The New York Giants are 2-10 and heading into a primetime divisional matchup this week on Monday night football. The Giants will travel to Philadephia and take on the Eagles who are fighting for a spot in the playoffs. This matchup would have been Daniel Jones’s first time experiencing the Eagles’ crowd on Prime Time, a daunting task for any quarterback, let alone a rookie.
Unfortunately, it seems likely that we will have to wait until 2020 to see Danny Dimes face off against the Eagles in Philadelphia. The ankle injury Jones suffered last week against the Green Bay Packers makes it “very likely” that he will miss this week’s game, and Eli Manning will start in his place.
Daniel Jones Injury Report
Daniel Jones’s injury occurred on his 4th and 2 rushing attempts against the Packers. Daniel was not afraid of the contact and muscled his way for a first down. However, Jones did injure his ankle on the play. Jones stayed in and finished the game, but an MRI this week indicated that the injury might be more severe than the Giants initially believed it to be.
Here's how Jones injured the ankle: 265-pound linebacker Preston Smith landed with all of his weight on Jones' right leg. This happened midway through the second quarter. Jones didn't miss a snap and finished the game pic.twitter.com/wGn6CvzZVC
— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) December 4, 2019
Daniel Jones was unable to practice Wednesday as he was in a protective boot. The injury has been classified as a “moderate-high ankle sprain.” Pat Shurmur admitted that if the Giants had a game to play tomorrow, Daniel Jones would not be able to play.
Shurmur has not officially declared Eli Manning the starter this week, but he did say it is “very likely” that Daniel Jones will not be able to play. The Giants’ head coach also stated that as soon as Daniel Jones is healthy again, he will start again.
The Return of Eli Manning
Eli Manning’s season was presumed over after being benched for Daniel Jones in week three. Jones started in each of the last eleven games, but his start-streak is likely coming to an end. Eli Manning will have the opportunity to step in and face off with his nemesis Eagles one last time.
This game could end up being Eli’s “farewell tour.” It was reported that Manning was not interested in a “farewell tour” or any other “ceremonial nonsense,” but with Jones injured, Eli is ready to return to the starting lineup. Daniel Jones expects to return to the starting lineup before the season’s end, but Manning is prepared to play for as long as he is needed.
These will likely be Eli Manning’s last snaps in a New York Giants uniform. But Eli has not made any decisions about his future, and he is not worried about showcasing his talents for next year. The veteran quarterback said he takes it one game at a time and does not make decisions about his future while living in the present. Manning stated that he would analyze everything after the season.
Eli Manning will step in with a tough task on the table. The 5-7 Eagles are motivated to make the playoffs and have gotten the better of the Giants in each of the last four matchups. The Eagles-Giants all-time series is tied at 86-86-2, so this tiebreaker game would be a poetic sendoff to Eli Manning’s legendary career.