John Mara stood in front of the media yesterday and stated that if you wanted to blame someone for the Eli debacle, blame him. He was right.
Mara has always struck me as an honorable man. A nice guy. But maybe too nice.
He has stayed loyal to his people when others would have acted ruthlessly. But in this day and age of instant gratification and snap judgments, it often doesn’t play.
Take Josh Brown. Mara knew that domestic violence was a big issue for the NFL. Yet he chose to give the kicker a contract even after he learned of his misdeeds. Why? To be a benevolent guy. To give the man a second chance. Kickers are easily replaced. The fans would have been accepted ditching Brown after the allegations came to light. Mara acted charitably, and it bit him.
Now with Reese and McAdoo. The drums were beating to fire Reese along with Coughlin two years ago. Loyalty intervened. Mara stood against the wisdom of the crowd. Reese spent money, the Giants went 11-5 and he seemed to be vindicated. Predictions, including mine, were for the team to go deep into the playoffs this season.
At 2-10, Mara decided to act. Why now, when firing coaches midstream is not perceived to be the GIANT WAY?
The answer: three more home games.
The crowd would have been hostile Sunday. Ex Giants were planning to wear Eli jerseys. McAdoo would have been booed mercilessly. By acting now, Mara spared him of that.
But the whole affair WAS Mara’s fault. Eli is not the same QB who won two championships. Given the relentless pressure of the Raider pass rush, would Eli have fared any better than Geno Smith? It was time to see Webb and Smith.
Was the plan to start Eli and go to Smith at halftime a bad one, as many have said in retrospect? Again, it was Mara’s nice guy inclinations biting him. Give Eli his streak, while letting him know that the team needs to move forward with youth. It seemed like a reasonable compromise, but it was designed only to spare Manning’s pride, not help the team. Eli said no, you want to move forward without me, don’t expect me to play along. This was like telling your girlfriend you want to date others, but still live with her. How does that usually work out?
Many have opined that it was time for 2018 auditions, but this was not the way to handle it. Here is where Mara dropped the ball. When you bench a franchise QB, you don’t delegate that to a second year coach who you have already decided to fire and who lacks communication skills. You do it yourself. If it meant interrupting other important business, you either fly in or postpone the move. Eli may have been just as upset. But a decision like this has to come from the man who made it. That was John Mara. Mara did not want to overrule his coach, he said. This was not deciding who the 53rd man on the roster was. It was how to handle a delicate situation that needs to be done gently. McAdoo’s “honest and direct” approach was the wrong one and Mara should have known that.
Again, there may not have been a way to do this with hurting Manning’s feelings. Manning could have waited to address the media until the emotions had calmed. Fans were moved by his tearful farewells which made the team look even more cruel and heartless. Mara said he hoped Eli could play well enough so that they couldn’t take him out at the half. That would be even more stupid. If the intent was to see the young guys play meaningful snaps, Eli playing well would defeat that.
Starting Eli Sunday is the coward’s way out. They need to see Webb. So they throw the crowd a bone and make McAdoo the bad guy. How does that help the Giants going forward? Would a new coach and GM like to see film on Webb to aid in the decision to on who to pick in the draft?
Or is the plan now to ride Manning until he drops? He beat Brady twice, but he’s not Tom Brady. It’s time to look to the future and Eli isn’t it, long term. That’s not to say he might be the best immediate option for 2018, but as a wise businessman once said, teams who continually celebrate the past have no future.
