In 2011, Eli Manning backed up the preseason talk by placing himself among the elite quarterbacks of the NFL. Might the New York Giants’ signal caller be ready to take his next big step two years later and win the Most Valuable Player award?
The younger Manning still has his detractors, such as ESPN’s Ron Jaworski, who believe the 10-year veteran is hardly a top-10 quarterback in the league. But there are some, such as Manning’s former teammate Tiki Barber, who are finally willing to put him in the same class as his older brother Peyton or — surprisingly — declaring him to be better than the Denver Broncos’ 37-year-old quarterback.
“I remember having these conversations with people who watched Eli in college, saying, ‘He’s good, but he’s never going to be Peyton, he’s not Peyton.’ Guess what? I think he’s better than Peyton,” Barber said a month ago on his CBS Radio show. “Because of clutch. What matters in sports? It’s winning and losing. You get to the stage and what do you do? Eli’s gotten there and he’s won.”
I’m more than willing to admit that, to date, Eli Manning has certainly not surpassed his older brother when ranking top NFL quarterbacks. But that doesn’t mean this year will not be the year where all of that changes.
2012 in Review
Following a 2011 season-to-remember, which culminated in a Super Bowl victory for Manning and the Giants, expectations were sky high for Big Blue’s gunslinger. But Manning’s production slipped. For the first time since 2008, he failed to eclipse 4,000 yards passing. Though he had some strong performances, he could not recreate the magic he displayed the year prior, and the Giants failed to make the playoffs for the third time in four seasons.
Injuries did not help his cause. Top receiver Hakeem Nicks was hampered by foot and knee problems that took a toll on his production. Meanwhile, the Giants’ offensive line was like a revolving door with nearly every starter missing time due to injury. The rushing game, which had been a strength for the G-Men in recent years, finished dead-last in the NFL.
Overcoming those obstacles would not have been easy for any quarterback, but Manning still managed to push the Giants to a 9-7 record — the same win-loss record they had the year before, when they won the Super Bowl.
Head of the Class
Manning has been scrutinized since earning his trade from the San Diego Chargers to the Giants on the day of the 2004 NFL draft. From the start, people sought out every possible way to deny the Giants’ quarterback his respect when compared with his 2004 counterparts Philip Rivers (whom the Chargers acquired in exchange for Manning) and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger (selected with the 11th pick).
Nine seasons later, Manning has eclipsed them both.
Rivers’ production and success in San Diego pales in comparison to that of Manning and Roethlisberger, who have each won two Super Bowls.
Roethlisberger, meanwhile, is not that statistically different from Manning. The two have both seen their fair share of success, but Manning’s been far more productive in key moments — there may not be a better fourth-quarter quarterback in the NFL today. At the same time, Roethlisberger’s success can be attributed to a top-flight defensive unit that is perennially near the top of the league.
Certainly, Manning has had some good defensive units on his side. The 2007 team would be a prime example. But even that championship season hinged on outstanding — if not unimaginable — late-game heroics from the then-27-year-old.
Manning’s postseason win percentage of .727 is only slightly better than Roethlisberger’s .714, but his highlights — or lack thereof for Roethlisberger — are ultimately what put him over the top.
Now in the prime of his career, while Rivers’ play declines and Roethlisberger’s proneness to injury becomes a greater hindrance year after year, Manning is continuously improving and developing into a more lethal passer.
All the Necessary Weapons
Let me preface this section by declaring that football is a team game. So while I discussed Manning and Roethlisberger’s winning percentages and Super Bowl victories in the previous section, they do not deserve all of the credit for their success.
It’s unquestionable that superb quarterback play is often the greatest ingredient for a championship-caliber football team. But if that was the sole requisite, big brother Peyton would have 14 Super Bowl rings.
Fortunately for the Giants’ quarterback, he is now surrounded by the best group of talented play-makers he has ever had in his life.
He is already blessed with two of the league’s best receivers in Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz, who have combined for 4,512 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns over the last two seasons. The additions of receiver Louis Murphy and tight end Brandon Myers should also make a dramatic impact for the Giants’ offense. Factor in breakout-candidate Rueben Randle, and one could make the argument that the G-Men have one of the most talented offensive units in the NFL.
The potential for a potent running game resting on the shoulders of second-year back David Wilson and bruising rusher Andre Brown could open up some major opportunities for the Giants’ passing attack. It’s unknown what the duo will be able to do in their first turn at carrying the running game, but expectations are very high. In fact, Brown himself expects a 1,300-yard, 22-touchdown campaign.
All of that could provide Manning with the chance to have his biggest season to date. Yes, even bigger than his 2011 season when he threw for 4,933 yards and 29 touchdowns — 15 of which came in the fourth quarter (tying an NFL record).
Of course, he will need to cut down on the turnovers. Only two of the last ten quarterbacks to win the MVP award have thrown more than 15 interceptions during a season (Brett Favre with 16 in 1997 and Peyton Manning with 16 in 2009). Manning threw 15 interceptions last season and has averaged 16 per year over the course of his career.
Anyone watching has seen that a good chunk of those interceptions were not Manning’s fault. Sure, he’s had his moments when he’s thrown one away that made you scratch your head. Or, there’s been the obligatory left-handed attempts that really made you scratch your head.
But more often than not, the interceptions were because of a poorly-run route by a receiver or a pass that simply went in and out of a player’s hands and into the grasp of the opposition. It’s baffling, how this happens with professionals but it does. And it happened often during Manning’s 25-interception season in 2010.
Playing with a talented core of receivers that are very familiar with one another — namely Nicks, Cruz and Randle — Manning and his teammates should not have trouble with the issues that have plagued them in years past.
Improved Pass Protection
But all that potential could be for naught if the Giants’ offensive line is not up to par.
Fortunately, the offensive line played well in 2012 and, though their starting group may be declining from age and years of punishment, the Giants have done a good job adding young talent that is prepared to step up when called upon.
Left tackle Will Beatty is quickly developing into one of the top blind-side protectors. In 2012, he was rated by Pro Football Focus as the 11th-best offensive tackle in the NFL. He allowed just three sacks, ranking behind only one other offensive tackle with at least 200 pass-blocking snaps played.
Meanwhile, interior linemen David Baas, Chris Snee and Kevin Boothe were fairly dependable themselves. They will be a combined age of 92 this season however, meaning some of the younger players could have their number called sooner rather than later.
And then there’s David Diehl… the longtime starting left tackle now anchoring the right side of the line — though not particularly well. He has been on a steady decline and injuries in recent years have only accelerated his descent.
In 2013, Diehl will be the greatest threat to Manning’s well-being in the pocket. However, if last season was any indication, the lineman will be on a short leash and could be yanked from his starting role if necessary. Then, it will likely be rookie Justin Pugh’s turn to prove why he was deserving of being selected in the first round.
Ultimately, Manning should have a much better 2013 season as long as he and the cast around him can remain healthy. On paper, the pieces are in place for a very special time in New York; it’s just a matter of making all those pieces work to perfection.
Manning has never been a legitimate MVP candidate before, but this upcoming season may be his best chance to claim the NFL’s most coveted individual prize. For years he has played with mediocre talent and been successful. Now, he’s in the prime of his career with the greatest group of athletes around him.
Big brother Peyton has four MVP awards to his name and is a lock to compete for a fifth this season. It could be time for the younger Manning to finally stake his claim to an MVP award of his own.
Louis Musto is a reporter and sports talk host for the Sports Journey Broadcast Network. He is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. You can follow him on Twitter @LouisMusto.