With Super Bowl XLVI now in the books and the New York Giants defeating the New England Patriots for the second time in four years, 21-17, the NFL off-season has officially begun.
There will be many storylines to follow such as where top-notch free agents such as DeSean Jackson, Mike Wallace, Mario Williams will end up?
Can the Patriots rebound from another tough loss to the Giants in the biggest stage? Did Eli Manning finally put himself in the class of elite quarterbacks?
Manning, who would post career high in passing yards (4,995) attempts (589) and completions(359) Manning would also post his second-best QB of his career in 2010-11 at 92.9 and touchdowns with 29.
For all of his accolades and accomplishments in becoming the 11th quarterback in history to have two Super Bowl titles and two Super Bowl MVP’s, there is still the debate that rages among fans and critics alike.
Is Eli Manning elite?
The mere question of Manning’s “elite” status and credentials draws either a passionate “yes” or a hotly-debated “no” for in the eyes of Manning’s detractors—i.e, haters—he is nothing more than the beneficiary of being the son of NFL royalty in Archie and has ridden the coattails of his older and more accomplished brother, Peyton.
Many consider Peyton to be among the “elite” fraternity of quarterbacks along with the likes of Tom Brady, Drew Brees,Aaron Rodgers and Michael Vick, why not Eli?
How is it that Philip Rivers, Tony Romo and Ben Roethlisberger are considered upper-echelon quarterbacks—and with the exception of Big Ben—Romo and Rivers have no rings?
While Brees, Rodgers have one Super Bowl ring and MVP, how is it that there is such a bias towards Eli and his two?
Perhaps it is bitterness from disgruntled fans about how Manning forced San Diego to trade his rights, or if it is simple a case of New York bias, Manning’s body of work and championships speak for themselves.
In what will be a hotly-debated topic in the off-season and well into the beginning of the 2012-12 season, The Rant Sports Round Table asked fellow Rant Sports writers their own take on how and why Eli is—or is not—a elite quarterback in the NFL.
Thank You For Reading.
Eli was elite this season, yes. Overall he’s not an elite quarterback. Now should he perform consistently at this years level, then yes. But not right now.
Give me a break…two Super Bowls and two Super Bowl MVPs…he carried this team on his back the entire regular season, it was only until the playoffs that the defense showed up…he has had good numbers since 2008, and only in 2010 did he have a high number of INTs because his receivers dropped between 8 and 10 passes that resulted in interceptions.
If he can do it again in 2012, which would make 4 straight years of 4,000 yards and a deep playoff run then he can be considered elite. He’s still behind Peyton in the family. Not saying Eli isn’t great but there’s great then there’s elite.
He needs 3 deep playoff runs to be considered Elite? So are Tom Brady and Big Ben your only elite quarterbacks?
It’s the entire package/whole body of work. Brady, Roethlisberger
Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers. Eli Manning is almost elite
much like Victor Cruz isn’t an “elite” wide receiver. One-year doesn’t
make you “elite”.
If you consider Roethlisberger elite and not Eli Manning…I don’t know what else to say.
Ben was 23 when he won his first Super Bowl, the youngest ever. It
was his second year in the league. Both are 2x Super Bowl champs
yet Ben has been there three times, Eli just twice. Eli had to bank
on luck to get to the Super Bowl this season. Just watch the Niners
game. Not saying he’s not great. But there’s great and then there’s
elite. Give it one more year. Needs to be consistent.
@Lars,
After seeing you and Jeff go back and forth about Eli and bringing up Big Ben, I feel that I have to weigh in on this.
As a Browns fans who lived in Pittsburgh, I got to see some of Ben’s “heroics” up close and personal and while I will gladly say that BB is and under-rated elite QB, you HAVE to give Eli his due as well.
The part where you say that Eli got lucky to get to the Super Bowl this season is partially true, as they had to beat Dal to make the playoffs, but it is Dallas’ own fault for putting themselves in that situation in the first place, and it must have been real luck to go ON THE ROAD and beat the defending SB champs on their home field and it must have been luck to beat SF(which had one of the best defenses in the league) at home.
With due respect, I sense a case of bitterness and resentment over this whole Eli-elite debate and I’m personally shocked that you would even bring up BB considering that he won his first SB against your Hawks.
While on the subject of BB, he is physically gifted and talented, but a also very lucky QB who takes too many chances in critical games, ask any Steelers fan that, and they will say that they like him, but wishes that he wouldn’t hold on to the ball too long or throw into double-triple coverage. BB is the luckiest QB in the whole NFL–not Eli– because he came into a tailor-made system where he didn’t have to throw the ball a whole lot and had the luxury of handing the ball of to Bettis and checking down to two Super Bowl MVP’s with Holmes and Ward, and it also didn’t hurt to have that zone-blitz defense of Lebeau.
In terms of body of work, you have first consider the system in which a QB is in, while Aaron, Brady, Brees and Peyton(they both play in a dome!) play in pass-first and happy offenses, Ben and Eli play in pre-dominately tougher, run-first divisions, the reason for Eli’s “inconsistency” is that he has never had a core group of WR’s for more than 2-3 years at best and while his running game is solid, they did lose Ward to FA.
In terms of Eli being lucky, it takes REAL luck to win on the road eight times and beat the best QB of our generation twice in the Super Bowl.
Brady(3) 2 Super Bowl MVP’s
Eli(2) 2 Super Bowl MVP’s
Big Ben(2)
Peyton(1) 1 Super Bowl MVP
Aaron(1) 1 Super Bowl MVP
Rings count, baby! End of discussion!
@Jeff, It’s all good, bro, in my mind Eli has proven himself to be a top-tier QB, and will only get better. Congrads again.
Big Ben Won two Super Bowls and had two receivers named MVP…you know how many times a receiver has won Super Bowl MVP? six…including the two by his Steeler receivers…so only 4 other times have receivers won the award…and they are Lynn Swann, Fred Belitnikof, Jerry Rice, and Deion Branch….three of those names are the greatest ever…
Eli has been in TWO Super Bowls and won the MVP BOTH times…Luck? Give me a break…Big Ben played HORRIBLE in the first Super Bowl and his defense and running game bailed him out.
Rob, yeah man I was wondering when you were gonna join haha. 1-1 had to break the tie somehow. Ben at times seems very underrated but sometimes it’s also just right. Truthfully I want to give Eli his dues, he’s so close to being tagged as an “elite” quarterback but I am just not 100 percent convinced. Thus why I’ve said give it one more year and make it 4 straight years with 4,000 yards and another deep playoff run. For me here’s what it means to be “elite”. One or more SB rings. Proven winner (beyond 1-2 year stretches), consistent (not erratic), and doesn’t need a huge amount of luck..and more titbits.
Having said that my elite Brady, Brees, Rodgers and Peyton Manning (now that’s based on his career not this year). That’s the key and what I think both oph you are missing. Eli was elite this season, and 2008. The 2 years he won a SB he was elite. That doesn’t make him an elite player. Plus Eli has zero MVP’s. Brady, Rodgers and P.Manning have one or more–with Rodgers expected to have at least more than one going forward.
Well where I meant the luck came in was: Making the playoffs, the 4th quarter and OT of the 49ers game and even the ending in the SB. That was this year. Go back to his 1st SB and the Tyree catch. Eli has banked on luck and it’s paid off. He’s great, but elite players don’t bank on luck.
On the sense of bitterness, I have zero clue where you get that and so with all due respect I think your way off base from that aspect. Well unlike most “bloggers” I’m not bias. I have my teams I like and don’t like but when it comes to comparisons if I think a players good no matter the team I’ll admit it.
Well Eli was given the gift known as the Giants front 4+. Without 1-2 of those DE’s it’s questionable they beat Green Bay.
Any true elite quarterback can overcome that aspect and make his wide outs and tight ends into pro bowlers. Hello, look at his brother Peyton. Collie, Garcon.
Iph Eli was a true elite quarterback he shouldn’t have barely one the East. And should win it year in and year out without problem.
Brady: 7X Pro Bowl, 3X Super Bowl, 2X SB MVP, 5X SB appearance, 2X MVP
Eli: 2X Pro Bowl, 2X Super Bowl 2X SB MVP 2X SB appearance 0 MVP
BB: 2X Pro Bowl 2X Super Bowl 0X SB MVP, 3X SB appearance, 04 OROY
Peyton: 11X Pro Bowl, 5X AllPro, 1SB, 1 SB MVP, 4X MVP etc
Brees: 6X Pro Bowl, 4X All Pro, 1SB, 1 SB MVP,
Rodgers: 2X Pro Bowl, 1X All Pro, 1SB, 1 SB MVP, 1 MVP,
With all the records here’s how the room stacks up. 1) Brady 2) P.Manning 3) Brees 4) BB and 5) Eli.
Eli being the non-elite because he’s only got 2 SB appearances. Like I’ve said give me a 3rd and he’s in. Since he’s got nothing in terms of accolades or records. So those bells you rang are still nonexistent lol. You’ve rang them before and been wrong so only time will tell.
Jeff, I give Eli one more great year and then he’s in that elite group. Being non-bias of course.