Let's Discuss Eli Manning

[DarrylStingley]

Eli played very well Saturday night.

But two things would make me nuts if I was a Giants fan:

1. The lack of hurry up on the last drive. Was that Eli's fault? I'm thinking it was probably Coughlin's fault, but the QB deserves some blame, too. Right or wrong?

2. The interview on the NFL Network after the game. If you didn't see it, I was struck by how happy Eli was to have played reasonably well. He was basically beaming. He talked about playing well and that winning and losing wasn't that big a deal. I had heard Strahan on Giants' radio on the ride home saying exactly the opposite. And it struck me that Our Tom would have been talking through clenched teeth and would have been pissed.

I also think that there's a good chance that Eli played well only because there was little pressure on him in that game.

Your thoughts on Eli, please.

 

[mikiemo83]

if his last name was jones not manning the giants would draft a QB this off season

 

[Claremonster]

if his last name was jones not manning the giants would draft a QB this off season

Agreed. Of course, if hsi name was Jones, he also wouldn't have been a #1 pick in the draft, either.

 

[ParanoidPatriot]

Eli does not have "it". He had one of the best games of his life for 2.5 quarters of the Patriots game. But when it came down to winning time he got happy feet.

They had that drive at the end but I never seriously thought that the game was in doubt.

 

[#54]

1. The lack of hurry up I blame completely on the coaches. I don't believe that Eli has proven himself to the point that they'd allow him to call his own plays, therefore it was up to the coaches to call for a hurry up.

2. I didn't see or hear either interview, but consider this. Eli has probably heard his older brother talk about how hard it is to play with, let alone beat NE. For someone that is still so rough around the edges as a Pro QB to do so well against them...well, if I were Eli, I'd be happy too. Strahan has 11 more years of experience than Eli. He probably said what you'd expect from a 15 year veteran.

I think Eli is a decent QB that with the right coaching staff and O-line and with more confidence in himself and his team could become a very good QB. But he'll never be one of the elites.

 

[DarrylStingley]

2. I didn't see or hear either interview, but consider this. Eli has probably heard his older brother talk about how hard it is to play with, let alone beat NE. For someone that is still so rough around the edges as a Pro QB to do so well against them...well, if I were Eli, I'd be happy too. Strahan has 11 more years of experience than Eli. He probably said what you'd expect from a 15 year veteran.

I think that Tom would have been furious with a loss under those circumstances as a rookie QB. I just think that Tom is wired differently, and that's part of his greatness. Really, I was just blown away to see a QB so OK with a loss.

 

[SamBam39]

Eli is a good not great quarterback on a good not great team. I don't think he is the type of player that can elevate a team with his performance. If he were in a different city maybe he could do that, but in NY under that spotlight I don't think he will ever elevate his game to that level.

 

[#54]

I think that Tom would have been furious with a loss under those circumstances as a rookie QB. I just think that Tom is wired differently, and that's part of his greatness. Really, I was just blown away to see a QB so OK with a loss.

Hmmm...now you have me wondering how Tom was in his post game interview after they'd lost to "The Greatest Show on Turf" Rams 24-17 in the regular season of '01. It's been far too long for me to recall. Does anyone still have it their collection or possibly supply a link?

 

[O.Z.O.]

Eli is a putz. He definitely doesn't have "it", and after 3 years in the league he'll never get "it".

 

[Bronco Ktrain]

Eli played very well Saturday night.

I also think that there's a good chance that Eli played well only because there was little pressure on him in that game.

Your thoughts on Eli, please.

My thoughts on Eli Manning: Even Phillip Rivers could look good with the running game Eli enjoyed most of the night. Having a balanced attack does wonders for a QB. Heck, I would love to see how well Cutler would play throwing play-action with the Giants line blocking for him

 

[cka203]

My thoughts on Eli.....

After 3 years, he has not progressed to the level I thought he would. I like how he appears to have good pocket presence most of the time, and how he doesn't appear to get rattled easily. And, as shown against you, he is capable of performing well.

But his inconsistency bugs me, and yeah, his post-game interview struck me as a bit odd. After such a big game, and playing you so closely, I figured he'd take the loss a bit tougher than he appeared to. Still, I can see him being happy about going into the playoffs having played well (as a team), having good momentum, and losing that game didn't hurt their seedings at all.

But, bottom line... If he had any other name besides Manning, he'd not be a franchise QB.

EDIT: I forgot to address the clock management.....

I was screaming at the TV the whole time on that last drive! I couldn't believe the time the Giants were wasting! As I know they don't let Eli call the shots, I blame it on the coaches. But the players also share in the blame. Any idiot knows when you're in that situation, you've gotta run the hurry-up, get to the line, get the play off, and try to score! I couldn't believe how they were milling around, huddling, etc., while all the time the clock was tick, tick, ticking away their chances of pulling out the win.

Piss-poor clock management!

 

[Moebius]

I really thought Eli was going to be something coming out of college. He seemed to have a good core talent, and some of the nerves that Peyton (at the time) lacked. I'm giving him one more season to have the epihapny moment, but it's looking like another bust at the moment.

 

[Fully Tilted]

Inconsistent.

Inaccurate.

Doesn't move well in the pocket at all times. Has tendency to run back as opposed to stepping up.

Easily rattled.


/Unimpressed

 

[dchester]

Similar to Chad Jackson, I'm willing to give him time to figure stuff out.

 

[blantyr]

Similar to Chad Jackson, I'm willing to give him time to figure stuff out.

That's about where I'm at, pleased not to be a Giants fan. I'm unimpressed. Still, I don't know that it is time yet to start sacrificing first round draft picks to the football gods in hopes of stumbling onto someone better.

 

[gomezcat]

I said it before but I thought at one point on the sideline that he had a look best described as fear. He didn't seem all that composed.

That pick was a really boneheaded decision, beloved of the likes of Kyle Boller and Rex Grossman. They seem to fit a mould of "well, we need a QB really desperately and they have the physical tools so we can teach them the rest" types.

 

[HSanders]

Average QB...not worth the draft picks or $$. Another brick in the wall of my aversion to drafting a QB in the first...EVER. He had Brady's former QB coach for a year, what happened? But I do like the kid, he seems to be a good kid and a good teammate.

 

[Jaric]

I think the all the pundits who gushed about how Eli would be better than Peyton coming out of college should have their press creditials removed if they have still somehow managed to stay employed.

He's not a bad QB, at least as the league standards go, but I certainly see the word "Journeyman" in his not to distant future.

 

[cadmonkey]

As Artie Lange stated on the Howard Stern Show today, Eli Manning is the Gummo Marx of the Manning Bros.

 

[demerit]

Heh. I remember Artie saying that. Hilarious and dead on. Artie isn't even a huge football fan either although I do remember him saying that he had placed a bet on the Chargers Vs. Patriots game back in September. He never clarified as to who he put money on.