Giants vs Packers: Why Eli Manning Can Finally Silence All Critics by Beating GB

When the New York Giants travel to face the Green Bay Packers in a Divisional Round matchup Sunday, the game will feature two quarterbacks in Eli Manning of the Giants and Aaron Rodgers of the Packers who combined to throw for over 9,500 yards and 74 touchdowns this season.

Rodgers is universally considered to be among the best players in the NFL at his position, but for Manning it's a different story, as although the eighth-year veteran proclaimed himself among the league's elite quarterbacks, there are plenty of folks who would debate that assertion.

Manning's supporters would point to his three straight 4,000 yard passing seasons as proof that he ranks among the very best signal-callers in the National Football League, as well as his ability to come up big when it matters most, best evidenced by the magical run he led the Giants on following the 2007 season that culminated in a win over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

Manning's detractors would point just as enthusiastically at his 129 career interceptions, rather pedestrian 82.1 career QB rating, penchant for making questionable decisions at times and the fact that the Giants missed the postseason altogether the past two years as evidence that while Manning may be a solid quarterback, he's far from "elite".

That's what makes Sunday's matchup with the Green Bay Packers so essential for Manning's "mystique".

If he can lead the New York Giants to yet another underdog victory over a team considered by most to be one of the best squads of the past decade, in Lambeau Field no less, then it will be hard for his critics to at the very least not concede that Manning is one of the most clutch performers at his position in recent memory, and wins and losses (especially in the playoffs) mean a lot more than QB rating at the end of the day.

However, should Manning falter and turn the ball over as the Giants get rolled by the Green Bay Packers the whispers will only grow that Manning, while talented, is basically a good, but not great player that outside of one special stretch in the playoffs one year has done nothing to justify his own proclamations.

So Eli, it's simple really. Put up, and they'll shut up.

And for the love of God stop making those Oreo commercials. They're just terrible.