Eli Manning: Why He'll Always Be in Big Brother Peyton's Shadow

Eli Manning and the New York Giants are on fire right now, and there's buzz around the league that Manning will lead his team to another Super Bowl this year.

Well, it's not even halfway through the regular season, so let's not get ahead of ourselves and anoint the Giants as the NFC favorite.

They may be a good football team, but they have the wrong Manning brother behind center.

Eli is a good NFL quarterback, but he'll never be a bigger star or a better football player than Peyton. Case closed.

It doesn't really matter what Eli does for the remainder of his career—Pro Bowls, Super Bowls, whatever—Peyton is one of the biggest stars the game of football has ever seen.

And Eli will always live in his shadow.

There's nothing wrong with that. About 99.9 percent of quarterbacks who've ever played the game are in the same boat.

But here are the top 10 reasons why Eli will never live up to the standards that Peyton has set.

10. Celebrity Status

Jemal Countess/Getty Images

Eli Manning and Peyton Manning at the 2005 Fantasy Football Training Camp held at the South Street Seaport on July 18, 2005 in New York City (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images)

Eli Manning plays in New York, the Big Apple, the place where the media jumps on every aspect of every famous athlete's life, whether it's on or off the field.

Peyton Manning plays in Indianapolis, a place where he just goes to work everyday, free from the hounding media that dogs New York athletes.

Yet, Peyton is still the media's favorite Manning brother.

If Peyton walked down one side of the street in New York and Eli walked down the other, I don't think there's any doubt who the people who would flock to.

Manning's celebrity status dwarfs that of Eli.

9. Saturday Night Live

When Peyton Manning hosted Saturday Night Live, I seriously could not stop laughing throughout the entire episode

Peyton just oozes with charisma every time he acts. Whatever "it" is, he has it.

I'm not sure Eli has the same appeal that Peyton does, although there aren't many professional athletes who do.

But I'll give Eli his props because he performed pretty damn well alongside Peyton in this classic ESPN commercial.

8. Flip Flop

Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images

NEW YORK - JUNE 14: (R) Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning throw NERF footballs at the NERF Father's Day Football Throwdown on June 14, 2008 at Chelsea Piers in New York. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/G

If you put Eli on the Colts and Peyton on the Giants, what would happen?

I'd say that Indianapolis probably loses four or five wins per season while New York likely takes over as the best team in the NFL.

The Colts are only as good as they are because Peyton is irreplaceable.

But there are probably seven or eight quarterbacks who could replace Eli on the Giants, and the team wouldn't suffer or would actually improve.

7. Statistics

Scott Boehm/Getty Images

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - OCTOBER 10: Peyton Manning #18 of the Indianapolis Colts drops back to pass against the Kansas City Chiefs at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 10, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Colts defeated the Chiefs 19-9. (Photo by Scott Boehm/Gett

For his career, Peyton has five seasons with at least 30 touchdown passes, has thrown at least 25 touchdowns every season and is on pace to top 30 touchdowns again.

He's also topped 4,000 passing yards in all but one season and threw 49 touchdowns during the 2004-05 season.

Eli, on the other hand, has thrown more than 24 touchdowns only once in his career and has only 40 more touchdowns (139) than interceptions (99).

Despite the arguments to the contrary, the statistical battle between the two isn't even close.

6. Ability

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 25: Quarterback Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants looks to pass against the Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys Stadium on October 25, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

I've heard arguments before that Eli is the more talented quarterback of the two.

Well, I'll give Eli a tie--or maybe even a very slight edge--over Peyton in one area: arm strength.

But that is the only aspect of their games that is even remotely comparable.

Eli simply is the less talented gunslinger in the family, and that's not going to change this late in Eli's NFL career.

5. Sibling Rivalry

Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images

NEW YORK - JUNE 14: (L-R) Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning attends the NERF Father's Day Football Throwdown on June 14, 2008 at Chelsea Piers in New York City. (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Imag

Anyone who has an accomplished older sibling knows the feeling that Eli has. Basically everything that he achieves comes after Peyton has already done that very same thing.

Eli won the Super Bowl, but Peyton already had.

Eli made the Pro Bowl, but Peyton already had.

Every time that Eli reached a goal or dream of his, it was already old news by then.

Trust me, it's hard to outdo the first-born child.

4. Field General

Marc Serota/Getty Images

JACKSONVILLE, FL - OCTOBER 03: Quarterback Peyton Manning #18 of the Indianapolis Colts throws while taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field on October 3, 2010 in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars won 31-28. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Ima

Peyton's job title should be "quarterback, offensive coordinator and head coach" instead of just quarterback.

Seriously, no quarterback in recent memory—and maybe ever--has manipulated opposing defenses prior to the snap more than Peyton.

He just toys with opposing defenses so much that they have absolutely no idea what's about to hit them.

Eli, though very good, just hasn't nailed down the mental aspects of playing quarterback that Peyton has mastered.

3. Marketability

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - SEPTEMBER 10: Quarterback Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants (L) congratulates his brother quarterback Peyton Manning #18 of the Indianapolis Colts on his 26-21 victory on September 10, 2006 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford,

If your last name is Manning, you'll probably be a marketable guy. Heck, I think even Cooper could be a product spokesman if he wanted to.

But even if Eli appears in a bunch of advertisements over the remainder of his career, he'll never be as big of a popular culture icon as Peyton: the most marketable player in the NFL.

Seriously, how many commercials has Peyton been in?

I've lost count. The guy is everywhere. 

2. Manning Bowl

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

INDIANAPOLIS - SEPTEMBER 19: Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants and Peyton Manning #18 of the Indianapolis Colts embrace following the Colts 38-14 win at Lucas Oil Stadium on September 19, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Im

In the first "Manning Bowl," Peyton's Colts beat Eli's Giants on Sunday Night Football in 2006.

That was only Eli's second year as the team's starter though, so Manning Bowl II probably provides a more fair assessment of who is the better Manning brother.

Well, the Colts destroyed the Giants, 38-14.

Peyton 2. Eli 0.

1. Four MVPs

Win McNamee/Getty Images

LANDOVER, MD - OCTOBER 17: Quarterback Peyton Manning #18 of the Indianapolis Colts throws a pass against the Washington Redskins at FedExField on October 17, 2010 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Only one person in the history of the NFL has won four Most Valuable Player awards, and his name is Peyton Manning.

Peyton has solidified his spot as the greatest quarterback of his generation—sorry, Tom Brady and Brett Favre—and he's one of the five top gunslingers of all time.

I'm sure there are plenty of people who disagree with that, but let's just agree to disagree.

Anyway, this isn't a knock on Eli so much as it is praise for Peyton, who has been one of the most consistently great quarterbacks that the game has ever seen.