Eli Manning: Will QB Lead New York Giants Back to the Super Bowl Next Year?

With Eli Manning winning his second Super Bowl in the past four years, the discussion has been about the legacy of Manning and whether he is now a lock for the Hall of Fame.

What about next year? Can the Giants build on their success from this year and propel it into a good season next time around?

The Giants had their struggles this year before they had their run. They had to beat the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17 to get into the playoffs. After that win, the Giants used their momentum to carry them to the Super Bowl.

The Giants went through an identical trip to reach the Super Bowl during the 2007-08 season. As a Wild Card team, the Giants had to go through the top-seeded teams in the NFC on their way to the Super Bowl.

That seems to be the theme for the Giants. They keep their fans scratching their heads and on the edge of their seats in the regular season. Then, when the playoffs come around, the team looks unstoppable.

After Manning's first ring, the Giants went into the playoffs as the No. 1 seed, but lost in the divisional round to the Philadelphia Eagles.

For the 2012-13 season, Manning hopes he can accomplish back-to-back championships. This will not be an easy task, but here's why it can happen.

Manning is playing the best quarterback of his career. Each year he has shown improvements, with this year being no exception. Coming off a season in which he threw 25 interceptions, Manning cut down his interceptions to a respectable 16 this year.

Another good thing for Manning is the fact that he will have the same receiving corps to throw to next year.

Hakeem Nicks has some of the best hands in the league and always poses a threat to opposing defenses.

Victor Cruz, another favorite target of Manning's, emerged this year as a legitimate deep threat for the Giants. It seemed like every game, Manning and Cruz would hook up for a long pass and catch. Cruz can do it all for the Giants and will help Manning reach the Super Bowl again next year.

Manning also has the option of throwing to Mario Manningham. Manningham and Manning have good chemistry and work well together. As seen in the Super Bowl, Manningham can make the big catches when needed.

As mentioned before, Manning and Cruz were very effective on long pass plays. However, Manning is good at all of his deep passes. During the regular season, he was 37-of-98 for 1,153 yards and completed 18 passes of more than 40 yards, which led the NFL.

Manning also has what it takes to win in the fourth quarter. That means the Giants can never be counted out of any game. Manning had eight fourth-quarter comebacks this year, including one to win the Super Bowl.

A quarterback who can make comebacks like Manning has is something special. It gives the team confidence to know that they are never out of the game and will make them play hard until the end.

If there were a reason to say the Giants cannot win their second straight Super Bowl next year, it would be because of their competition.

In the NFC, the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints are strong teams that will cause problems for the Giants. However, the Giants have proved they can beat any team in this league and are not scared.

Manning can now be put in the category that Tom Brady has been in for years. It has always been said the Patriots have a shot at winning the Super Bowl because Brady is on the team. Now, the same can be said for Manning. He has the ability to overcome the Giants' weaknesses and lead them to another championship. 

This will also affect their regular season. Manning will have the confidence to get the job done and will want to have a strong regular season. 

Obviously, any team wants to earn a bye going into the playoffs. The Giants might want that more than any other team.

If they can go into the playoffs without fighting, then they can finally get some rest during the first round and play a game at home. Yes, the Giants are a good momentum team, but a bye enables them to still play hard all the way to the end of the season without resting players and be ready for the divisional round.

Next season will be an interesting one for Manning and the Giants. They have all the tools to position themselves as a top seed in the NFC. However, fans of the Giants might not want to hear that.

Considering the Giants perform better on the edge of elimination, maybe it's better if they lose some games to sneak into the playoffs at the end of the season.