If you think the second-guessing about second-string quarterbacks in the Second City is loud, the noise over first-string quarterbacks in the First City will be deafening this week.
When it comes to controversy involving the most important position, Chicago usually holds its own against anybody. But in New York this week, the Giants’ imperfect rookie Eli Manning goes up against the Pittsburgh Steelers’ perfect rookie Ben Roethlisberger.
Roethlisberger had his worst statistical game in 11 straight wins on Sunday with a 33.6 passer efficiency rating against the Jets. But it was 33.6 points better than Manning’s excruciating zero against Baltimore.
As if to torture the No. 1 pick in the draft, Giants coach Tom Coughlin anointed Manning the starter this week against the No. 1-ranked defense of the Steelers.
“I want him to be the quarterback,” Coughlin said.
New Yorkers just want him to be a quarterback.
After Kurt Warner completed 6 of 9 throws in a merciful rescue of Manning against the menacing Ravens defense, Coughlin left no room for speculation leading up to Saturday’s game in the Meadowlands.
“The rookie player who has this type of opportunity, this type of experience, it is a priceless experience that does not come without pain,” Coughlin said Monday.
Meanwhile, the Giants and their fans are paying a steep price.
Manning is 0-4 against Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington and Baltimore–all top defenses. The Giants were 5-4 when Coughlin benched Warner to school Manning, but he insists it was the right decision even as the Giants have tumbled from serious playoff contention.
Although Manning has faced comparisons to brother Peyton all his life, that now seems innocent compared with the Roethlisberger factor. The Giants could have drafted Roethlisberger with their fourth pick instead of trading their third-round pick last year and first- and fifth-round picks next April to San Diego for Manning.
Like Coughlin, Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi sticks by his decision, giving New Yorkers plenty of room to make up their own minds this week. Most, of course, hailed Accorsi’s draft-day move as well as Coughlin’s decision to throw the kid into the fray at 5-4.
Something is finer
The Packers moved into the NFC North lead and the third seed in the playoffs. Right now they would play host to the defending NFC champion Carolina Panthers, the team the Packers beat so convincingly on the opening Monday. The Packers then slipped to 1-4 while the Panthers went 1-7.
You say you can’t imagine anybody in the NFC upending the Eagles?
Imagine the Panthers going into Lincoln Financial Field for the second straight year. They might be defending NFC champions, but they would have absolutely nothing to lose compared to the three-time NFC title-losing Eagles, who have dominated the weak NFC all season.
Heroes and goats
While the Steelers were basking in the afterglow of the touchdown pass thrown by Jerome Bettis that helped beat the Jets, the Vikings were wallowing in the aftermath of their trick end-around interception thrown by Randy Moss in a 27-23 loss to Seattle.
The Vikings have lost two in a row and travel to Detroit Sunday before hosting the Packers on Christmas Eve.
After fielding a sixth question on the Moss pass Monday, coach Mike Tice smiled and quietly counted down from 10 as if to avoid saying something that wasn’t so nice.
“I could join the list of guys who wish that we’d probably called a different call,” Tice said. “Were there safer calls? There probably were safer calls, but we were trying to win a football game.”
Super Bowl snub
New Orleans has been eliminated from consideration for the 2009 Super Bowl because of unresolved money and stadium issues between the Saints and the state. The city is still in the running for the 2010 game. The next four Super Bowls are in Jacksonville, Detroit, Miami and Glendale, Ariz. Atlanta, Houston, Miami and Tampa Bay were named finalists for 2009.
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Old Man Brown
When Ray Brown started at right offensive tackle on his 42nd birthday for the Redskins, he became the 17th man to play in the NFL at that age and the first in 83 years to do so in the trenches.
“It’s crazy that Ray’s playing tackle at 42,” 27-year-old left tackle Chris Samuels said. “People talk about [receiver] Jerry Rice or [cornerback] Darrell Green playing at 42, but Ray’s in the trenches. I know how my body feels after a game and Ray’s doing it at 42. During practice, Ray will say, `Come on, guys, it’s a great day to work.’ Hearing that from a guy who has been around that long motivates me.”
Brown has been around so long, he has a daughter older than some of his teammates. Safety Sean Taylor was 3 when Brown broke in with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1986. Asked if he knew Brown had played for the St. Louis Cardinals, teammate Marcus Washington shook his head and said, “I didn’t know there was a St. Louis Cardinals.”
Said Brown: “I will never lose the mentality of being an eighth-round pick from a smaller school (Arkansas State). I was cut twice. I’m still that guy who’s got something to prove and who wants to make his mom and dad proud and represent his little hometown [Marion] in Arkansas.”
Here and gone
Since the Bears let safety Tony Parrish leave after 2001, he has led the league in interceptions with 20. He had only eight in four seasons in Chicago and the Bears decided to pay safety Mike Brown and let Parrish go to San Francisco, where he has blossomed.
Ex-Bears fullback Daimon Shelton gets credit for leading Willis McGahee toward 1,000 yards in Buffalo.
“He’s like the unsung hero of the team,” McGahee said. “His blocking has been phenomenal.”
In 1998 with Jacksonville, Shelton was Fred Taylor’s lead blocker his rookie season when he gained 1,223 rushing yards. With the Bears in 2001, Shelton helped rookie-of-the-year Anthony Thomas to 1,183 yards.
Wearing out a welcome
Chris Chandler demonstrated Sunday that not every decision the Bears have made concerning quarterbacks has been wrong. The 39-year-old backup started for the Rams and got so confused during his career-worst six-interception meltdown that coach Mike Martz said it appeared at times as if his quarterback was running another offense. Chandler has played for seven teams, the Rams twice.
At one point against Carolina, the frustrated Martz showed his lack of trust in Chandler by calling nine straight running plays.
“He got a little rattled,” Martz said of Chandler. “He’s just devastated.”
Nevertheless, Chandler is likely to start again this week against the Cardinals, with Marc Bulger nursing a sprained shoulder.