Why Eli Manning was benched and then put back in the Giants’ starting lineup

When Eli Manning faces the Dallas Cowboys in Week 14, it’ll be the 27th time in his 14-year career that he’s started for the New York Giants against the NFC East rival.

It could’ve been Manning’s 212th consecutive start for the Giants, but that streak ended at 210 when the team abruptly benched Manning in favor of Geno Smith for a Week 13 game against the Oakland Raiders.

Why Manning was benched. With the Giants at 2-9 and officially eliminated from the playoffs, coach Ben McAdoo and general manager Jerry Reese were hunting for answers and ready to see the other options on the roster — both Geno Smith and Davis Webb — when Manning was benched.

“This is not a statement about anything other than we are 2-9, and we have to do what is best for the organization moving forward, and that means evaluating every position,” Reese said after the move was made.

Manning was given the opportunity to keep his starting streak alive, but told he’d have to give up playing time to Smith and Webb. Manning declined and made way for Smith to start Sunday.

How did Smith do? Smith wasn’t bad for the Giants. He finished a 24-17 loss to the Raiders with 212 passing yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. After the game he went after one of the critics of the benching of Manning: Former Jets coach Rex Ryan.

“I did see one of my ex-coaches say he didn’t want me to be his quarterback, and that really upset me, you know,” Smith said, via ESPN. “A guy that we saved his job in 2013, and we fought our ass for him both years, and for him to come out and say that just shows you how much of a coward he is.”

With Steve Spagnuolo taking over as interim head coach, Manning is back in the saddle for the final three weeks of the season. A decision Smith admitted he wasn’t thrilled about, although he said that’s just because he’s a competitor who wants to play.

Then McAdoo and Reese were fired. The decision was harshly criticized before Smith ever had a chance to start. Former Giants players sounded off and social media and the ripple effect of the benching was likely a significant factor in the firings of McAdoo and Reese a day after Smith’s only start.

Why did Spagnuolo name Manning starter again? The Giants defensive coordinator was named interim head coach and said he didn’t have much of an opinion on the benching of Manning. But he also said he’d follow his gut and that was telling him to start the veteran Sunday.

“I want to be the starting quarterback, I want to be out there and I just want to make sure that [Spagnuolo] knew that,” Manning said, via Giants.com. “He said that he was going to think about it and talk with the coaches, but his gut said that I would be the starting quarterback. So, I’m happy that he went with that decision and he has the faith in me we can go win this football game with me as the quarterback.”

The Week 14 game at MetLife Stadium featured Manning receiving a warm reception from the home fans.

Before he was re-inserted into the lineup, many former Giants players were reportedly prepared to protest the decision to bench Manning, so anything less than a rousing ovation when he takes the field would be surprising.

But if the Giants beat the Cowboys, it won’t matter much. At 2-10, New York is long out of contention and currently in line to own the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NFL draft. But the future of the franchise is up in the air with the team set to pursue a new coach and general manager in the offseason.

What’s next for Manning? Manning’s time with the Giants is approaching its end with his recent benching only validating the possibility that he’ll be out of New York sooner rather than later. The team’s early draft selection could even be used to select his replacement.

The Giants also have yet to see third-round pick Davis Webb in action and may feel encouraged by the play of Smith, who is still just 27.

While the roller coaster pair of weeks for Manning ended with him back in his original starting spot, things aren’t going to be back to normal for the Giants or the team’s veteran quarterback any time soon, or ever again.