MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

#PotY (Post of the Year)

 

Giants bench Eli Manning, Geno Smith will start on Sunday

Eli Manning has been benched. For Geno Smith.

In a stunning announcement Tuesday afternoon, Giants coach Ben McAdoo said Smith will start over Manning in Sunday’s game against the Raiders. The Giants are also planning to play rookie quarterback Davis Webb this season, McAdoo said, although it’s unclear whether Webb will play on Sunday.

“Geno will start this week,” McAdoo said. “Over the last five games, we will take a look at Geno, and we will also give Davis an opportunity.”

The move ends Manning’s streak of 210 consecutive regular-season starts, the second-longest streak in NFL history behind Brett Favre’s record of 297. Manning has started every game since he was named the starter late in his rookie season. McAdoo offered to allow Manning to start the game and play briefly if he wanted to keep the streak alive, but Manning said he didn’t think that would be right.

“Coach McAdoo told me I could continue to start while Geno and Davis are given an opportunity to play,” Manning said. “My feeling is that if you are going to play the other guys, play them. Starting just to keep the streak going and knowing you won’t finish the game and have a chance to win it is pointless to me, and it tarnishes the streak. Like I always have, I will be ready to play if and when I am needed. I will help Geno and Davis prepare to play as well as they possibly can.”

The Giants have been eliminated from playoff contention, and now they’re in full-on rebuilding mode, with their franchise quarterback taking a seat.

 

Why don't they just go with Webb? Everyone knows Smith sucks.

 

Yeah I have to agree with that...they’re eliminated and if they feel Webb has starting potential, play him...If he sucks, they get an earlier draft pick. If he’s good, they learn they don’t need to invest a 1st round pick in a QB.

 

A lot of people are up in arms about Eli’s benching. Coughlin and Kurt Warner both were critical of the decision. Honestly I don’t like the decision and really the only reason to make it would be if Manning was done for the Giants...I don’t think McAdoo makes it to next season, but maybe he has assurances from the front office that he’ll get a chance to rebound. If he knew he was on the hit seat, no way in hell does he sit Manning. But at the same time, if he knows he’s coming back, why not throw Webb in there? Geno is a known quantity, Webb needs to be evaluated...In any case, Manning is handling it with much more class than most people in his situation would...They offered to start him to keep the streak going, but he said if he has no chance of competing for a win, he doesn’t want to taint that streak...Haven’t always been a fan of his, but I definitely respect him for that.

 

Some franchises just don't get it.

 

Jimmy Garoppolo to start for 49ers on Sunday

The Jimmy Garoppolo era is beginning in San Francisco.

49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told the team today that Garoppolo will start on Sunday in Chicago.

The 49ers acquired Garoppolo by trading their second-round draft pick to the Patriots the day before the league’s trade deadline, but they had been starting C.J. Beathard instead of Garoppolo. However, Beathard was hurt late in Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks, and that opened the door for Garoppolo to start.

It will be just the third start of Garoppolo’s NFL career. He started two games last year for the Patriots in place of the suspended Tom Brady, but he was injured in the second of those two games and didn’t start again. Outside those two games he has played sparingly but well, with a 67.7 percent completion rate and six touchdowns and no interceptions in his NFL career.

On Sunday the 49ers will get a good look at the player they already invested a second-round draft pick in, and will likely invest $25 million in with next year’s franchise tag.

 

Philip Rivers named AFC offensive player of the week

The Chargers have had plenty of reasons to feel grateful for quarterback Philip Rivers over the years and they got another one on Thanksgiving.

Rivers completed 27-of-33 passes for 434 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Chargers to a 28-6 win over Dallas last Thursday. It took Rivers and L.A. a bit of time to get rolling as they managed just three points in the first 30 minutes, but he hit Hunter Henry and Tyrell Williams for third quarter touchdowns that put the Chargers on their way to a comfortable victory.

The NFL named Rivers the AFC offensive player of the week on Wednesday in recognition of that performance, which came in the Chargers’ fifth win of the year. All of those wins have come after an 0-4 start and the Chargers find themselves a game back of the Chiefs in the AFC West.

 

Jay Cutler out of protocol, will start Sunday

During their current five-game losing streak, the Dolphins have lost games with Jay Cutler at quarterback and they’ve lost games with Matt Moore at quarterback.

It will be Cutler’s turn again this Sunday against the Broncos. Cutler suffered a concussion against the Buccaneers in Week 11 and did not get cleared from the concussion protocol in time to face the Patriots last Sunday, but coach Adam Gase said on Wednesday that Cutler has gotten the green light to resume full football activities.

Gase has already said that Cutler is the team’s starter as long as he’s healthy and he confirmed that would be the case after saying Cutler was cleared from the head injury.

 

Vikings will keep going a week at a time with Case Keenum

According to the old saying, one shouldn’t fix what hasn’t been broken and that appears to be Vikings coach Mike Zimmer’s take on handling quarterback Case Keenum.

Zimmer has resisted naming Keenum the starting quarterback for more than a week at a time all year and isn’t changing that approach in the wake of Keenum’s terrific performance against the Lions on Thanksgiving. Keenum threw two touchdowns and ran for another to continue both his run of great play and the Vikings’ winning streak, but Zimmer said Monday that the starting job will still be decided on a weekly basis.

“I’m not looking to pull him, but every week’s a different week in this league,” Zimmer said, via Tom Pelissero of NFL Media.

Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph told us on PFT Live that Zimmer “truly believes that we play better as a team when we have that chip on our shoulder in response to a question about Zimmer’s handling of Keenum this season. Based on the results, there’s no reason to try something different.

 

With Eli Manning’s benching, Philip Rivers will have the NFL’s longest consecutive starts streak

 

Case Keenum named NFC Offensive Player of the Month

Vikings quarterback Case Keenum is finally getting the credit he deserves.

Keenum, who was thrown into tough situations early in his career with the Texans and the Rams and was practically set up to fail, has now found himself in Minnesota playing very well and having the Vikings on the cusp of winning the NFC North. As a result, Keenum has been named NFC Offensive Player of the Month in November.

It was a month in which Keenum completed 69 of 97 passes for 866 yards, with seven touchdowns and two interceptions, for a passer rating of 114.0. It’s also a month in which Keenum was sacked only twice, as he continued to show an incredible pocket presence. And a month in which Keenum never fumbled, as he still hasn’t all season. Football Outsiders’ DVOA statistic ranks Keenum as the best quarterback in the NFL this season.

And, of course, the Vikings went 3-0 in November. They’re winning, and Keenum is leading the way. (PFT)
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I never saw this coming, but I'm sure glad it has. Its almost been a magical season.

 

Is Case Keenum a free agent after this season
If he is he may a nice payday.

 

I believe he's an FA next year. He's making $2M now and some say he could demand $15M next season.

 

The biggest problem with him is no one knows if he can do it again or he is a one hit wonder?

 

Yes, as is Sam Bradford and Theodore Bridgewater...

 

If I was the Vikings I would only keep Keenum and let the other two walk.

 

I think Teddy and Case are keepers. Its just a matter of opinion , I realize, but having a good backup is essential in todays NFL.

 

That is what I was thinking, but will one of them take a backup salary? Bridgewater is saying all the right things, but make no mistake he'll want starter money. He might take a 1 year "prove it" kind of deal, but do you think nobody else will offer him a job? Teams like the Jets, Bills, Browns, and even a team like the Giants might take a flier on him. I see Keenum as a McCown or Fitzpatrick kind of QB. Don't think he'll ever be a franchise passer. Don't get me wrong, I don't know if Bridgewater is a franchise passer either. His arrow was trending up, but that injury he is coming back from was severe. Will he continue the upward trend? No one knows, which makes this a difficult decision for the Vikings. I'm sure they'd love to keep both, but not sure if they'll be able to. I don't know what their salary cap looks like. I know they just gave big deals to top D players like Barr and Rhodes this season...

 

They might just be able to afford both, because neither of them will be getting elite money. Both should be less than 10 million a year. The biggest problem with Bridgewater is they can't see him in live action. No way you remove Keenum the way he is playing right now.