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SPORTS Wednesday 18 september 2019
Giants bench Eli Manning, name Daniel Jones starting QB

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) in a player. And Eli worked a team-record 16th season
— Eli Manning's long and as hard as you could ask with the Giants, knew the
distinguished reign as the of anybody to get ready change was a possibility.
New York Giants' starting for this season. This move is "We're 0-2 and you are
quarterback is seemingly more about Daniel moving looking for answers," he said
over. Let the Daniel Jones forward than about Eli." Monday. "I get it, we draft-
era begin. The question of when Jones ed a guy early and you are
Coach Pat Shurmur an- would take over has been not winning games, these
nounced Tuesday that the a constant topic since the things are going to come
No. 6 overall pick in the NFL Giants drafted him, and the up. I just have to keep
draft is replacing two-time issue gained momentum working and do whatever
Super Bowl MVP as the Gi- when the 22-year-old Duke my job is."
ants' quarterback, begin- product completed 29 of On Sunday, his job will be
ning Sunday at Tampa Bay. 34 passes for 416 yards, two as Jones' backup.
The move comes less than touchdowns, no intercep- Jones will be the third of the New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning looks to throw dur-
24 hours after Shurmur tions in the preseason. His 11 quarterbacks selected ing the first half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills,
refused to say Manning 137.2 quarterback rating in this year's draft to both Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019, in East Rutherford, N.J.
would remain the starter was the best in the league. play and start a game. Associated Press
following two straight loss- The hint of an impending Kyler Murray, the first over-
es, the sixth time in seven change surfaced Monday all selection by Arizona, Houston as a replacement Manning started 210 con-
years New York has gotten and a day later, Shurmur started the Cardinals' first for the injured Nick Foles. secutive regular-season
off to a 0-2 start. benched the man who has two games. Gardner Min- Manning has started 232 of games from Nov. 21, 2004
The 38-year-old Manning been the face of the orga- shew II, a sixth-round selec- the Giants' last 233 regular- to Nov. 23, 2017, the sec-
has been the Giants' starter nization for the past 15-plus tion by Jacksonville out of season games. The loss Sun- ond-longest streak by a
since replacing Kurt War- years. Washington State, started day to the Bills dropped his quarterback in NFL history.
ner after nine games in the Manning, who is playing in the Jaguars' loss Sunday in record to .500 at 116-116. q
2004 season, the year Man-
ning was traded to New
York by San Diego after
it took him with the No. 1
overall pick.
Manning led the Giants to
Super Bowl titles following
the 2007 and '11 seasons,
beating Tom Brady and the
Patriots both times.
"Eli and I spoke this morn-
ing," Shurmur said. "I told
him that we are making
a change and going with
Daniel as the starter. I also
talked to Daniel. Eli was
obviously disappointed, as
you would expect, but he
said he would be what he
has always been, a good
teammate, and continue
to prepare to help this
team win games. Daniel
understands the challenge
at hand, and he will be
ready to play on Sunday."
In two games, Manning
completed 56 of 89 passes
for 556 yards, two touch-
downs and two intercep-
tions for a passer rating of
78.7. But the Giants have
scored only four touch-
downs, despite averaging
420 yards.
"Ultimately, this is a move
that I felt was best for this
team at this time," said Shur-
mur, who is in his second
season with the Giants. "I
have said it since I got here,
I am very fond of Eli. His
work ethic, his preparation,
his football intelligence.
All those attributes are as
good as I have ever seen