New York Giants strangely starting Geno Smith over Davis Webb

Fans have wanted the New York Giants to bench Eli Manning in order to start Davis Webb and prepare for the future. However, Big Blue made headlines when they announced Geno Smith would be starting against the Raiders this Sunday. But why Geno Smith over Davis Webb?

For the first time since November 2004 (210 games to be exact) somebody not named Eli Manning will be the starting quarterback for the New York Giants. I am all for the decision, but I’m not in favor of the guy they decided to start over Eli Manning.

Geno Smith, the man who was once considered the future of the New York Jets, will start for the New York Giants on Sunday against the Raiders. The last time Smith started a football game was last season for the Jets after Ryan Fitzpatrick couldn’t figure out how to throw it to the right team.

Smith has started in 30 career games with a 57.7 completion percentage but he is not the future of the New York Giants.

There is one man who may be though. Davis Webb, the Giants third-round pick out of Cal in last year’s draft has a chance to be the future. The Giants know exactly what they are going to get out of Geno Smith and it’s not great, but they have no clue what to expect from Davis Webb.

Now, the Giants did say that Webb would see the field as well over the next five games, but he should be getting more time than Smith. Smith never lived up to the expectations set upon him in his four years with the Jets, so why do the Giants expect him to be any better?

Here’s what Ben McAdoo and Jerry Reese had to say of the decision from USA Today:

"“I have a lot of confidence in Eli as a player, as a quarterback,” McAdoo told reporters. “At this point it’s my responsibility for the organization to make sure we take a look at Geno and at Davis (Webb).”Said general manager Jerry Reese, “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. I told Eli this morning that an organization could not ask for any more in a franchise quarterback. He has been that and more. Nobody knows what the future holds, but right now, this is what we think is best for the franchise.”"

I, for one, completely understand the move and completely back it up, but I also see why fans are disgusted that Eli Manning, the guy who has won two Super Bowls, is being benched. However, this is nothing against Eli Manning. This is a decision for the future, to evaluate who the Giants have to draft and, more specifically, what positions they have to draft.

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As much as we may want Eli Manning to start football games for the New York Giants for the next 10 years, that is simply not possible. Unfortunately, Eli Manning is on his way out and he has about two more years left in him before it’s too late. With that being said, the Giants must look at possible quarterbacks of the future beyond Eli Manning.

To those of you who are upset that Eli Manning is not starting and he is losing his streak, and are taking your anger out on the organization, stop. Eli had the opportunity to start and play the first half before giving way to Smith and Webb in the second half but he declined that option.

Next: New York Giants: How the G-Men can Prepare for the Future

Manning said that the streak is not about just starting but it is about playing the entire game and giving his team an opportunity to win. He believes that holding onto the streak just for the sake of the streak is pointless and that if the Giants were going to play the other guys, then just play the other guys.

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