Getty Giants QB Eli Manning
The changing of the guards of the New York Giants starting quarterback position may be imminent after recent comments made by the head coach. Following a loss in Week 2, the Giants are searching for answers and there’s a chance they could find them with rookie signal-caller Daniel Jones.
Whether or not that plays out is a looming question, and not surprisingly, it came up on Monday afternoon.
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Shurmur Leaves Door Open for Possible QB Change
When asked about possibly making the switch from Eli Manning to Jones as the Giants starting quarterback for Week 3, Shurmur did very little to instill confidence in Manning moving forward. Shurmur responded with a bleak “it’s fair” to have the conversation about making the switch.
Shurmur would go on to state that Eli has been the Giants starter “to this point.”
The head coach continued the speculative talk on Monday about the possibility of Daniel Jones being inserted as the team’s starting quarterback moving forward, as Ralph Vacchiano of SNY revealed.
‘Eli has been our starter … to this point.”
When Manning caught wind of Shurmur’s press conference, he responded about the way you would expect from the consummate pro, per Vacchiano and SNY.
“We’re 0-2 and we’re looking for answers,” he said. “I get it. When you draft a guy early and you’re not winning games, these are gonna come up. I’ve just gotta keep working and do whatever my job is.”
Why Making a QB Change May Do More Harm Than Good
The Giants are looking for a quick fix. It’s understandable considering many coaches, players, and front office personnel are fighting for their jobs at times. However, the issues the Giants are experiencing cannot be solved by a simple quarterback change. In fact, the switch may cause a lingering effect on the Giants franchise.
This is a team which has arguably the best skill player in the NFL at their disposal in Saquon Barkley. However, beyond the all-world running back and an ever-improving tight end in Evan Engram, there is very little to write home about.
Sterling Shepard is penciled in as the Giants’ number one receiver moving forward. While the diminutive wideout is a talented player, he would likely be better suited to serve as a number two, or even number three option.
Shepard just missed Week 2 due to a concussion, and his availability moving forward is bleak at the moment. Cody Latimer is also dealing with concussion symptoms after leaving the Buffalo game in the final quarter. That leaves Bennie Fowler as the team’s number one option at wideout at the moment. Something you would not wish on your worst enemy.
For all the Giants’ struggles offensively, they’ve been even more horrendous on the defensive side of the ball. New York currently ranks as the fifth-worst defensive unit over the first two weeks of the season. From cornerback Janoris Jenkins’ recent comments, it’s difficult to foresee the unit doing a complete 180 anytime soon.
Janoris Jenkins blames Giants’ weak pass rush for defensive struggles: “I can’t cover nobody for 10 seconds”
This likely means that the Giants will be playing from behind for the majority of the 2019 season. Plugging in a rookie quarterback with wideouts such as Bennie Fowler and TJ Jones would be doing a disservice to the young quarterback and the team as a whole.
Accumulating a few more wins so Shurmur can hold on to his job is not worth critically damaging your young quarterback’s confidence for good. Hopefully, New York’s front office can see that.
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