Eli Manning: It's Simply Foolish to Label the New York Giants QB Elite

While few quarterbacks are playing better than Eli Manning as of late, he is still not quite the "elite" player he declared himself to be several months ago.

To me, the "elite" group of quarterbacks include Rodgers, Brady, Brees and Peyton Manning (when healthy). Despite his success this season, Eli has not played at this level at the consistent basis that those players have.

Those players strike fear into defenses and can produce no matter whom their supporting cast is.

Just looking at this season, Eli has been playing at a similar level as those guys. But to be "elite," Eli has to do this year after year. Don't forget, just a year ago, Manning led the league in turnovers and made several boneheaded plays that cost the Giants games and a chance at the payoffs.

Even when Eli did win his Super Bowl, he was hardly the driving force behind their success.

He did improve as that season went on, but the Giants won that year because of their vicious pass-rush, not because of Eli's right arm. When Rodgers, Brady, Brees and Peyton Manning won their titles, they were the driving force behind each of their team's success.

However, if Eli can continue to play at this level for several more years, we may have to put him in the same category as Brees and Rodgers.

But until Eli can prove that he can sustain this level of quarterback play for a long period of time, he cannot be placed in that "elite" category.