or not he was a truly elite QB and whether or not he was the answer long-term at QB.
No matter the numbers he put up there was always doubt so in the last few seasons with Manning struggling in a new offence it wasn’t so surprising that the media started to call for his head.
He was under fire from the beginning of last season and when the Giants drafted Daniel Jones in this year’s draft it seemed that they had just found the future of the position.
Manning was going into the new season playing every game for his life as the starter with an assumption that the first sign of trouble would mean the end of the Manning era.
That happened this week when Manning threw two interceptions and one touchdown along with 250 yards against the Bills.
It wasn’t the best performance but after a 320-yard, one-touchdown game in Week 1 it was a little surprising that the Giants decided to go a new direction.
After Week 2 they announced that Manning would sit for Week 3 while Jones would take over as the starter.
It was a move that has been praised by fans and media alike but one that seems like it was always something that they wanted.
For some reason, Manning never clicked with the New York fanbase even after winning them two Super Bowls.
He will now sit on the bench for the rest of the season or until Jones struggles enough for the experiment to end.
That will be the question as well with Jones taking over on a team that has more problems than just at QB.
If Jones can lead them to success he might just be the future but if he struggles they may just have wasted a young talented player as they throw him into the fire that is the New York media.
Fifth Quarter
Superstar Sidelined
The New Orleans Saints have been one of the best teams in the league for years and a lot of that has been due to the play of Drew Brees. The future hall of famer doesn’t seem to age much as he continues to put up massive numbers every season and continues to be one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He leads the New Orleans offence which is constantly one of the most potent in the league. That could be in jeopardy though as this week Brees tore a ligament in his thumb which will require surgery and could sideline him for up to six weeks leaving the Saints in the hands of an unproven Teddy Bridgewater.
Another Big Loss
It was a bad week for quarterbacks as big names went down that could change the face of the season. As the Saints tried to figure out their future without Brees for upwards of six weeks, the Steelers tried to figure out what’s next after losing their franchise QB for the season. Ben Roethlisberger who hurt his knee in the game and then revealed just after the end of the week that he would require season-ending surgery. It leaves the Steelers in a tough spot as they have never had a great back-up QB and Mason Rudolph has yet to start a game putting their hopes of a playoff spot in serious jeopardy.
The Most Interesting Man in the League?
Another big name injury has given rise to a new legend as stories continue to come out about Gardner Minshew. In Week 1 the Jacksonville Jaguars saw their big offseason signing go down as Nick Foles fractured his collarbone keeping him out of the lineup until at least Week 11. In his place came Minshew who had already been a fan favourite in Washington State and is quickly becoming one in Florida. A report about his pre-game routine of stretching in nothing but a jock-strap and his distinctive moustache have made him a star in the making. He will need to perform on the field as well and as he gets more time he might just do that becoming the most interesting man in the league.
The Sport Addiction 