Eli Manning Triumphs in Super Bowl
Giants’ Quarterback’s Success Should Come As Little Surprise
Often blasted by the New York media and reviled by Giants fans, Eli Manning proved the critics wrong in Super Bowl XLII. But did he have to?
Congratulations to Eli Manning and the New York Giants in winning one of the greatest upsets in NFL history, a shocking 17-14 victory over the previously undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. For Manning, it’s been a long road from #1 overall pick in 2004 to Super Bowl MVP, one that’s been riddled with potholes and roadblocks. Perhaps no quarterback in recent memory has been the subject of more criticism and scrutiny than Eli Manning, who has at least seven more months to savor this victory before he has to perform in a meaningful game again.
He’s not Peyton
Much of the genesis for the anti-Eli sentiment comes from his last name, or, more appropriately, the men who share that name: his father, Archie, who spent 14 years in the NFL, and his brother Peyton, the NFL’s prototype of the elite quarterback. Both brothers were drafted #1 overall in their respective drafts, leading many to expect Eli to follow a similar career path as big brother Peyton.
Of course, few remember Peyton’s early seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. He threw plenty of touchdown passes but also was picked off 81 times in his first four years. By comparison, Eli’s only been intercepted 64 times in his first four seasons (though he only started seven games his rookie year, compared to Peyton’s 16). And it’s not as if he’s never found the end zone. His 71 touchdown passes over the last three years is topped only by Carson Palmer, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, and, naturally, Peyton Manning. That’s not bad company.
The fact is, very few quarterbacks match up favorably when compared to Peyton Manning. If Eli’s last name was “Smith,” nobody would think to compare him to the two-time NFL MVP and eight-time Pro Bowler (and if his last name was, say, “Harrington,” he’d probably be viewed more favorably). He needs to cut down on the interceptions (55 in the last three seasons), but if the 2008 playoffs were any indication (one pick in 119 attempts), that improvement may not be far off.
New York minute
Being an athlete in New York is hard. Being the premier athlete on the premier team in your league is almost impossible. Unlike, say, Alex Rodriguez, Eli Manning can at least boast of winning a championship for his team and city, but how long will those feelings last? If he throws three interceptions in the first game of 2008, how badly will he be ripped in the Post on Monday morning?
New York sports fans aren’t likely to change. They expect their teams to win championships all the times and for their stars to play perfectly all the time. But, just as Yankees fans would miss A-Rod’s .303 average and 43 home runs per season since he joined the club (even if they’d never admit it), Giants fans could be doing a whole lot worse at quarterback than Eli Manning.
Since Jeff Hostetler (and Phil Simms, in the regular season) guided the Giants to victory in Super Bowl XXV, the following men have started at QB for the team: Kent Graham, Dave Brown, Danny Kanell, Kerry Collins, Kurt Warner, and Eli Manning. Collins took the team to a Super Bowl in 2001 but was far from great. The rest of that cast, save Warner, has vanished into obscurity, and rightfully so.
Given the perilous state of quarterbacking in the NFL today, why would fans be so anxious to dismiss a player who was heralded enough to be drafted first overall and has (as noted above) put up some pretty good numbers for a young QB? And Eli’s only 26; the best may be yet to come.
To be sure, the Giants’ defense deserves significant credit for the team’s postseason success, especially in limiting the Patriots to just 14 points. But Eli Manning’s game MVP award was rightly and his play throughout January and early February might be a foreshadowing of greatness yet to come. New York fans, be grateful.
