By Anthony Cardone

“Geno Smith will start on Sunday instead of Eli Manning, and we feel he is the best chance for us to win right now.”

Those were not the words Giants fans, players or staff wanted to hear this past Tuesday from their head coach Ben McAdoo. Eli Manning has been the face of the franchise for almost two decades, and now he has been benched for their backup Geno Smith. Manning has played in 210 consecutive games ever since coming in for Terry Bradshaw 13 years ago. That streak is the second longest behind Brett Favre’s record of 297 games, but now it has been broken.

The Giants faced the Raiders in Oakland this Sunday, looking for their third win this year. Smith and the Giants fell behind quickly when Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch ran right through New York’s defense for a 51 yard touchdown. As Manning looked from the sidelines, it was Smith’s turn.

His first couple of drives were stopped by the Raiders, but they then had a drive go down to the one-yard line, where running back Orleans Darkwa punched it in to tie the game.

Then it got ugly. Smith was sacked on the next drive to fumble it and turn it over. The Giants gave up 10 more points, making the score 17-7. With five minutes left in the game, Smith connected with tight end Evan Engram for his first touchdown with the Giants.

Smith, trying to make a comeback in the fourth quarter, got sacked and fumbled it again which sealed the game for Oakland. He would finish 21-34 for 212 passing yards, one touchdown and two fumbles, but most importantly he could not get the win the Giants were looking for.

Hearing Manning was being benched was the last thing Giants fans wanted to hear, especially for a quarterback that had already struggled in New York, on the other side of town with the Jets. It seemed like a joke to New Yorkers, going from a possible Hall of Famer to a quarterback who has had no success in the NFL

There have been rumors that Manning will retire, after his father Archie said being benched broke his heart. Manning took it very professionally, and he plans to play next year. There are many teams that could use a two-time Super bowl champ like Manning on their roster, but Giants fans would be torn to see him go. The real man they want out of the clubhouse is their coach, and benching Manning was the last straw between McAdoo and the city of New York.