A Vote For Eli

It's too bad Eli Manning has to take the brunt of the criticism for yesterday's 4-interception debacle vs. the Vikings. Poor route-running by the receivers, a too-conservative game plan and the failure to change that plan are just as responsible as Eli was for the interceptions.

Jeremy Shockey did not read the blitz on the first interception, thus failing to run the route Eli expected. Any pass to their injured top receiver, Plaxico Burress, has become an adventure. Sinorice Moss, a speedster, never gets an opportunity to stretch the field. The usually-reliable Amani Toomer dropped at least one yesterday. The offensive line did not seem to adjust to the Vikings' "rush in Eli's face" strategy, nor did the game plan change to allow for more roll-out passes or max-protect schemes. One interception was a deflection, of course.

The media blitz today, especially by WFAN, is totally unfair. Chris Russo, for example, is harping on the fact that Eli hasn't improved. Of course he's improved. What HASN'T improved is the coaching staff. It still retains the same unimaginative, disciplinarian, slow-witted style of Tom Coughlin, the head coach.

Of course, Eli Manning can be a better quarterback. But even his brother Peyton and Tom Brady yesterday against the Eagles showed the effects that constant pressure and poor receivers can have on a team's overall performance. And those QB's have a running game. The G-Men had none yesterday, with injuries to both Jacobs and Ward. Prior to yesterday, Reuben Droughns had been a short-yardage specialist.

So give Eli a pass on yesterday. It was just one of those days. He'll improve with a more imaginative offensive scheme, ot at least one that can be adapted to whatever the defense is doing. And hope for a coaching change for 2008.
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