Winning two Super Bowls offers players and coaches a certain grace period before they can come under any real scrutiny again. Whether it’s one year, two years, three years, it’s an unspoken agreement that limits criticism even when it’s deserved.
Take the case of Eli Manning, who has become Teflon Eli after winning two Super Bowl MVPs. Manning was awful last year, when he threw a career-high 27 interceptions and the Giants missed the playoffs for the fourth time in five years. Yet, he continues to enjoy a quiet existence in training camp, where the focus is on the new offense being installed and not about whether Manning is still an elite quarterback.
It’s a smoke screen of sorts. No one wants to think the worst. Manning went through an abbreviated practice Thursday in his usual unassuming manner. There still is strength in his presence, still leadership in his quietness. Respect the rings.
But let’s face it: If Manning suffers through another season similar to last year’s debacle, the Giants will need to start looking for a new quarterback sooner rather than later.
If we’ve learned anything about the NFL recently is that it’s becoming more and more difficult to find a franchise quarterback. It can take years. (P.S. Don’t count on 2013 fourth-round pick Ryan Nassib being the long-term answer. He’s not.)
The Giants never have had to worry about quarterback the way the Yankees never worried about closer while Mariano Rivera was around. Manning hasn’t missed a start and has won two Lombardi trophies. But since the 2011 Super Bowl season, when his QB rating was 92.9, he has followed with ratings of 87.2 and 69.4, lowest since his rookie year.
Yet Manning avoids the hot seat because there were plenty of others to blame for what went wrong in 2013. Bad reads, bad throws, bad routes, bad play calling and bad blocking all contributed to an 0-6 start and a 7-9 season. Manning was sacked 39 times and ended the year with an ankle that needed surgery. It was tough to look good when the offensive line was deteriorating, Hakeem Nicks couldn’t catch a touchdown pass and Brandon Jacobs was his best option at running back.
There should be no excuses this year. General manager Jerry Reese has done all he can to improve the supporting cast. He restocked the offense with new faces and hired a new offensive coordinator in Ben McAdoo. Now it’s up to Manning to make it work.
Truth is, he has received more leniency than most. Phil Simms was booed in a preseason game in 1991 after leading the Giants to their first Super Bowl in 1986 and a 10-1 record in the 1990 season of their second Super Bowl. There were calls for Tom Coughlin’s job last year. It’s still hard to boo Manning.
Two rings and loads of big plays in the fourth quarter have helped him earn the honeymoon period he has enjoyed. And Manning’s reputation on and off the field earned him the benefit of the doubt when his name was linked to an alleged sports memorabilia scam in January. But Manning is running out of free passes. Another poor season will force change.
So far Coughlin likes what he has seen in Manning after two offensive installations.
“I like the way he’s gone at it and the excitement that he’s mustered and the energy in going to work,” Coughlin said. “That’s all good stuff. We just have to get better.”
Manning said earlier in the week he was looking forward to “the challenge” of having to learn a new offense and new players. Maybe the change of faces and plays is just what he needs. He proved to be elite in 2011. Now he has to prove he’s not washed up at age 33.