Eli Manning has reclaimed the starting quarterback job with the Giants and will be under center when the New York offense takes the field against the Cowboys Sunday, interim coach Steve Spagnuolo announced Wednesday.
Steve Spagnuolo: Eli Manning is the starting QB. #Giants
— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) December 6, 2017
The move was expected. During Monday’s press conference announcing the firings of coach Ben McAdoo and GM Jerry Reese, Giants co-owner John Mara said his understanding was Manning would start against Dallas.
Manning, of course, saw his streak of 210 consecutive games started end last week when McAdoo went with Geno Smith, a decision universally derided around the NFL.
Wednesday was the first time Spagnuolo spoke with the media since he replaced McAdoo.
Manning told WFAN Monday he approached Spagnuolo to tell him he wanted back in as the Giants’ quarterback and captain.
"I hope I’m the starting quarterback,” he said Monday, per NorthJersey.com. “I went [Monday]. I did speak with Coach Spagnuolo for a little bit. It had only been 30 minutes since I had been told he was the head coach. I told him I wanted to be the starting quarterback. I want to be out there and help us go win these four games. I hope I’m out there on Sunday playing against the Cowboys.”
While Las Vegas sports books Sunday opened the Giants as 6-point home underdogs vs. the Cowboys, the point spread adjusted down to +4 as it became clear Manning, not Smith, would start.
But despite the outcry over Manning’s benching, he has not been playing like the Hall of Famer some claim him to be. Yes, the Giants' problems go deeper than Eli, but he’s thrown for just 2,411 yards this season (21st in the NFL) and 14 TDs (tied for 20th), while also tossing seven interceptions.