Archie Manning insists there’s nothing wrong with his son Eli despite the down season for the Giants quarterback.
The team has won three straight games following an 0-6 start, but those wins have been built on the back of a resurgent defense, not a resurgent quarterback. In wins over the Vikings, Eagles and Raiders, Eli Manning has been more game manager than difference maker, throwing for 586 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
“Eli’s fine, he’s just trying to keep sawing wood,” Archie said on WFAN’s morning show, while promoting the college coach of the year vote.
“Some years you kind of feel like you’re living under a black cloud, but you have to keep working, keep fighting. But things happen. That’s football, that’s quarterbacking. You just gotta hang tough.”
Despite his on-the-field struggles, which include a league-leading 16 interceptions, Archie commended Eli for the way he’s handled himself.
“I don’t get on this show and rag on my son, but Eli hangs in there now, it’s not an easy situation,” Archie said. “He doesn’t complain. He doesn’t make excuses and I don’t think he makes excuses up there [in New York].
“Hey, it’s football and it’s quarterbacking and you just never know. He’s hanging tough.”
The Giants are 1 ½ games out of the NFC East lead, which is shared by the Eagles and Cowboys at 5-5. Eli can get the Giants closer with a win over the Packers, who come into MetLife Stadium with third-string quarterback Scott Tolzien starting.
“He keeps saying we are going to get through this thing. We just gotta win a game, then another game and another game. You just keep fighting,” Archie said.