Eli Manning was singing the praises of London Fletcher, the Redskins linebacker who on Wednesday announced he is “ninety-nine percent certain’’ he will retire after this season.
If Fletcher plays the final two games, he will finish his career having started 215 consecutive games. When he’s done, the reigning NFL ironman will be Manning, who has started 149 straight games — 151 straight if he makes it through this season.
“Well, we’ll see if we get there, right?’’ Manning said, and smiled.
It was a wonderfully open-ended response from the franchise quarterback who is struggling through the worst season of his career. Is Manning worried about getting pummeled by Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley on Sunday in Detroit, operating behind an already-porous offensive line that suddenly has two new injuries — David Diehl and James Brewer — to further deplete Eli’s protection? Is Manning concerned his poor play might get him benched?
It might be none of the above, but it certainly was interesting both Manning and coach Tom Coughlin referred to a meeting they had Monday, the day after Manning’s dreary 2013 interception résumé bloated to 25 after throwing five more in a 23-0 loss to the Seahawks.
Asked if he had any trepidation putting Manning on the field against the Lions in front of an especially inexperienced line — seldom-used and entirely unproven Dallas Reynolds and Brandon Mosley would start have started at guard if the game was Wednesday — Coughlin said, “I expect that he … matter of fact, we’ve talked about this. He wants to play and he’s looking forward to playing and competing and having a better game.
“I wouldn’t expect anything different.’’
The “he wants to play’’ was quite a revelation from Coughlin. Was there any indication or fear perhaps Manning was looking for a way out of this miserable season?
“I talked to coach,’’ Manning said. “It never came up as a question whether I wanted to play or not and I never thought about it any other way but going out there and playing. I want to compete. I want to make improvements and try to run this offense more efficiently and go out there and try to do the best I can and try to get a win.’’
Coughlin the past few weeks has dismissed any notion he or the organization wants to take a look at rookie quarterback Ryan Nassib, who has been inactive every game this season, and the possibility that desire might lead to Manning getting the hook. That would be anathema to everything Coughlin preaches and it isn’t going to happen, but other rare events have already taken place this season. The Giants are 5-9 and after Manning’s 31st and final pass of the day was picked off with 4:24 remaining, he mercifully was pulled from the game and backup Curtis Painter took the last series against the Seahawks.
This is not standard operating procedure for Coughlin. Not only does Manning start every game, he finishes darn near all of them, too, no matter what.
Did getting yanked bother him?
“I guess in a sense,’’ Manning said. “I guess it’s how you look at it. I haven’t finished games because we’ve had big leads so that doesn’t bother me. To not finish a game because you’re getting beat and kind of the game’s over, it’s never a good situation. I understand it. I’m not upset at the coach for making that decision. It’s just kind of obviously disappointed in the outcome of the game.
“[Coughlin] just comes up to me and says ‘Curtis is going in.’ It’s happened a few times over the years. It’s never a pleasant deal, but you kind of understand that’s his call and you understand it.’’
No matter how dire the situation, Manning says he prefers to stay on the field.
“I’ve never thought about asking to be taken out or never thought ‘Hey, I wonder if I am going to be taken out at this point,’ ’’ he said. “I always assume I’m going to be in and finish and try to get something going and try to get a drive. That’s kind of the mind-set I take, I guess.’’
Manning insists he’s not gun-shy and is ready to take the field once again.
“I’m going to keep throwin’ it and keep trying to compete,’’ he said, “and do whatever I can to try to win a game.’’