New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo stated in a press release that the team would be benching franchise starting quarterback Eli Manning in favor of Geno Smith for Sunday’s contest against the Oakland Raiders and going forward for the last four games of the regular season. New York is currently sitting in fourth place in the NFC East at 2-9, eight games behind first place Philadelphia. They have been officially eliminated from playoff contention but have been done since starting the season 0-5. A tough year for the Giants as their first year under Ben McAdoo they finished 11-5 and took a trip to Lambeau Field to play the Packers in a wild card game. Expectations were high going into this season for the Giants and Ben McAdoo but they have failed horribly to replicate the success of the previous season.

At the center of the Giants struggle are the locker room rumors of the team losing confidence and trust in their head coach. Earlier in October reports surfaced regarding cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie leaving a practice session early in frustration. This decision cost Rodgers-Cromartie as McAdoo and the Giants coaching staff decided to suspend him from team activities including games. Jump forward to November and now there are anonymous reports coming from active roster Giants players that they did not believe Ben McAdoo was in control over the team. All of this drama has not been seen in the Giants organization in over a decade as the team has won two super bowls since 2008, and has been regarded as one of the most well operated teams in the league. This reputation has not been lived up to this year under McAdoo.

The fan base has soured on coach McAdoo given this year’s drama and in all likelihood, he may have dug his own grave with the decision to bench Eli Manning. As a lifelong fan of the Dallas Cowboys there is not one quarterback I have rooted against more in professional football than Eli Manning. Regardless of what team one supports you have to respect the talent and poise of Manning. Manning is the all-time passing leader in the 92 years of the Giants existence, he has won two super bowls in his career both against legendary Tom Brady and his Patriots, and has the backing of one of the most loyal fan bases in the league. Eli Manning is holy to the Giants’ organization, ownership, and fan base. While the Giants has nothing left to play for this season, Manning has a streak of 210 consecutive starts with the team. This streak is second only to hall of famer Brett Favre for most consecutive starts by a quarterback. With this streak coming to an end Sunday, you have to think McAdoo’s tenure as the head coach in New York hangs on the play of backup quarterbacks Geno Smith and Davis Webb.