On the 10th anniversary of the trade that made Eli Manning a Giant, he's busy, finally learning a new offense. This is a good time to point out that he's gone largely unappreciated, just as Phil Simms did and the way to tell how unappreciated they are is in the time it takes to replace them. Both of them have played their home games in the Meadowlands -- Phil in Giants stadium and Eli in both Giants and MetLife. I really don't think the effects of those two stadia have been adequately accounted for in QBR and the like. Another way to think about how tough it is, is that the Jets have never had longterm success with a QB in either stadium. It's takes a tough guy, who can take the pounding of the turf, and has enough arm to cut through the swirling winds.
Kerry Collins had a Giants stadium arm, and a 10 cent brain. He embarrassed himself in Superbowl 35. Simms and Eli have been MONEY on the only stage that matters in conditions that must have seemed like beach days relative to their experiences in the Meadowlands.
So next time you're banging on Eli for not having great fantasy stats, remember how tough his job is. And the proof will come when we have to replace him. Let's hope he brings us another SB or two before we do.
4 Comments:
The problem with relying on stats is that they give you an incomplete snapshot of a fluid picture. They'll tell enough of a story for the myopic types to generate certainty which is fine because those people are always wrong. I love stats when used to create a fuller picture; I hate them when forced to rely exclusively on them.
Forgot to add that I consider Eli to be the best Giant in my lifetime (47) and the next best isn't close.
I do, too. Replacement cost is the issue that proves his value. And our namesake, Philip Rivers would have wilted with the Giants.
On the field, second best to me, after LT.
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