Are you really benched if you take yourself out? The Giants were going to scale back on Manning and get Smith and Webb (or whatever his name is) more work with some actual game action. It was Manning who said, if you don't want me to play the whole game, I'd rather not start at all.
So he can look like a 'stat padder' just to keep his streak alive? Also, can you give an example of a franchise splitting QB reps by half with a 13 year veteran and 2 time Super Bowl MVP? It's never been done, and it's a total disrespect for Eli.
On a 2-9 team, I suspect it would happen a lot if teams were out of the playoffs. Though, most all time great franchise QB's don't go 2-9 where this is even a discussion. Bad teams bench starters all of the time to get a look at the backups and the Giants didn't even want to bench him, they just wanted to get some reps for the backups. That is the only strange thing going on.
BTW, Eli took the starting job from Kurt Warner who was 5-4 at the time. Now granted he was in his first year in NY, but he had still won a Superbowl previously (and went to another). Warner also was benched in St. Louis before they finally released him. Warner was the starter in Arizona before a poor start got him benched for Matt Leinart because the Cardinals wanted to see what Leinart could do.
They are benching him to see Geno Smith?
No, this is a coach who has never been a fan of Eli (there is a history of quotes trying to blame Manning), about to lose his job, trying to prove that his failed offense will work with another QB.
If this was about the future, Webb would be starting. Instead, he is not even active.
As for Warner, he was brought in Manning's rookie year as a mentor and placeholder until they felt Manning could go in.
No they are benching him to determine if they can go into next year with Davis Webb and Geno Smith or if they need someone else on the roster.
Geno Smith is not the future QB of the Giants. Any NFL GM or Coach that thinks Geno is their future needs to be fired. There is more then enough tape on Geno at this point/
And as for Webb, not even going to be active for the game.
No, this is a coach looking for a scapegoat for his terrible offense of two years. Just like they GM scapegoated TC two years ago.
We have a coach and GM scrambling to save their jobs because both have not done well.
And they told Manning, no matter how the game is going, they were going to pull him quickly. They would just start him so he could continue his streak.
And of course they do that because they know Manning was not going to take the cheap route towards keeping the streak and he would say no.
And they can say "We didn't bench him, he said he would rather sit then start the games."