Pat Shurmur gives Eli Manning weak endorsement as starter

Eli Manning still appears to be the starting quarterback of the New York Giants, but without much enthusiasm behind it.

Giants coach Pat Shurmur was again asked if Manning was still the starter, and his response was affirmative, if very reluctant.

“We’ll see,” Shurmur said Monday when asked if Manning would remain the starter, according to Matt Lombardo of NJ.com. “I think … Eli is our quarterback. I know that all of you are trying to tease a headline out of it. At this point, alright, Eli is our quarterback, and we’re looking at all areas to improve. That’s where it’s at.”

It’s a slightly firmer response than the one Shurmur gave Sunday. It’s still hardly a ringing endorsement, though the Giants are entering their bye week and he’ll have time to think it through. Manning may still lose his starting job, but if he doesn’t, it probably has more to do with the fact that the Giants lack an obvious replacement rather than Manning’s actual play.