Eli's Last Stand

Thirteen years ago last month, on a humid 57degree late afternoon at Giants Stadium, Eli Manning made his NFL debut as a starting quarterback against Michael Vick and the Atlanta Falcons. Giants’ management and head coach Tom Coughlin had seen enough of Kurt Warner despite leading the Giants to a 5-4 record and wins over the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and Green Bay Packers. They needed to see Manning. And Warner, ever the class act, gracefully stepped aside to begin a new era in New York Giants football.

- Kevin Gleason

On Dec. 31 against Washington at MetLife Stadium, the Giants must properly close a dismal season amid a special era in team history. As New York City prepares to showcase the epitome of excess with its New Year’s Eve gathering, Manning should by most accounts be playing his final game as Giants quarterback.

Ignore John Mara’s pat answer to The Daily News that he wants Manning back next season. It’s Mara’s only available response without a general manager and coach in place, and the draft four months away. He just got a clear view of the media and fan vitriol that comes with going against Manning. The Giants’ owner isn’t going to take a dip into those waters until it’s absolutely necessary. But it’s time for Giants fans to accept the inevitable change and send Manning out with a special goodbye in the final game of a lost season. He will be back on another occasion for Eli Manning Day, but New Year’s Eve should be reserved for an unofficial Manning party filled with Eli shirts and those jersey-clad ex-players who talked about making a statement when he was benched.

They will thank him as best they can for delivering two Super Bowl titles. They will forget his flaws, at least temporarily, his at times maddening inconsistency and decision-making, while remembering his clutch play and model franchise representative.