Giants vs. Cowboys: Eli Manning Proves He's Elite in New York's Win at Dallas

Skeptics snickered back in August when New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning told ESPN Radio that he considered himself in the same class at the position as Tom Brady of the New England Patriots.

Those chuckles weren't exactly unwarranted, given that Manning was coming off a 2010 season in which he led the NFL with 25 interceptions, albeit against 31 touchdowns.

Well, look who's laughing now?

Eli did his best impression of big brother Peyton in Dallas on Sunday night, leading Big Blue back from a 12-point deficit with less than four minutes left to score a 37-34 victory and a return to the top of the NFC East. He completed eight of his 12 attempts on the Giants' two scoring drives of the quarter after getting picked off deep into Dallas territory with just over six minutes remaining.

More impressive than what Manning accomplished on national TV, though, was how he accomplished it. Eli was under pressure from DeMarcus Ware and the Cowboys' pass rush all night long, yet he still managed to make plays and find his receivers with pinpoint passes. 

Manning finished the game with 400 yards, two touchdowns and just one interception on 27-of-47 passing. That performance lifted Manning's season totals to 4,105 yards (a new single-season record for the Giants) with 25 touchdowns and 12 picks.

Of course, detractors might easily chalk this one up as just another choke job by Big D. How else would you explain Tony Romo overshooting Miles Austin on what would've surely been a touchdown with less than three minutes to play? Or Dan Bailey getting his second try at a game-tying field goal blocked by Jason Pierre-Paul?

But those instances hardly detract from Manning's brilliance under center. He seemed to channel his inner Peyton whenever he was in trouble, maintaining his composure throughout while leading his teammates back from what otherwise would've been the brink of playoff elimination.

Now, Manning and the Giants are in the driver's seat. They control their own destiny with just three games to play, all at MetLife Stadium in New York.

And while Tom Brady's stats are still superior to Eli's almost across the board, there's one key category in which New England's Golden Boy can't touch the younger Manning.

With an eight-yard pass to tight end Jake Ballard with just over three minutes remaining, Manning tied the NFL record for most career fourth-quarter touchdowns with 14, putting him on par with Johnny Unitas and, of course, brother dearest.

Oh, and there's always that one little win from a few years back. You know, the one where Eli's Giants beat Tom's Pats in the Super Bowl.

And if you forgot about that, there's always the victory Eli pulled out in New England last month. It was after that 24-20 decision, in which Manning guided New York to a game-winning score with 15 seconds remaining, that Pro Bowl defensive tackle Justin Tuck made an observation that's truer now than it's ever been.

"You can't spell elite without Eli."

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