Maligned Eli becoming the Man for New York
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- As the ball rotated through the artic night air on its way toward the uprights, a young quarterback's arrival as a player hung in the balance.
If it goes through, Eli Manning would be validated, much like his older brother was a year ago in some people's minds when he won a Super Bowl. A miss would have those doubters still wondering if Manning would always be that goofy-faced quarterback rather than a guy who could proudly have the word "franchise" placed next to his position.
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| Eli Manning points the Giants to another road win, this time in Green Bay. (AP) |
Here was a player who was shredded for most of his first four seasons in the league, hearing countless people insist he would never live up to the brother hype, and yet here he was on the big stage, outgunning one of the game's all-time great gunslingers on a night that was so cold it made the North Pole feel like Aruba.
With wind chills dipping into the minus-20 range and a wind blowing at 10 mph, Manning completed 21 of 40 passes for 254 yards, but most importantly he did not throw an interception. It was the third consecutive road playoff game that Manning did not throw an interception, an amazing feat made more impressive this time by the conditions.
By contrast, Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre threw two interceptions, one in overtime to set up Tynes' winning kick.
"It's not about me," Manning said when asked if the victory proved the critics wrong.
Oh, but it is.
Since coming into the league in 2004, his career has been one of constant criticism. It started when he didn't want to play in San Diego for the Chargers, resulting in a trade to the Giants on draft day.
It continued as he made ill-timed throws for interceptions and then sat there with a blank expression on his face, leading many to say he didn't care and could never care as much as his brother Peyton. That led to a rip job from former teammate Tiki Barber before the season in his first network television performance.
You know what Manning did Sunday: He stuck it up Tiki's behind.
"It's not about me proving people wrong," Manning said.
But it is that. It goes with the name. It goes with being the first player picked in the draft. It goes with being the high-profile quarterback in New York.
