So Eli didn't lose the game. Am I supposed to be impressed?
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by JasonComack
(Note: This article is a response to this, recommend you read it first. If you prefer a summary, you lazy bastard you, the writer I share my blog with, Anthony DeFranco, is a die hard Giant fan. It clouds his judgment regarding Eli Manning.)
It's really hard to take Anthony seriously sometimes. I mean after all when you're a fan and writing about your favorite team it's hard to be impartial. I'll bring back the quote from last week when someone asked, Matt Maiocco, 49ers beat writer, if he was a fan of the team. His response was that it would be impossible for him to be a fan and beat writer.
As a fan you root, you cheer, you act illogically. You talk yourself into things like, Ahman Green can still be a feature back, he's the spark we need and Steve McNair is a former NFL MVP, how can we lose with helm at the helm!! Of course the above mentioned things are far far from reality and in fact the two biggest Achilles heels of their respective teams.
My point is, that as a fan you have to really talk yourself into the talent on the field and the coaches calling the plays, even if you know they suck. Because if you don't have hope and you don't think that your team can win, what the hell is the point of watching the game in the first place?
Which brings me to Eli Manning.
He played OK in the Giant game, He didn't lose the game for the Giants but he also didn't win it either. And I can think of a lot of reasons why Giants fans shouldn't be content with Eli falling into the game manager role.
Do I need to remind everyone that Elisha was the NUMBER ONE OVERALL PICK!
That the Giants traded away a first and a 3rd rounder to get him.
Oh by the way, those picks became Shawne Merriman and Nate Kaeding.
I'm sorry but there is no way, no way you can argue that Eli, at this point in his career, has lived up to his billing.
Eli Manning at this point in his career is a bust.
Eli Manning is Jekyll and Hyde. He has the ability to make every throw on the football field, he has the size and arm strength to succeed in this league and he certainly has talent surrounding him.
So why hasn't he been better?
Why does he have a career 55% completion percentage. Why does he have a career 74.2 QB ratings.
Because he makes dumb decisions and isn't an extremely accurate passer.
Heres some telling statistics:
During the last two minutes of the half: (2007) 15/32 162 yards, 46.9% 1 TD 5 INT 33.1 QB Rating
When Ahead: 45/89 409 50.6% 2 TD 4 INT 52.1 QB Rating
I just can't take it seriously when Anthony says
However, I also remember the beautiful passes to Shockey on several different occasions yesterday (Note to Cowboy Opponents: Roy Williams SUCKS. He is terrible). Meanwhile, Troy Aikman was on his Jock as soon as he made the ONE big hit on Jacobs. Troy, You're an idiot. Did you see Shockey bitch him around all day, or are you too busy blowing Joe Buck in the booth. I hate those two.) I remember the zip he had on his short routes. I remember him BEATING Terrence Newman on a TD pass that Amani Toomer dropped.
Eli is a better player than anyone gives him credit for. I think that he is really getting the short end of the stick and if I was him, I would be close to pulling an A-Rod and getting the hell out of dodge. There are plenty of teams that would love to have him.
Especially on a Sunday where another QB from the same draft class lead a comeback by making several big plays with his hands and feet.
Of course I'm talking about Big Ben Roethlisberger, who continues to outshine Manning on a week to week basis. (On the season his completion percentage is 7% higher, and his QB Rating nearly thirty some odd points higher)
Call it the intangible factor, or whatever you will. The fact is Big Ben makes plays when his team needs them and Eli doesn't. Perfect example is Ben's TD scamper last week.
And don't give me this "Oh the Steelers just ask him not to lose the game" junk. That might have been true a year or so ago but not now.
What's ironic about that statement is that Giant's fans would, apparently, would be pleased with Eli just not losing the game.
Now, Eli obviously still has room to grow as a passer. But once again that's not my point. Anthony is saying that Eli is a great QB right now and that simply isn't true.
Of course, Anthony has a very obvious counter argument and it starts with 6 and ends with 3.
I can't argue against the Giants record but I can point out that all the teams they beat are bottom of the barrel. They escaped in Washington with a win. They beat a terrible 49er and a awful Falcon team. Osi Umenyiora abused a rookie left tackle and a mediocre Philly squad. And they escaped with a win in a sloppy game against the Dolphins (playing without Zach Thomas and Ronnie Brown.) They also barely beat a terrible Jets team.
A win is a win any way you cut it but you have to take the Giants record with a grain of salt.
Sure there would be a lot of teams in this league that would love to have Eli Manning. There are a lot of terrible, terrible, starting QB's in this league. But that's really not a compliment to Eli....it's calling him the fastest of the fat kids.
On the flip side of that statement I can think of a lot of journeymen QB's who are playing better than Eli Manning.
Jeff Garcia, Kurt Warner, Jon Kitna, Derek Anderson and David Garrard to name a few.
I don't expect that Eli: Bust v. Great argument to be settled for several more years. I can only hope when Anthony is proved wrong he is man enough to admit it.
I can be sure of one thing though, I might need to invest in a Shawne Merriman Pro-Bowl jersey. Cause...he's pretty good.
And he could have been a Giant.
