I am a die-hard Eagles fan and I admit I can be a little biased at times. Who isn't? And I hate the Giants and Cowboys, like every other Philly guy.
I hate all the big-name guys: Romo, Eli, T.O., Plax, Roy Williams, and so on. I feel most of them get too much hype and they're just not that good.
But I do have to say one thing. I have never given this man his due, but Eli Manning is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
I hate to admit that. I really do. I love watching his failures: from his first NFL game ever when Jerome McDougle jacked him up and spun his head around, to his first two playoff losses.
I didn't think he would make it as an NFL quarterback. I was one of those critics who kept comparing him to his older brother.
I ignored the fact that Peyton lost his first three playoff appearances, and that Eli had more playoff wins after four seasons than Peyton had after eight.
And I said Eli would never develop into the type of quarterback who could be counted on when the stakes are high.
And even after Eli played well down the stretch last season, outplaying Jeff Garcia, Tony Romo, Brett Favre, and three-time Super Bowl champ Tom Brady, I still didn't believe in him. I thought he just got lucky.
Look at his regular-season numbers from last year. His 20 interceptions led the NFL. He completed just 56.1 percent of his passes, a lower percentage than Brodie Croyle.
Also, his 6.31 yards per attempt was lower than both Kyle Boller and Joey Harrington, two QBs who shouldn't be allowed to start in the NFL. He really wasn't that good.
So while I was willing to admit that Eli did play well in the postseason (no interceptions in the first three rounds of the playoffs, and the Super Bowl MVP award in an improbable win over the undefeated Patriots) I still didn't believe in him.
I thought he had a few lucky games when it really counted. And I chose to give the credit for the Super Bowl win to the Giants' D and that dominating line of theirs.
However, this year, I have to give Eli his due. He has the Giants at 11-1 and tied for the best record in football. He's matured as a quarterback, and no stat is more evident in that regard than his interceptions.
Eli has cut down on his mistakes, with just eight picks this season. He's completed 62 percent of his passes and his 91.0 passer rating is well above his previous career high.
3 comments Last one added 7 months ago — Leave a Comment
Edgar Antonio Nunez 7 months ago
Cody, nice article. Right now, things look really good for the Giants (on the football field). And you're right, Eli's a big reason for that. I wouldn't say he has less play makers, the Giants just have more players that don't crave the spotlight as much. Burress can be one of the last ones, after the team shed players like Shockey, Barber, even Strahan.
I think the football world IS witnessing the maturation of Eli. He's getting better each week. The fact is that, he's only in his fifth season. He just had a lot to live up to and he's now responding. Hopefully, he'll keep up the pace.
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Robert Zendzian 7 months ago
Eli looks good, no doubt, I just want to see how he finishes the season off against 3 really hard teams after dropping a horribly played game against the Eagles (not Eli's fault!!). Especially since they already wrapped up the division and the games do not mean as much, I still am waiting to see consistancy every down and every play. I want to know what to expect and I still see him make ill advised throws when he gets a little flustered. He is close to being the best in the league, just needs a little more work.
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Cody Swartz 7 months ago
That Eagles' D sure gave him trouble, but Eli's receivers sure didn't help him out. Hixon's awful drop was the worst drop I have ever seen. Steve Smith dropped another one on a key fourth down. Take away those two and Eli probably would have hit close to 200 yards and two touchdowns.
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