New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur announced quarterback Eli Manning will start Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers.
Shurmur also announced the team will not suspend backup quarterback Kyle Lauletta after his arrest last week. Lauletta will still face “internal consequences” for his actions.
The Giants are 1-7 and entered their bye week with questions as to who would be their starting quarterback for the second half of the season.
Shurmur said he had multiple conversations with Manning over the weekend.
“I also explained to Eli that everybody needs to play better and, as we go through this, it’s important we’re not almost in these games,” Shurmur said. “We do what we have to do to get it over the top and win football games.”
The Giants average just 18.8 points per game, ranked 27th in the league. Manning has been sacked a league-high 31 times. He threw eight touchdowns and eight interceptions in the Giants’ first eight games. Although he will start against San Francisco, he hasn’t been given a vote of confidence past Monday night’s game.
“I told him he’s starting Monday,” Shurmur said. “You guys roll with it how you want with the idea that he’s going to get us on a run here. There will be no decision to make. Part of the conversation was, ‘We trust you, we want to work with you and we trust the fact that you’re going to get in there and help us win football games.’”
Lauletta apologized to the Giants, fans, and his family for his actions last Tuesday. He was charged with “various motor vehicle and related disorderly persons offense” in relation to a traffic violation in Weehawken, New Jersey.
“The incident that happened last week is a terrible representation of who I am and what I stand for,” Lauletta said. “I do recognize that those cops have a very difficult job, an important job at that. I’ve seen that intersection when there are no officers and it’s very chaotic. I respect those guys and can’t say I’m sorry enough about what happened. All I can do now is move forward with my actions and my work ethic.”
Lauletta attempted to make a right turn from the wrong lane in his Jaguar to get to Route 495 West, according to a statement from the Weehawken Police Department. He was told to keep going straight but Lauletta almost struck an officer while making the illegal turn and “refused various instructions” after he was stopped by another officer at the end of the on-ramp.
Police also said Lauletta’s car was involved in a similar incident the previous day. A summons was issued by mail after the car did not stop and left the scene.
The incident may have pushed back the timetable for getting Lauletta on the field.
“Disappointed because, especially with a quarterback, you’re looking at decision-making in all facets of a player’s life,” Shurmur said. He also noted “quarterbacks should be early” instead rushing to get to the practice facility.
Lauletta is a 2018 fourth-round pick out of Richmond. He has yet to appear in a regular-season game.
– Curtis Rawls is a Managing Editor for Full Press Coverage and covers the NFL, the New York Giants, and the NBA. Please like and follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Twitter. Curtis can be followed on Twitter @CuRawls203.
