The Facts: The Giants are set to begin the search for Manning's successor. "We always think about every position, but Eli is 36," GM Jerry Reese conceded in Monday's season-ending press conference. "We have started to think about who's the next quarterback, who's in line. So we'll look into that as we move through the offseason."

Diehards Line: The Giants roster lacks a developmental quarterback prospect. That's an obvious concern for a front office that watched Manning's offense fail to score 30 points in any game this season after topping the mark seven times in 2015. "Thirty-six, I don't think that's ancient for a quarterback," Reese continued. "I think he's probably on the back nine, but I don't think that's ancient for a quarterback." That said, Manning clearly regressed at age 35. The Giants failed to reach 20 points Sunday for the sixth consecutive game, a stretch of futility unmatched in Manning's 13-year career. Saddled with poor pass protection and an inept ground attack, Manning was asked to shoulder a heavy load in 2016. He couldn't deliver. Whether or not Manning returns to 2014-15 form, the Giants would be wise to shift him toward a caretaker role complementing a championship-level defense -- and, hopefully, an upgraded rushing attack -- as they search for their QB of the future.