QB Manning will have to play his way out of slump

Coach Tom Coughlin has no intention of benching his quarterback.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) -- Eli Manning is going to have to play himself out of a slump because New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin has no intention of benching him or changing his offensive coordinator.
Coughlin had trouble explaining on Tuesday what has happened to Manning and his offense in losing the last two games and falling into a first-place tie with Dallas (6-4) in the NFC East.
Manning has simply been horrible the past two weeks. The No. 1 pick in the 2004 draft has completed 33 of 73 passes for 351 yards, four interceptions and one touchdown in losses to the Bears and the Jaguars. He also has lost a fumble and seemingly turned the wrong way on a hand-off to open the second half Monday night, although his foot might have been stepped on during the play, knocking him off-balance.
What is more of a concern for Coughlin and the Giants was Manning for the first time this season looked rattled in the 26-10 loss at Jacksonville. Not only were his passes off-line, but one third-quarter play in particular was very shaky.
Under a heavy blitz, Manning seemed to panic, lost the ball when hit, and the fumble was returned for a touchdown. Luckily for him, the Jaguars were penalized and the touchdown was nullified.
Comeback strategy
"I just think it's a matter of he has to work his way out of it," Coughlin said. "He has to play his way out of it."
Coughlin plans to spend the next day figuring how to get his offense back on track, an approach he used during the bye week when New York's defense seemed to be struggling.
The offense helped solve that problem by playing a ball-control game.
However, the offense has been pitiful the past two games, limited to 56 plays in each. That has caused a banged-up defense to stay on the field longer than anyone wants.
"You're out of sync, you're out of whack," Coughlin said in describing his offense. "There is no momentum, there isn't any flow to your game because the offense is not playing very well."
Tiki Barber wasn't much help Monday night, rushing 10 times for 27 yards while dropping a couple of short passes. The receivers also didn't come up with big plays, the most notable a drop by Plaxico Burress on a 53-yard pass with New York down 16-10 early in the fourth quarter.
"I think everyone is frustrated," Coughlin said. "He [Manning] doesn't have the corner market on frustration. I would look hard for that, but I don't think rattled is necessarily the case. I think he is anxious about making a play."
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