Eli's Not Coming; Neither is Derek

By Howard Schlossberg

OK, I give up.

I have defended, upheld and touted Eli Manning’s records, performances and history forever, and now I stand on the brink. After those humiliating performances against Jacksonville and Dallas, he gets my scorn. Winnable games (but did anyone really think the Giants would beat a Tom Coughlin-managed team?).

And Derek Carr, we’re putting you on notice too (more on him in a moment).

Eli could be and should be a Hall-of-Famer, like his dad and brother. Two rings and two Super Bowl MVPs to go with them. A career winning record. More than 50,000 career passing yards. Two-tenths of a percentage point shy of a 60 percent career completion rate. One-hundred and ten more TDs than interceptions in his career. 

And now, surrounded by more weapons than Donald Trump claims to have military “fire and fury,” he still can’t produce much-needed wins for his team, a validating, necessary, playoff-driving win against, quite frankly, overrated Jacksonville and Dallas teams that have good defenses and that’s about it.

Eli, wherefore are thou?              

Unless you win this week against Houston, you’ll likely miss the playoffs again this season. You’ll have the Giants regretting their selection of Barkley to help now instead of Rosen to help when you’re gone.

Eli, go win Super Bowl No. 3 and you’re a lock for the Hall of Fame. Right now, fairly or not, you’re a debate.

And Derek, did you really think that new head coach Jon Gruden was going to make a quarterback out of you?

I watched so many Oakland games last season, and now one this season, where your throws are off target or regularly late.

Gruden has already been critical of you. He should be critical of himself – he was thoroughly outcoached in the opener especially by a guy young enough to be his son.

Derek Carr, you are overrated. Eli Manning, you are over-valued. Get to work, gentlemen. You’ve both got enough to do this week alone.

***

So who do CBS executives think they are, pro athletes, especially NFL players, in the league they telecast? And let’s not forget news anchor Charlie Rose. Or "Less" Moonves.

It’s bad enough that NFL Network personalities have been suspended, but all the players who have been too.

I guess that makes our president appropriate in being critical of them for not standing for the national anthem. No, wait (click on “No, wait” and check this out, please).

Yet, Trump is critical of them. He doesn’t live in the White House. He lives in a glass house.