For the first time in many moons Eli Manning is learning a foreign offense.
When Kevin Gilbride retired after 10 seasons with the New York Giants -- seven spent as the offensive coordinator -- the New York Giants imported Ben McAdoo. The new play-caller brought more uptempo, West Coast principles to Big Blue, so Manning has had to spend his offseason doing homework.
In a sit-down with NFL Media's Kimberly Jones, Giants coach Tom Coughlin said the renewed studying would be a boon for the veteran quarterback. The coach told Jones there is no doubt the new offense will get Manning back to playing at a championship level.
"There's no question in my mind about that," Coughlin said. "As a matter of fact, this studying part, it's a good thing. It is a good thing. And that's really what I wanted to go ahead and put in place, where the wheels for the veteran players, the wheels were really turning and so that was part of the objective."
Coming off a horrific season in 2013, Coughlin believes the refreshed offense will reboot all the Giants' offensive players who became stagnant in the old system.
"I think that process of having to really grind to go back to where you're learning something very, very fundamental and you can't assume a thing, even though there's vastness involved obviously it's not simple," Coughlin said. "...If Eli's grinding and studying and as smart as he is, you know those other guys have got to apply themselves as well. And since they're all in this same boat, the new, the old, whatever, I like it. I think it's a good thing."
Manning, 33, is entering his 11th season and coming off ankle surgery, but Coughlin pointed to the quarterback's iron man streak as a reason for optimism in 2014.
Coughlin and the Giants hope that Manning sticking his nose in a new playbook will not only bring a new style but also breathe fresh life into the signal-caller.
In the latest edition of the "Around The League Podcast," the guys make the case that multiple teams have closed the gap on the Seahawks and 49ers in the NFC.
