EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Stop referring to Eli Manning as the Giants' quarterback of the future. The job is his, now and for seemingly years to come.
The No. 1 pick in the NFL draft was given the starting job Monday after Tom Coughlin benched two-time MVP Kurt Warner following losses in three of the past four games.
"He is the future of the New York Giants, it just starts now," Coughlin said of Manning. "I really felt the last four games we haven't been playing well offensively. We just need to make a change."
Manning faces the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday at Giants Stadium in a game New York needs to win to renew its playoff hopes.
"It's exciting," said Manning, who has seen limited mop-up action in two games.
The change came less than a day after the offense struggled for the second straight week in a 17-14 loss in Arizona.
While Warner was professional in handling the change, the demotion caught the 33-year-old former Super Bowl MVP off-guard. He completed 19 of 31 passes for 193 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions in a game in which his offensive line did nothing to help him after the first quarter.
"My play yesterday I don't think had anything to do with that," Warner said. "Read into that as much as you want, but there is a bigger picture here. There's more things that are trying to be accomplished here, and that's why the decision was made."
Dolphins switch QBs
DAVIE - The Dolphins' new coach decided the team needs a change at quarterback, too.
A.J. Feeley will replace Jay Fiedler as the starter Sunday at Seattle, interim coach Jim Bates said. It's Miami's most significant personnel move since coach Dave Wannstedt resigned last week.
"It's time for A.J. to get an opportunity and see what he can do," Bates said. "He's ready to play for us, and ready to play well."
Acquired in March for a second-round draft pick, Feeley replaced Fiedler midway through the season opener, started the second and third games, then returned to the bench. He has thrown six interceptions, with three returned for scores, and just two of his 114 passes have gone for touchdowns.
With the Dolphins at 1-8 and numerous offseason decisions looming, playing Feeley provides a chance to gauge his potential. Asked if he'll remain No. 1 the rest of the season, Bates said, "We plan on A.J. playing well and playing well throughout."
Fiedler, who led the Dolphins to their lone victory, has a record of 37-24 as a starter.
Jags' Leftwich still out
JACKSONVILLE - Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio expects to be without quarterback Byron Left-wich one more game.
Leftwich returned to Birmingham, Ala., to be re-evaluated by orthopedist James Andrews in hopes of playing Sunday against Tennessee.
"He's trying like crazy to get cleared for the game," Del Rio said. "I still believe it's most likely that he'll be back next week (at Minnesota), but he's trying like crazy to get back for this week. We'll see how it goes."
Del Rio said he will know more Wednesday about Leftwich's availability.
Leftwich sprained a ligament in his left knee Oct. 31 against Houston and sat out Sunday's 23-17 overtime victory against Detroit, leaving David Garrard to make his second career start.
In the starting lineup for the first time in nearly two years, Garrard completed 19 of 36 passes for 198 yards and ended the game with a 36-yard TD strike to Jimmy Smith in overtime.
"I give him an A," Del Rio said. "It's a bottom-line business. David found a way to get a win. He did a nice job for us."
'Skins go with Ramsey
ASHBURN, Va. - Patrick Ramsey will start instead of Mark Brunell at quarterback for the Redskins, a move coach Joe Gibbs hopes will end the team's worst scoring drought in seven decades.
"We have to sink or swim with the way I feel about things," Gibbs said. "We're going to go with Patrick and hopefully he's going to play great for us, and we're all going to support him."
Gibbs benched Brunell in the second quarter of Sunday's 17-10 loss to the Bengals, but the coach waited until Monday to announce that Ramsey will start Sunday at Philadelphia.
"It'll be a tough assignment for him," Gibbs said. "It's probably the biggest underdog we've ever been going to Philly."
