Giants' Carr works up sweat in Eli's absence
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Shortly after he stepped into the huddle to call the play – assuming the role of New York Giants starting quarterback after Eli Manning left practice early with a stomach bug – David Carr heard the first barb:
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" lineman Chris Snee joked.
Yeah, David Carr is sure.
Ten years after dealing with the pressure of being the face of the franchise with the new Houston Texans, stepping in for one of the faces of the league is no big deal.
"I have a real comfort level with this offense," he said. "Being here three of the last four years, I know all of the calls."
No one believes Manning will not be ready for Sunday's NFC championship game in San Francisco. Manning, after all, hasn't missed a start since taking over as the Giants' starter in 2004. But should something happen to knock any starter out of a title game this weekend, the Giants may be in the best position to absorb the blow.
Sunday's NFC championship marks only the second title game to feature two No. 1 overall picks at quarterback as Manning will go up against the Niners' Alex Smith. (Vinny Testaverde and the Jets against John Elway and the Broncos in the AFC title game in 1998-99 was the other.)
Carr, the third No. 1 overall pick in the game, is a nice safety net. Even if he hasn't thrown a pass all season.
At least in a game.
"I get the same amount of reps and throws [during practice]," Carr said. "I'm just not running our plays."
Carr runs the scout team in practice. He did it Wednesday, emulating Smith – the player he backed up last year in San Francisco. Then, when Manning was pulled after only a few reps, Carr stepped in for him.
No problem, he said. "I got a good sweat."
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Being ready – but rarely called upon – is all part of the deal of being the backup.
"Every Wednesday I've come out, I've expected to go out there and practice," he said. "When [Eli] goes out there, I realize it's not my turn. This time I got to go out there and do it."
Carr knew Wednesday's practice wasn't about getting him ready, but getting the Giants' offense ready.
"What I tried to do was copy what he would do so it would go as normal as possible," he said.
It's a true veteran move, a role Carr has filled nicely with the Giants, even if – at 32 – he is only a year older than Manning.
Carr, of course, was supposed to be Manning. Or, at least, a franchise quarterback when the Texans made him their first-ever draft pick, No. 1 overall in 2002.
He started all 16 games for the team that fall – a situation neither he nor the team was ready for. Carr was sacked an NFL record 76 times as the Texans limped to a 4-12 mark.
Carr lasted five seasons with the Texans, never getting them near the playoffs, before the two decided to part ways. He started four games the following year for Carolina, but hasn't played much since, throwing only 58 passes the next four seasons.
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He said he's learned more as a backup than he did as a starter.
"When you first come into the league you don't realize how important the coaching is," he said. "You think, how many plays can there be?"
Since coming to the Giants and working with head coach Tom Coughlin and offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, he's seen the difference.
Like any athlete, he'd love to have another chance to be a starter. But at this point, simply starting wouldn't be the only factor.
"It would have to be the right situation," he said. "I've been in bad situations before – and I don't want to go through that again."
Carr isn't envious of Manning. In fact, he's as appreciative as anyone. And as much as he tried to copy his every moment during his moment in the practice spotlight, he knew he didn't really compare.
"I'm a little shorter," he said, "and a little better looking."
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