...over the years. I believe he is a Hall of Fame QB, and I have strongly believed over the past several years (like many others on BBI) that his play has been adversely affected by a weak offensive line that has transformed his game (obviously for the worse).
I also realize that over his entire career there has always been the "good" Eli and the "bad" Eli, and it is our very good fortune that we only saw the former in two amazing Super Bowl runs.
But, but, but...
...in watching games around the league yesterday (especially watching Carson Wentz), a deep gnawing thought crept in that reminded me of the same damn gnawing thoughts I had on occasion about Eli last season (and at times) over the past three or four seasons... and were on full display last night:
(1) Eli is old and he moves around like he is old;
(2) Eli's game was never about making amazing plays with his legs, but he looks more immobile than ever before;
(3) If things are not just perfect for him in the pocket, Eli gets increasingly jittery and his accuracy goes (way) down;
(4) It doesn't look like Eli is able to lift the game of those around him, nor does it look like he is energizing those around him.
Clearly, Eli missed OBJ and his O-line compounded the problem last night, but right now, the Giants have more than just an offensive line to worry about as this season progresses and beyond.
Regardless of how you feel about our Divisional rival QBs, we have in fact two opponents (Dallas and Philly) that have very young and very mobile QBs who can make plays when things are not perfect. And their team mates respond and feed off of them.
We do not. And that is a very big problem.
This. If you watch all the games on Sunday you see that OL issues are not unique to the Giants, the play on the line across the league is a problem. At some point you have to wonder, or even accept, that the biggest problem on the offense may be the obvious one. I'm hopeful we get a lot things cleaned up, but we need to stop pointing fingers at everything but the QB because it's a position that didn't help us last year and didn't help us last night. Eli needs to be better.
If we want to talk about someone getting old, I'm afraid it was Brandon Marshall. It is only one game, but with Odell out, he needed to step up. I've seen many blame Eli for missing BM all alone in the flat, but to me, that was all on Marshall. Eli was (once again!) running for his life, and Marshall didn't have a defender within 20 yards of him. He should have sat down and established a target, but even after the ball was thrown, he was still moving towards the LOS. Where the hell was he going?
Eli didn't play well, but he had little help. The INT was a mistake, he once again allowed himself to be duped by a DB faking a zone coverage, but what really irked me was inside the red zone on the FG drive. He had Marshall one-on-one with a smaller CB, but didn't go to him. That's why we got Marshall, to use his size on the end zone. He has to take a shot there.
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In comment 13593353 Dave on the UWS said:
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OL play around the league yesterday was HORRID. I'm afraid the biggest problem is our QB is 36 and may be done. "Dirty" pockets are the norm moving around in them to make a play is necessary. Eli doesn't seem to be able to do that anymore. That's a very BIG problem. They may have a very tough decision to make after this season.
I hate to think that way but I agree with this post. Can't think of another QB in the league as immobile as Eli, and certainly can't think of an OL that would be able to protect him (first inclination would be Dallas, but even Dak had to move around a fair bit last night).
Might be the game has passed him by.
Brady, Palmer, and Ryan come to mind. Phillip Rivers too.
And, you saw Wilson struggle with lack of an OL and running game yesterday on the road.
Three of those guys are more mobile than Eli - and Palmer, the lone exception, looked pretty bad yesterday too and has been inconsistent for awhile.
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fairly well. I don't think any QB could function with the right side of that line. Did you see Brady Thursday night, he hit 45% of his passes? Our OL sucks. Dallas rushes 4 players and still gets lots of pressure. Now they have 7 players back against our 3 or 4. No QB can function.
All that you say is true.
But Eli has become a transformed QB... and not for the better. He looks like an aging vet with little confidence and it certainly looks like he inspires little if any confidence in his team mates as well.
Right now, it's not about the "Good" Eli or "Bad" Eli... but the "Low Energy" Eli who can't lift the overall performance of his team mates.
Watch Carson Wentz highlights from yesterday and you'll see what I'm talking about. His pocket got very ugly yesterday and he turned in an inspiring performance.
Can Eli inspire anyone anymore? Not at his current voltage. Philly has got a brand, spanking new battery in its car (and so does Dallas). Our battery is past its warranty.
But here's the thing. You know what Eli is....it's the organization's job to build around that. Additionally, you drafted a guy who isn't that mobile either from what I read.
Hate to say it, but it's almost like you're setting him up for failure..............or hoping you catch lightening in a bottle and the OL suddenly "clicks".
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In comment 13593398 jcn56 said:
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In comment 13593353 Dave on the UWS said:
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OL play around the league yesterday was HORRID. I'm afraid the biggest problem is our QB is 36 and may be done. "Dirty" pockets are the norm moving around in them to make a play is necessary. Eli doesn't seem to be able to do that anymore. That's a very BIG problem. They may have a very tough decision to make after this season.
I hate to think that way but I agree with this post. Can't think of another QB in the league as immobile as Eli, and certainly can't think of an OL that would be able to protect him (first inclination would be Dallas, but even Dak had to move around a fair bit last night).
Might be the game has passed him by.
Brady, Palmer, and Ryan come to mind. Phillip Rivers too.
And, you saw Wilson struggle with lack of an OL and running game yesterday on the road.
Three of those guys are more mobile than Eli - and Palmer, the lone exception, looked pretty bad yesterday too and has been inconsistent for awhile.
LOL...more mobile, but how much? Cmon...they are all pocket passers. I'll give you Ryan because he's still younger and can move a bit better.
It's not a given he plays well at 36. Most players are done long before that. To me he reminds me of Bledsoe at the end, Favre, Peyton, and all the other great QBs who were finished.
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In comment 13593542 PatersonPlank said:
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fairly well. I don't think any QB could function with the right side of that line. Did you see Brady Thursday night, he hit 45% of his passes? Our OL sucks. Dallas rushes 4 players and still gets lots of pressure. Now they have 7 players back against our 3 or 4. No QB can function.
All that you say is true.
But Eli has become a transformed QB... and not for the better. He looks like an aging vet with little confidence and it certainly looks like he inspires little if any confidence in his team mates as well.
Right now, it's not about the "Good" Eli or "Bad" Eli... but the "Low Energy" Eli who can't lift the overall performance of his team mates.
Watch Carson Wentz highlights from yesterday and you'll see what I'm talking about. His pocket got very ugly yesterday and he turned in an inspiring performance.
Can Eli inspire anyone anymore? Not at his current voltage. Philly has got a brand, spanking new battery in its car (and so does Dallas). Our battery is past its warranty.
But here's the thing. You know what Eli is....it's the organization's job to build around that. Additionally, you drafted a guy who isn't that mobile either from what I read.
Hate to say it, but it's almost like you're setting him up for failure..............or hoping you catch lightening in a bottle and the OL suddenly "clicks".
Again... all that you say is true. And Jerry Reese is the one who failed to protect the crown jewel of this team with a functional offensive line. Now the jewel is tarnished and aging right before our eyes.
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In comment 13593542 PatersonPlank said:
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fairly well. I don't think any QB could function with the right side of that line. Did you see Brady Thursday night, he hit 45% of his passes? Our OL sucks. Dallas rushes 4 players and still gets lots of pressure. Now they have 7 players back against our 3 or 4. No QB can function.
All that you say is true.
But Eli has become a transformed QB... and not for the better. He looks like an aging vet with little confidence and it certainly looks like he inspires little if any confidence in his team mates as well.
Right now, it's not about the "Good" Eli or "Bad" Eli... but the "Low Energy" Eli who can't lift the overall performance of his team mates.
Watch Carson Wentz highlights from yesterday and you'll see what I'm talking about. His pocket got very ugly yesterday and he turned in an inspiring performance.
Can Eli inspire anyone anymore? Not at his current voltage. Philly has got a brand, spanking new battery in its car (and so does Dallas). Our battery is past its warranty.
But here's the thing. You know what Eli is....it's the organization's job to build around that. Additionally, you drafted a guy who isn't that mobile either from what I read.
Hate to say it, but it's almost like you're setting him up for failure..............or hoping you catch lightening in a bottle and the OL suddenly "clicks".
You're paying Eli 24m/yr, he has a stud defense and weapons all over the place (even without OBJ). Where are we getting the resources to get him more? He's not playing up to his price tag, probably the only spot on the team that is underperforming it's cap value, we need to stop making excuses for him.
Look at some of those play calls and routes last night........it's no where near imaginative offensive football.
Does the OL limit it? Probably.
The first drive of the second half, the protection was better and you saw the result. But it wasn't sustainable.
Assuming no dreadful injuries and that OBJ comes back Eli will have bright spots along with plenty of horrible play. That's him. At his age, with this OL, probably fewer bright spots than before (which isn't good since his crap to great ratio was always high for a top third NFL QB). But who knows - his greatest asset is his smarts and his uncanny ability to play far better at key times than his mean level of play. He's like John Daly. Don't count him out or assume the suckitude of last night will continue.
Now, I see him anticipating pressure. He isn't countering it when it comes and he's not capitalizing on the opportunities when it doesn't.
Well played, Sir!
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In comment 13593633 M.S. said:
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In comment 13593542 PatersonPlank said:
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fairly well. I don't think any QB could function with the right side of that line. Did you see Brady Thursday night, he hit 45% of his passes? Our OL sucks. Dallas rushes 4 players and still gets lots of pressure. Now they have 7 players back against our 3 or 4. No QB can function.
All that you say is true.
But Eli has become a transformed QB... and not for the better. He looks like an aging vet with little confidence and it certainly looks like he inspires little if any confidence in his team mates as well.
Right now, it's not about the "Good" Eli or "Bad" Eli... but the "Low Energy" Eli who can't lift the overall performance of his team mates.
Watch Carson Wentz highlights from yesterday and you'll see what I'm talking about. His pocket got very ugly yesterday and he turned in an inspiring performance.
Can Eli inspire anyone anymore? Not at his current voltage. Philly has got a brand, spanking new battery in its car (and so does Dallas). Our battery is past its warranty.
But here's the thing. You know what Eli is....it's the organization's job to build around that. Additionally, you drafted a guy who isn't that mobile either from what I read.
Hate to say it, but it's almost like you're setting him up for failure..............or hoping you catch lightening in a bottle and the OL suddenly "clicks".
You're paying Eli 24m/yr, he has a stud defense and weapons all over the place (even without OBJ). Where are we getting the resources to get him more? He's not playing up to his price tag, probably the only spot on the team that is underperforming it's cap value, we need to stop making excuses for him.
I'm afraid you're dead-on when you say Eli is not playing up to his contract numbers. Unfortunately, too much of his pay is based on his past glory. Not his current performance.
I still have faith in Eli... but we're all being treated to a very ugly scenario with this offense and the leader of this offense.
I guess it was collinsworth who said that, last year, 90% of our offensive plays were ran in the same set/formation.
did anyone else hear that?
Yes, he was right, 11 personnel group. 1 TE, and 1 RB.
They are going to use more formations this year.