Eli Manning says, “Every sack has got its own story.’’
If Manning wants to compile all of them in a bound edition, it will be a long, long book chronicling his tales of woe.
At 37 years old, he is getting hit and knocked down more often than any span in his 15-year career. Manning came into this season having been sacked 359 times, an average of 1.7 sacks per game. Lest we forget, he was never Eli Mobile and running away from pressure was never his strong suit. Manning has a pocket presence and he usually is fully-cognizant of the rhythm and movement of massive bodies swirling around him. Sure, he gets blindsided, but rarely is he completely unaware of where the hit came from.
Through eight games this season, however, Manning has gone down 31 times on sacks. That is more sacks in half a season than Manning had taken in 11 of his previous 13 full seasons (he was not the full-time starter in 2004 as a rookie). His career high is 39 sacks in 2013. The way everything has deteriorated around him, Manning could surpass that in Week 11 (game No. 10) against the Buccaneers.
The Giants single-season franchise record for getting sacked is held by Phil Simms, who was sacked 55 times in 1984.
Remember last season’s shoddy offensive line? Weston Richburg and then Brent Jones at center. John Jerry, D.J. Fluker and Jon Halapio at right guard. Bobby Hart, Justin Pugh, Chad Wheeler and Adam Bisnowaty at right tackle. Ereck Flowers at left tackle. Pugh, Jones and mostly Jerry at left guard. Richburg, Jones, Fluker, Hart, Pugh, Jerry and Bisnowaty are all no longer around. That group allowed 31 sacks in 16 games — the same number the sad 2018 offensive line has given up in eight.
“Some, it’s coverage, or some it’s on me not throwing it away,’’ Manning said. “All of them really happen every once in a while. They just happen too frequently. We just got to find ways to be productive, whether you get the ball out quickly or more max protection, or just have a combination of the two, or move in the pocket. Just things to try to get us out of those situations, because sacks are drive killers. They make it tough.’’
They make it impossible.
“He doesn’t need to stand behind this offensive line anymore,’’ David Carr said recently on NFL Network.
Carr knows all about it. He was Manning’s teammate with the Giants in 2008 and 2009 and again in 2011 and 2012. He was the consummate backup quarterback, never needed to start (he threw 48 passes in a total of 11 games in four seasons) and loyal to Manning. Carr also knows all about getting sacked. He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft by the expansion Texans. As a rookie, Carr was sacked 76 times, a NFL single-season record that still stands.
In his first six NFL games, Carr was sacked 39 times, putting him on pace to get dropped 104 times. He has a Super Bowl ring from his days with the Giants and admires Manning. He says enough is enough.
“I’m probably going to say what Eli won’t say and that he doesn’t need to be the quarterback of the New York Giants any longer,’’ Carr said. “I think it’s not beneficial for either side.’’
Carr said he hoped Manning would be traded to Jacksonville for a reunion with Tom Coughlin. Manning has a no-trade clause and did not wish to go anywhere.
“He’s never been a guy that can get out of the way and make something happen, to go above the X’s and O’s in that regard,’’ Carr said. “He’s just a sitting duck back there. He’s getting hit too much. If you have another guy that you want to see go in there and go play, great.
“It’s not just the quarterback. It’s not Eli, but at this time where you’re at right now, I don’t want to see him back there anymore because it’s not beneficial for anybody.”Because all it is, he’s going out there and he’s just a target and it’s easy for the New York media to pick on him and it’s easy for them to pick and say it’s all Eli’s fault when it’s not.’
When projecting if and when the Giants send Manning to the bench to take a look at rookie Kyle Lauletta, consider this: Will Manning be able to endure all the hits and sacks and make it through the season unscathed?