Goodbye Eli Manning

Eli Manning will officially retire as the greatest QB in NY Giants history on Friday, January 24th. He's one of only 12 QBs to win at least 2. Joe Judge is putting together a pretty good coaching staff, including former Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Jason Garrett, and we'll give you our Super Bowl LIV preview with picks and predictions.
Eli Manning, a two-time Super Bowl winner and most valuable player, will announce his retirement Friday, ending a 16-year career spent entirely with the team he joined in a draft-day trade in 2004.

Manning is one of the most accomplished players in the 95 seasons of Giants football. He is the only player in franchise history to suit up for 16 seasons and his 236 regular-season games (234 starts) and 248 total games are both Giants records.

From Nov. 21, 2004 through Nov. 23, 2017, Manning started 210 consecutive regular-season games, then the second-longest streak by a quarterback in NFL history (to Brett Favre's 297). After sitting out one game, he started the next 22 in a row, giving him 232 starts in 233 games – plus 12 postseason games. Manning never missed a game because of injury.

Manning led the Giants to victories against the New England Patriots in Super Bowls XLII (when they defeated a Patriots team that was 18-0) and XLVI. In each game, he led the Giants on a long fourth-quarter drive to erase a fourth-quarter deficit. On Feb. 3, 2008, it was a 12-play, 83-yard march highlighted by Dave Tyree's famous helmet catch and the 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds remaining that gave the Giants a 17-14 victory. 

Four years later, the decisive series covered 88 yards in nine plays, most memorably a 38-yard sideline throw to Mario Manningham and Ahmad Bradshaw's seat-of-his-pants one-yard touchdown run for a 21-17 triumph.

Manning won the Rozelle Trophy as the game's most valuable player each time. He is the only Giants player to win the award twice and is one of just five players in NFL history to win multiple Super Bowl MVP awards. All of them are quarterbacks (Tom Brady, 4; Joe Montana, 3; Terry Bradshaw and Bart Starr, 2 apiece).

Manning is one of 21 quarterbacks to win a Super Bowl without losing one and one of 12 to win at least two Super Bowls.

Manning owns every significant Giants career passing record. He is sixth in NFL history with 8,119 attempts and seventh with 4,895 completions, 57,023 yards and 366 touchdown passes. Manning also has the franchise's highest career completion percentage (60.29). Manning holds the seven highest single-season completion totals and the four highest yardage totals (he threw for more than 4,000 yards seven times) and completion percentages. He was selected to four Pro Bowls.

Manning also excelled in the postseason, when he had an 8-4 record. He set Giants career playoff records with 400 passes, 242 completions, 2,815 yards and 18 touchdown passes.


Manning threw for 283 yards and two touchdowns in a 36-20 victory over the Dolphins and left the game to a long and loud ovation with 1:54 remaining. The victory evened his regular-season record at 117-117.


There is a lot to like about Jason Garrett being hired as the Giants OC. There are also reasons to be concerned.

Pros:
— Experience
— Asset to rookie HC
— Developed young QBs
— Has success as OC

Cons:
— Hasn’t called plays since 2012
— Too conservative 
— Could leave next year for Head coach job, which could mean a third OC (and possibly system) in 3 years for Daniel Jones.


Marc Colombo will interview for the Giants OL opening this week, sources tell @toddarcher. Jason Garrett’s presence as offensive coordinator would seem to make this a natural connection. Cowboys pass protection greatly improved in 2019 and still had 5th-ranked run offense.

The Giants have hired former Falcons defensive passing game coordinator Jerome Henderson as their defensive backs coach, per source. Joe Judge’s staff is coming together.

Bret Bielema is expected to join the Giants staff, per source. Former Wisconsin and Arkansas coach has been with the Patriots for the past two years



@JordanRaanan  My understanding on Freddie Kitchens is that, while it may happen, at this time nothing is finalized with him joining the Giants and Joe Judge’s staff.



Anthony Blevins, who spent past 2 seasons as Giants asst STs coach, is expected to return in still to be determined role, per source. Blevins is well regarded by players. Has also coached DBs and has connection to Joe Judge. They were graduate assistants together at Miss St.



Super Bowl LIV is slated for Feb. 2 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Patrick Mahomes (35) and Jimmy Garoppolo (28) have combined for 63 career starts (regular & postseason combined) -- that will be the fewest career starts entering a Super Bowl matchup by the starting QBs. 

The Chiefs kicked off the season as the consensus favorites to win the Super Bowl, overcame a midseason knee injury to quarterback Patrick Mahomes and mounted consecutive playoff comebacks in wins over the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans to reach the franchise's first Super Bowl since the 1969 season.

The 49ers were considered middle-of-the-pack contenders to start the season, with 40-1 Super Bowl odds at Caesars Sportsbook. They secured their spot in Miami with a 37-20 win over the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game.The favored team has won 34 of 53 Super Bowls. However, favorites of three points or less are 8-7.