Redskins take aim at Manning
December 5, 2004 1:10 am
The New York Giants can only hope football bloodlines prove to be a harbinger. If that is so, rookie quarterback Eli Manning is in for quite a career.
Manning's older brother, Peyton, is in the midst of perhaps the best season of any quarterback in the history of the NFL. He's thrown 41 touchdowns--the single-season league record is 48--and just seven interceptions for the Indianapolis Colts.
Eli's and Peyton's father, Archie, had a Hall of Fame career at quarterback as well.
But young Eli, selected with the No. 1 overall pick of last April's NFL draft, has a long way to go. This afternoon, he'll get his third career start as he leads the Giants into FedEx Field to face the Washington Redskins.
"I have to get a lot better," Eli said. "I've got to make better decisions and not turn the ball over. It's a learning process for me."
Manning got his first career start two weeks ago against the Atlanta Falcons. It was a serviceable yet sputtering outing, as he completed 17-of-37 passes for 162 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.
Then last weekend, the Philadelphia Eagles used a bucketful of blitzes to make Manning look like the rookie he is. He connected on just six-of-21 passes for 148 yards with two interceptions in New York's 27-6 loss.
Manning supporters have been quick to point out that Peyton had similar struggles during his rookie season, and has rebounded quite nicely.
Prior to the last two games, Eli Manning stood on the sideline and watched former NFL MVP Kurt Warner guide the Giants' offense.
"It was beneficial just watching Kurt," Manning said. "Watching him manage a game, running the offense, seeing what defenses are doing and what adjustments can be made will help."
After the Giants' 17-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Nov. 14 dropped the team's record to 5-4, coach Tom Coughlin made the switch at quarterback.
Manning and Warner had battled throughout training camp, with Warner eventually emerging as the starter.
"[Eli] had been in the huddle with the first unit and been on the field with them," Coughlin said. "I felt like the players received him very well and were anxious for him to play."
The Redskins seem unconcerned about the hype surrounding Manning heading into today's game. Washington flaunts the league's second-ranked defense.
"Manning is not the star of that team," Redskins cornerback Fred Smoot said. "When you want to stop an offense you stop the star. The Giants' star is Tiki Barber."
Indeed, Barber has been the bright spot of New York's attack. The former University of Virginia standout seems to have solved his fumble problems and is putting together the finest season of his career.
Through New York's first 11 games he's carried 224 times for 1,145 yards an nine touchdowns. Barber leads the NFL with 1,641 total yards.
While it hasn't received nearly as much fanfare as the Giants' quarterback switch, the Redskins also changed signal-callers a couple of weeks ago.
After sitting through weeks of far-from-productive play by Mark Brunell, Redskins coach Joe Gibbs put Patrick Ramsey into the starting lineup on Nov. 21.
Ramsey has been an improvement from Brunell, going a combined 40-for-68 for 300 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions in the last two weeks, but it's still been less than adequate.
In defense of Ramsey, his two starts have come against the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers, two teams that have combined to lose two games this season.
When the Giants defeated the Redskins 20-14 on Sept. 19, Ramsey was shuffled into action in the second half when Brunell went down with a hamstring injury. Ramsey promptly tossed three interceptions.
"Looking back, that game seems kind of odd because I'm much more familiar with our offense and what we're doing now," Ramsey said. "Mentally, I'm so much further along than I was at that point."
The Redskins might choose to keep the ball on the ground, as the Giants rank 25th in the NFL against the run. It remains to be seen where the carries will fall, however.
Last week star running back Clinton Portis essentially was benched in the second half in favor of third-down back Ladell Betts. Gibbs said Portis can expect his normal workload this week.
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