After a week filled with trash talk, fabrications and opinions, some one on the Giants is finally speaking the truth. That person is quarterback Eli Manning, and sometimes the truth hurts.
Manning is usually incredibly even keeled, but he had some choice words for his team following Sunday’s embarrassing loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Typical cool-hand Eli told the media the shutout loss was a, “good reminder,” the Giants, “can’t just show up on the field and have things go well for you automatically. You have to earn it.” Manning would go on to say, “(we) got outplayed, we out outperformed and out-physicaled.”
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Manning also said the team needs to “grow up” and put the loss of the game, as well as the loss of star receiver Victor Cruz behind them. Cruz suffered a torn patellar tendon and has officially been placed on season ending injury reserve, per NFL.com.
It is possible the two-time Super Bowl MVP is referring to the trash talk from the Giants leading up to the game against the Eagles by telling his teammates to mature. Manning also took blame for the loss. Eli addressed being sacked six times and said he needs to do a better job of getting the ball out. Manning completed 13 of his 23 passes for 151 against the Eagles.
While Manning is criticizing his teammates, he obviously means well and is not trying to start any controversy. People familiar with the New York Giants understand that when Eli Manning is speaking with vigor, something serious is on his mind. Manning has been described by Michael Strahan as having an “aw, shucks,” attitude, but it is hard for Eli to act like everything is okay when his offense failed to score a single point.
Eli is evolving as a leader, and his team is listening.
“They’re powerful words,” linebacker Jameel McClain said to the media on Tuesday at a United Way of New York City Hometown Huddle event. “You have to take heed from everything he says because he’s such a serious person and he’s so calculated. You know that it’s meant from a good place, a place that it’s meant for you to learn from it. That’s who he is.” McClain is in his first year with the Giants.
Manning becoming more vocal is a very, very good thing for the Giants. A seasoned veteran, Eli understands his team needs to maintain focus and not get caught up in what other people are saying about the team, hence his comment about maturity. Eli’s career in New York has been full of ups and downs, and if he feels the need to uncharacteristically speak up to the media about his team’s woes, he must feel like something needs to change. With Cruz out for the season, Eli will have to do more, and it looks like he has already started.