Eli's Statement

Giants QB Eli Manning says he's in elite class with QB Tom Brady.

New York Giants QB Eli Manning was on Michael Kay's radio show on ESPN 1050 yesterday when Kay asked Manning a very good question. Kay asked Manning if he thought he was in the elite class of quarterbacks, in the top five or top ten quarterbacks in the game. Manning definitely answered that he thought his career was along the same lines as New England Patriots QB Tom Brady. Manning said Brady is better now than he was when he won the three Super Bowls, and he is improving every year like Brady.

Many sports analysts laughed at Manning's statements, claiming he isn't an elite quarterback and is not in Brady's class. ESPN contributor Michael Smith said Manning shouldn't even have made the statement because it's not his job to assess where he ranks among quarterbacks in the game. It was certainly surprising to hear Manning come out and speak on where he ranks among his peers, as he has been a quiet leader his entire career.

Smith makes a great point. It isn't Manning's job at all to answer Kay's question. Manning could've simply deflected the question or give a simple answer that leaves both sides happy. Making a statement like that could put more pressure on you, and pressure is the last thing any NFL player needs, let alone a quarterback.

However, Manning has to be the most disrespected quarterback in recent memory. When talking about the game's elite and the quarterbacks behind the elite, Manning is never put in any category. Manning was left off the NFL Network's Top 100 NFL Players of 2010 list, with quarterbacks like QB Donovan McNabb, QB Joe Flacco, QB Josh Freeman and QB Tony Romo on the list. Manning certainly had a better season than all of those quarterbacks, although Romo was hurt against the Giants in Week 7, thus knocking him out for the rest of the season.

When the Giants were in Houston to play the Houston Texans during the 2010 season, there was a Sportsnation poll question that asked whether Manning or Texans QB Matt Schaub was the better quarterback. An astounding 72 percent of voters voted Schaub as the better quarterback. Schaub isn't even in Manning's league, yet almost three out of four Americans believed Schaub is the better quarterback.

Manning's numbers this past season was pretty good, except for the interceptions. Manning led the league with 25 interceptions. However, we all know Manning isn't a 20-interception quarterback at all. Some of the interceptions came from the fact the receivers couldn't hang on to throws that were placed in their hands. Manning, along with New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees, were the only two quarterbacks to have at least 4,000 yards passing, at least 30 touchdowns, and at least 20 interceptions. However, Brees is regarded very highly while Manning is an afterthought.

Manning, along with Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger and San Diego Chargers QB Philip Rivers, were drafted in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft. Roethlisberger went 16-1 his rookie season with the playoffs included, and won a Super Bowl despite his subpar performance in his second year, immediately endearing him to the hearts of the fans and the analysts. Rivers has put up spectacular numbers in the past three years, etching his name among the game's greats. Both of them have personalities that make themselves different.

Eli is the younger brother of Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning, and considered by many to be a poor imitation of him. Eli is rarely heard from in the media, thus making him the forgotten man. When the Giants have made the playoffs in four of the six years with him as the full-time starter, analysts always said it was because of their defense or the running game. Since Manning became the full-time starter in his second season, the Giants have not had a losing season. The Giants did not make the playoffs this past year despite a 10-6 record. If it weren't for the defense's collapse at home against the Eagles, the Giants win the division.

Manning is certainly top-10 in the game, and maybe he can get more respect among his peers and the fans if he backs up his statement. The Giants cut OL Rich Seubert and OL Shaun O'Hara, so it won't be an easy task to have an elite season. However, Manning has dealt with the pressure of playing in the New York market for this long, so he will be good, and more importantly, the franchise is in good hands.