The New York Giants still believe they can win with Eli Manning, and the veteran quarterback is eager to prove them right.
The New York Giants announced their belief that Eli Manning can still win games in the NFL by drafting Saquon Barkley second overall instead of a quarterback. The team has Davis Webb and Kyle Lauletta, but neither are realistic threats to take the starting job from Manning anytime soon.
After previously saying he had “peak years” left, Manning doubled down in an interview with Rhett Lewis of NFL Network, saying he thinks he and the Giants can still win games and titles.
“Obviously it has been an unbelievable run, but I want to continue doing it. It’s not over, I know that. I’m excited for this upcoming year and to really prove that I can still play at a high level and that we can win games and we can win championships.”
Manning is coming off of a frustrating year. The team struggled through injuries and won only three games. He was famously and idiotically benched for Geno Smith who is currently battling with Cardale Jones to be a backup quarterback on the Los Angeles Chargers, for one game.
He struggled, throwing for only 3,456 yards, his lowest total since 2008. His 19 touchdowns were his lowest since 2013, although he was able to limit his interceptions to only 13.
However, he was hurt by a lack of a run game and an awful offensive line, often forced to rush plays so he didn’t get sacked.
The Giants addressed those issues in the offseason, drafting Barkley and Will Hernandez in the first two rounds of the draft. They also added Nate Solder in free agency. Manning will also be getting Odell Beckham Jr., who claims he won’t hold out, after he played only four games last season.
Those changes should allow Manning to get back to the level of play he has become accustomed to in his career, and hopefully, win another championship or two before calling it a career.
