He's The 'Mann'!

I think that many people thought that he would be this good. Actually, many people probably thought that he would be the next great thing. I just don’t think that anyone thought that New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning would be this great, this fast. We’re just 7 weeks into the 2005-2006 National Football League season and Manning has taken control of the Giants. He led them to a surprising 3-1 start, trampling teams on the way as they became one of the top offenses in the NFL. But then he proved he can do one better. After a bye in week 5 (something that historically means a sloppy return in week 6 for the Giants), Manning’s squad took on a hot, determined Dallas Cowboy football team that was coming off of a huge win the week before. But both teams played like garbage. There was turnover after turnover and it was easily the worst game Manning had in the pocket all season. BUT, and this is a big but that shows the heart this kid truly has, Manning got the ball late in the 4^th quarter with his team down 13-6 and with time on the clock. Sure enough, after looking so terrible all day, Manning led his team down to the goal line before rookie running back Brandon Jacobs seemed to fumble away the Giants chances. No worries, though. Sure it seemed dismal when the Cowboys got the ball back. It actually seemed just about over. But Dallas made the mistake of giving the young gun in red, white, and blue another shot. Sure enough, Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey got to show off his touchdown dance after receiving a 28-yard pass from Manning with a mere 19 seconds left in regulation. This tied the game 13-13. Dallas should just be glad that they won the coin toss in overtime and Manning never got a chance to touch the ball. (The Cowboys kicked a field goal on their first possession, which in the NFL sudden death system means the Giants don’t even get a possession.)

And then there was this past Sunday. As if leading his team to the top of the NFC East (with one of the most explosive offenses) and then stringing together two drives that no one thought he had in him the week before wasn’t enough, Eli went on to turn in another performance to strike fear into the hearts of opposing defenses. This time his team was down 23-10 in the 4^th quarter. Down TWO TOUCHDOWNS with just 13:18 left in the game. Keep in mind that any single drive can sometimes take as long as five to eight minutes alone, depending on field position and play calling. So after putting up 10 points in the first 46:42 of the game, the Giants offense went to work. BOOM – a 4:11, 65-yard drive capped off by a Tiki Barber rushing touchdown – 23-17 now. Denver drives, Denver eats the clock, but Denver misses a field goal and subsequently gives Manning the one last chance that he needed. And boy did he use it. 15 plays, 83 yards, 3:24, and numerous 3^rd and long situations (including one on an early set of downs where Manning circled and circled before hitting his receiver for the first down). The Giants got inside the 5-yard line with just 10 seconds left on the clock and probably enough time to get two quick plays in. But Manning only needed one. And as it happened, if he doesn’t find wide receiver Amani Toomer, who was probably his third or fourth option, cutting back across the end zone on that particular play, the Giants don’t get another shot at it. BANG – After backpedaling almost 10 yards to avoid a sack, Manning puts the ball in Toomer’s hands and the Giants steal a 24-23 victory from the 5-1 Denver Broncos. Cue bedlam at Giants Stadium.

Many people said that eventually Eli would be better than his brother, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. This comparison to a man that has won the NFL Most Valuable Player award two-times running. To a man who broke the single-season touchdown and the single-season quarterback rating records just last year. So far in 2005, Eli does have one more touchdown and one less interception, but big brother Peyton still has him beat in almost every other major category. So, there’s some obvious work still to be done. Eli is not at his peak and probably won’t be for a long time. He’s a kid who is still learning on the job, regardless on the brilliance that he has started to show consistently this season. Still, it’s never too much to hope for a Manning-Manning Super Bowl matchup somewhere down the line.