12/17/07 Eli Manning sidebar for the Washington Times
Manning's game incomplete
By Denis Gorman
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — On a night that invoked memories of games from another era, in a game that demanded competent stewardship in the tradition of Phil Simms, Eli Manning was awful.
The fourth-year quarterback finished 18-for-52 for 184 yards and a touchdown in the Washington Redskins' 22-10 win last night at Giants Stadium.
He was sacked twice and lost a fumble, finishing with a quarterback rating of 52.1.
Amid the wind that gusted between 21 and 35 mph, a receiving corps that dropped nine passes and an offensive line that was in his face for most of the evening, Manning threw high, low and wide for most of the evening.
"The wind was bad," Manning said. "It was tough to throw. Some throws, into the wind, you can't get everything into it. We have to throw it better than we did today, got to execute better than we did today."
At halftime, Manning was 6-for-21 passing for 51 yards.
He missed on his first four passes of the game before connecting with reserve running back Reuben Droughns on an 8-yard pass on third-and-9 from the Washington 47. On the next play, the Redskins stopped Droughns for no gain.
In the second half, Manning was marginally better, completing 12-for-31 passes for 133 yards and a 19-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Kevin Boss.
After last night's prime-time failing, Manning likely will face questions whether he is capable of playing quarterback at home. The Giants are 3-4 at Giants Stadium, and Manning's quarterback rating is 61.9.
More telling, Manning has had consecutive abysmal home starts. Three weeks ago, the Vikings intercepted him four times — returning three for touchdowns — in a 41-17 loss.
After the loss, the media and Giants general manager Jerry Reese criticized Manning for his poor analysis of his play.
"Obviously we'll go back to work," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said of Manning's recent play. "Go back to the drawing board. There is no simple answer."
The Giants (9-5) could have clinched a NFC playoff berth with a win. Instead, they are one of eight teams in the mix for a wild card berth, along with the Saints, Vikings, Redskins, Philadelphia, Detroit, Carolina and Arizona.
On Sunday, the Giants visit the Buffalo Bills, who likely will need a win to keep their slim AFC wild card hopes alive. New York wraps up its regular season Dec. 29, when they play host to the Patriots, who may try to match the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only teams with perfect regular season.
If that's not tough enough, Manning will be without four-time Pro Bowl tight end Jeremy Shockey, who is out for the rest of the regular season with a broken leg he suffered in the fourth quarter.
"He is one of our leaders, and it's going to be tough to overcome that," Manning said. "Kevin Boss did a pretty good job tonight, but we got a tough challenge ahead of us."
Shockey has 57 catches for 619 yards and three touchdowns.
Without having to worry about Shockey's presence along the seams and in the middle, the Bills and Patriots will be able double cover wide receiver Plaxico Burress, Manning's primary target.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071217/SPORTS/615206313/1005/SPORTS
December 17, 2007
By Denis Gorman
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — On a night that invoked memories of games from another era, in a game that demanded competent stewardship in the tradition of Phil Simms, Eli Manning was awful.
The fourth-year quarterback finished 18-for-52 for 184 yards and a touchdown in the Washington Redskins' 22-10 win last night at Giants Stadium.
He was sacked twice and lost a fumble, finishing with a quarterback rating of 52.1.
Amid the wind that gusted between 21 and 35 mph, a receiving corps that dropped nine passes and an offensive line that was in his face for most of the evening, Manning threw high, low and wide for most of the evening.
"The wind was bad," Manning said. "It was tough to throw. Some throws, into the wind, you can't get everything into it. We have to throw it better than we did today, got to execute better than we did today."
At halftime, Manning was 6-for-21 passing for 51 yards.
He missed on his first four passes of the game before connecting with reserve running back Reuben Droughns on an 8-yard pass on third-and-9 from the Washington 47. On the next play, the Redskins stopped Droughns for no gain.
In the second half, Manning was marginally better, completing 12-for-31 passes for 133 yards and a 19-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Kevin Boss.
After last night's prime-time failing, Manning likely will face questions whether he is capable of playing quarterback at home. The Giants are 3-4 at Giants Stadium, and Manning's quarterback rating is 61.9.
More telling, Manning has had consecutive abysmal home starts. Three weeks ago, the Vikings intercepted him four times — returning three for touchdowns — in a 41-17 loss.
After the loss, the media and Giants general manager Jerry Reese criticized Manning for his poor analysis of his play.
"Obviously we'll go back to work," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said of Manning's recent play. "Go back to the drawing board. There is no simple answer."
The Giants (9-5) could have clinched a NFC playoff berth with a win. Instead, they are one of eight teams in the mix for a wild card berth, along with the Saints, Vikings, Redskins, Philadelphia, Detroit, Carolina and Arizona.
On Sunday, the Giants visit the Buffalo Bills, who likely will need a win to keep their slim AFC wild card hopes alive. New York wraps up its regular season Dec. 29, when they play host to the Patriots, who may try to match the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only teams with perfect regular season.
If that's not tough enough, Manning will be without four-time Pro Bowl tight end Jeremy Shockey, who is out for the rest of the regular season with a broken leg he suffered in the fourth quarter.
"He is one of our leaders, and it's going to be tough to overcome that," Manning said. "Kevin Boss did a pretty good job tonight, but we got a tough challenge ahead of us."
Shockey has 57 catches for 619 yards and three touchdowns.
Without having to worry about Shockey's presence along the seams and in the middle, the Bills and Patriots will be able double cover wide receiver Plaxico Burress, Manning's primary target.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071217/SPORTS/615206313/1005/SPORTS
posted by Denis P. Gorman at 2:51 AM
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