When Eli Manning speaks, people usually listen.
That's because the fairly buttoned-up Manning tends to be about as even-keeled a quarterback as you'll find. So when he's critical of the New York Giants, you know it's worth putting some weight in his words.
[Join FanDuel's $500,000 Week 7 fantasy league: $10 to enter; top 10,102 teams paid]
Manning said after Sunday's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles that the game was a reminder the Giants "can't just show up on the field and have things go well for you automatically. You have to earn it." Later he said the Giants "got outplayed, we got outperformed and we got out-physicaled" by the Eagles.
The following day on Monday, Manning didn't change his tune. He said his team needed to "grow up" after the loss and the season-ending injury to Victor Cruz, hinting at some immaturity in the Giants' locker room.
Per Newsday's Tom Rock, his Giants teammates are paying attention.
"They're powerful words," linebacker Jameel McClain said. "You have to take heed from everything that he says because he's such a serious person and he's so calculated. You know that it's meant from a good place, a place that it's meant for you to learn from it. That's who he is."
Manning isn't throwing his teammates under the bus, mind you. When asked about the six sacks he took against the Eagles, Manning made sure to point to his own responsibility in the matter as well as that of the offensive linemen.
He's a seasoned team captain, and he knows when he needs to speak up.
"I look at Eli as one of those quiet leaders with the perfect demeanor through every situation," McClain said. "I know when Eli is going out there I can look him in his eyes and see that he's ready to go at it. That's everything in this league, to be able to look a man in his eyes and say, 'All right, he's going to battle with me.' That's everything that Eli represents. His leadership is crucial to this team."
- - - - - - -
Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Eric_Edholm
0 comments:
Post a Comment