Hot Stove Player of the Week: Eli Manning

Here is the first-ever Hot Stove Player of the Week. Every week we’ll (ok, me) pick the New York player who performed the best over those seven days. With only three games to choose from this time (one Giants and two Rangers), the decision wasn’t all that hard. The lucky winner will be the recipient of some old expired coupons from Beefsteak Charlie’s that I found in my wallet. The presentation will take place in my backyard tomorrow when I finish mowing my lawn (travel expenses to be paid by the winner if he chooses to participate).

Winner 

Eli Manning: The Giants quarterback led a beatdown on Seattle that hadn’t been seen since Frank the Tank kicked James Carville’s ass in the great debate of 2003. The win was a total team effort, but Manning was particularly great. He completed 76% of his passes (19 for 25), including his first seven, and didn’t throw an incompletion until the second quarter. He finished with a passing rating of 136.6 (the highest of his career), and threw two touchdowns without any picks. His unflappable knack for changing plays at the line of scrimmage helped the Jints score on their first six drives, and Manning led seven scoring drives in all. And he didn’t even play in the fourth quarter (which gave him time to run out and film another commercial). The offense in that game was a precise machine, scoring 44 points. Eli Manning’s performance earns him the first Hot Stove Player of the Week award.

Runners Up 

Brandon Jacobs: The Giant-sized running back gained 136 yards on 15 carries. He scored two touchdowns and had a 44-yard run.

Domenik Hixon: If Plaxico Burress’ replacement didn’t sustain a concussion in the second quarter of Sunday’s game, he may have gone on to be the winner. He caught four passes for 102 yards, scored a TD and also gained 15 yards on an end-around. And he showed up for every meeting and practice while still being able to get his kid off to school.

Scott Gomez: The Rangers first line center scored a goal and added two assists in the Blueshirts’ first two games over in Prague. He had a team-high 10 shots on goal and also helped to kill nine out of nine penalties and played on the power play as well.

Henrik Lundqvist: The King faced half as many shots as the goalies down at the other end of the ice, but many of the saves that he made were spectacular. In all, he stopped 38 of 40 shots in the two games, to the tune of a .950 save percentage. His rusty preseason is now a distant memory.