Eli Manning vs. RG3: Which Quarterback Faces More Pressure to Perform in 2012?

Yesterday, we claimed that Tony Romo faces more pressure than anyone in the NFC East, while noting that Romo and Michael Vick topped the list of players facing pressure in the NFL's most popular division.

We also noted that Eli Manning could kick his feet up with two Super Bowl rings and Robert Griffin III would be able to start his career without an overbearing sense of urgency. 

But every NFL quarterback faces significant pressure to perform, and that's always the case in the NFC East. So between Manning and Griffin, which pivot will face more of it in 2012?

Despite another championship under his belt, I'm going with Manning. Here's why:

At the age of 31, he's only now finally being looked at as an elite quarterback

Manning has to follow up that heroic Super Bowl victory with a legit elite season. And statistically speaking, it's hard to argue that he's ever had one of those. He's never had a passer rating above 93.1 or a completion percentage above 62.9. He's never thrown more than 31 touchdown passes and is only one year removed from a 25-interception campaign.

He had less to lose after leading the league in picks in 2010, but now Manning has set the bar ridiculously high for himself. Remember, this is a guy who only six games ago completed just nine of his 27 pass attempts in a crucial December matchup with the Jets.

They're using the "D" word

Justin Tuck earlier this month, via the New York Post: "You get that the first time you're in awe. You win a second one you think 'Maybe we can do something here.' Let's make it a dynasty. We want to make it a dynasty.''

Tuck isn't doing his quarterback a lot of favors with comments like those. After all, the Giants might not even be favorites in their own division. This is a team that went 9-7 last year, allowing more points than they scored and barely sneaking into the playoffs. 

The problem is, now there's somewhat of a mystical aura attached to this team. They've defied the odds in historic fashion twice in five years, so who's to say they can't do it again? It's unbelievably difficult to repeat nowadays, but the Giants have already pulled off so many unbelievably difficult feats that they might have amplified their own expectations to a level that trumps reality.

Tim Tebow's in town

Manning has joked on several occasions about being the third-most talked-about quarterback in New York. He says it doesn't faze him, but why does he keep bringing it up and why is he even noticing?

The presence of Tebow and Mark Sanchez shouldn't change Manning's expectations, but if either quarterback starts doing big things with the Jets, Manning will inevitably feel added pressure.

Like I said in regard to Romo on Wednesday, the fans have a taste of success now. Does that cause them to give the franchise quarterback more leeway, or does the championship blood in the water only boost their appetite? 

Meanwhile, Redskins fans have gotten more used to failure. They'll understand if their rookie signal-caller has growing pains. That said, the pressure is still immense because Griffin is expected to eventually become the superhero that saves the franchise from its past.

And of course, it doesn't help his cause that the 'Skins spent four significant draft picks on him, mortgaging the future for their knight in burgundy armor. 

If that weren't the case, and if recent rookie success stories such as Cam Newton, Andy Dalton, Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco hadn't raised the bar so high, and if the NFC East weren't so stacked under center, this would be close to a pressure-free rookie year for RG3. 

But nowadays, there's no such thing as a pressure-free season in the land of pro quarterbacks, especially in the NFC East. Griffin will just have to solace in being the division's least pressured pivot. 

For now.