Not long after Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott made the dubious decision of benching Tyrod Taylor for Nathan Peterman, the New York Giants made a head-scratching quarterback move of their own.
New York coach Ben McAdoo opted to sit Eli Manning in favor of Geno Smith after the Giants fell to 2-9 last week. The decision brings an end to Manning’s incredible 210 consecutive games started streak.
It’s important to note that the two teams were in very different spots when these decisions were made. The Bills were, and are currently still, in the middle of a playoff race, while the Giants’ postseason hopes have been toast for a while now.
Still, it was startling to see the vitriol pointed the Giants’ way after the decision was announced, with numerous media types deriding the move and pointing to it as further proof of New York’s fall from grace as a respectable franchise.
Which leaves us with the question of Eli Manning, who may very well have played his last snap in a New York Giants uniform. While his play has deteriorated over the past few years (though his supporting cast hasn’t helped much), Manning is one of the very few quarterbacks in history to own two Super Bowl rings.
Some fans — especially those from the Boston, Massachusetts area — would point to those two Giants’ titles as the product of sheer luck and happenstance, as well as a very strong defense. And even during those Super Bowl seasons, Eli Manning wasn’t exactly putting up Peyton Manning-like numbers.
But at the end of the day, two rings is two rings no matter how you get them. Which is why it’s a shame that the Giants have marred the final days of arguably their greatest quarterback in such an ugly manner.
New England at Buffalo
If the Bills can get LeSean McCoy going on the ground, they have a chance to score some points against New England. But no matter how many they score, it likely won’t be enough to keep up with Tom Brady and the New England offense.
Nick’s pick: PATRIOTS
Minnesota at Atlanta
After some midseason struggles, the Falcons have rebounded nicely and are looking a lot like the team that went to the Super Bowl last season. But the Vikings have been absolutely rolling of late, and look like they might be able to make the (short) trip to this year’s Super Bowl.
Nick’s pick: VIKINGS
San Francisco at Chicago
Two teams looking towards the future try to improve their records — though possibly to the detriment of their respective draft position. Chicago has a solid defense that ought to stifle new 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo.
Nick’s pick: BEARS
Tampa Bay at Green Bay
The Packers showed a lot of fight in last week’s heartbreaking loss to the Steelers on Sunday night, proving they can still compete without Aaron Rodgers. Tampa Bay’s QB is also dealing with injury issues, as Jameis Winston will try to battle back and keep the Bucs’ miniscule playoff hopes alive.
Nick’s pick: PACKERS
Houston at Tennessee
A huge game for the Titans, as they need a victory to keep pace with Jacksonville in the AFC South hunt. Meanwhile, the Texans will attempt to play spoiler with their own playoff chances essentially nonexistent. I smell an upset.
Nick’s pick: TEXANS
Denver at Miami
Not much to see here; just two teams each in the midst of multi-week nosedives. How the Dolphins have scrabbled four wins together remains a mystery, as is how the Broncos were ever considered serious contenders earlier this year.
Nick’s pick: BRONCOS
Kansas City at N.Y. Jets
Is there any team in the league that needs a win worse than the Chiefs? The calls for rookie Patrick Mahomes to replace Alex Smith are getting louder by the week. The Jets are no pushovers, but Andy Reid should be able to regroup after a pitiful outing against the Bills last week.
Nick’s pick: CHIEFS
Indianapolis at Jacksonville
The Jaguars are a puzzling team: they have arguably the league’s best defense, but the ineffectiveness of Blake Bortles at quarterback could very well undermine any chance at contention. They need to be aware of a trap game, as the Colts have been showing more fight in recent weeks.
Nick’s pick: JAGUARS
Detroit at Baltimore
Here we see two teams that are stubbornly hanging around their respective playoff hunts. Despite Joe Flacco’s utter ineptitude at QB, the Ravens defense has been good enough that it hasn’t mattered as much as it should. Against a Lions offense that can’t run the ball at all, they should be able to eke out another close win.
Nick’s pick: RAVENS
Cleveland at L.A. Chargers
The Chargers ought to be able to continue their current hot streak against the winless Browns. Los Angeles is looking to become the only team since 1990 other than the (as luck would have it) San Diego Chargers to make the playoffs after starting 0-4. If the Chiefs continue to collapse, it’s very much in play.
Nick’s pick: CHARGERS
N.Y. Giants at Oakland
Arguably the two most disappointing teams in the league relative to preseason expectations. While the Giants’ season is all but over (and with big changes on the horizon with the benching of Eli Manning), the Raiders still have a chance to salvage theirs. Their struggling defense could be due for a rebound against the one and only Geno Smith.
Nick’s pick: RAIDERS
Carolina at New Orleans
While these two NFC South squads share the same record (8-3), the Saints have looked like the much better team in recent weeks, even taking into account last week’s loss to the Rams. The winner of this game is in the driver’s seat for the division lead and a possible first round bye.
Nick’s pick: SAINTS
L.A. Rams at Arizona
The Cardinals’ dramatic win over the Jaguars might have been the most surprising result of last week. Despite suffering major injuries on the offense, the Cardinals are still alive in the NFC. Unfortunately, they’re running up against a Rams squad that is playing as well as anybody.
Nick’s pick: RAMS
Philadelphia at Seattle
This would’ve been a fantastic matchup if Seattle wasn’t so decimated by injuries. As it stands, the matchup between Carson Wentz and Russell Wilson should still be fascinating to watch, especially with regards to how Wentz handles a hostile Seattle environment.
Nick’s pick: EAGLES
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati
Pittsburgh fans have to be happy with the results, but there also has to be some concern with how routinely the Steelers play down to the level of their opponents. This week they face another inferior opponent in prime time, a game that they should win handily. But don’t be surprised if the Bengals present some problems on both sides of the ball.
Nick’s pick: STEELERS

Last week: 9-4
Overall: 97-51