NEW YORK GIANTS head coach Ben McAdoo insisted he has no regrets about how the benching of quarterback Eli Manning was handled and he is “on the same page” as team co-owner John Mara.
McAdoo controversially ended Manning’s streak of 210 consecutive regular-season starts but naming the 36-year-old on the bench for Sunday’s NFL showdown with the Oakland Raiders.
The decision sparked outrage but McAdoo told reporters on Friday: “I don’t have any regrets there.”
McAdoo said on Tuesday the plan was to start Manning in the matchup with the Raiders and replace him with Geno Smith for the second half.
On Wednesday, Mara said that the plan was to start Manning and keep him in the game “if he’s playing well in the first half, we’re winning the game, it looks like we’ve got a chance, the offense is clicking.”
Manning was not interested in the plan McAdoo put forward and suggested Smith should just start the game.
“I’m confident and comfortable with our lines of communication,” McAdoo said of Mara.
While McAdoo is taking serious heat for benching Manning, he said the decision was made with the best interests of the 2-9 Giants in mind.
“You have to take the emotions out of it,” he said. “You have to take any accomplishments out of it and evaluate the roster. It doesn’t mean it’s the end of the road for anybody.”
McCloskey, Hanrahan and McGrath. Particularly pleased to see those three names in the line-up.
Depth of Irish squad is something to behold. Really interesting group of players – possibly even a few bolters for the RWC squad in there? Reid, Ruddock, McCloskey perhaps? Surprised to see Duncan Casey not selected though – he’s been in very good form of late. Similarly Collie O’Shea or Garry Ringrose, just to see how they’d fare?
Gary Ringrose will be playing at the under 20 World Cup. Ronan O Mahoney deserved a place on this squad, along with Duncan casey. Don’t see the point in bringing billy holland, who has had a really good season but he’s in his 30s using he?
So, I guess it’s something like:
1s: Cronin, Buckley, Warwick
2s: Herring, Heffernan
3s: Archer, Bealham
locks: Holland, Marshall, Stevenson
back-row: Ruddock, Masterson, McKeon, Leavy, Taggart
9s: Cooney, McGrath
10s: Hanrahan, Scannell
centres: McCloskey, Reid, Griffin
back three: Healy, Conway, O’Halloran, Nelson, Kelleher
I wonder why John Ryan, Duncan Casey, Tadhg Furlong, Jack O’Donoghue, Jack Conan and Ronan O’Mahony weren’t selected
Can only assume the Furlong and Casey are in the running to be part of the main training squad. O’Mahony and Conan exclusion seems daft considering how far they have come on this season and while I know O Donoghue is only well started everything he does screams future international….
No Duncan Casey?
Archer and Holland???? Holland is too old and Archer can’t scrummage.
If there was a better player than Holland available then he wouldn’t be going.
Could have picked a much stronger squad imo. From a Munster perspective, I would much rather see JOD, Casey and ROM in there than Holland and Archer. Conan should be there too as well as Furlong. Still, it’s good to see talent like McCloskey, McGrath and JJ being recognised.
Delighted to see lots of young talents being given the chance to improve and put their hands up for the future.Griffen has being doing well at Irish and playing abroad should not be punished. As a Connacht fan after Ireland I am so pleased Matt Healy is being given a chance, he has a great kick and chase game and seems to be able to get through the eye off the needle a lot. And Denis Buckely is just unbelievable, solid at scrummage and so tenacious at turn over ball, remember the game in Thomond with was it 7 turn overs ? Quinlan couldn’t stop talking him. Best of luck too all involved maybe even a few RWC wild cards in there!!
Great to see Kelleher getting recognition for a great season