Tuesday, January 26, 2021

The Last Start

 
The day was December 15th 2019. The NY Giants were playing at home against the Miami Dolphins and their starting QB Daniel Jones was out with an injury. So in came their backup quarterback....Eli Manning. It feels weird even typing Eli as a backup. 

The situation was what it was as the Giants needed to see what they had in Jones before the season ended and the feel was Eli was in his last season anyways. I also think it was good to have someone like Eli coach Jones up while he was still there.

Eli went on that day with 20-for-28 passing, 283 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions in a 36-20 win, which also snapped the Giants 9 game losing streak. I was not happy that I wasn't able to watch the game as the Patriots played on CBS instead, but at least the Pats game ended early so I could watch the very emotional ending at Metlife.

The chants Eli ruled the day as Manning was chanted before the first snap and his last and most of the 4th quarter. You could tell and feel the emotion across Eli's face every time he exited the field especially at the end of the game. Even at home I started chanting for Eli and felt emotional myself watching the quarterback who led my Giants to two Super Bowls victories over the hated Patriots exit the field for the final time as a NY Giants starting quarterback. The two Super Bowl wins were my first two wins I got to see as I wasn't into football back when the Giants won their first two.

 
When I found out that Panini had created one of the on-demand cards to commemorate Eli's last start I had to have it. I paid a little more than I usually do for a card like that but it was worth it to me. Looks like the price may have been a little more with only 86 made.

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