GLENDALE, Ariz. -- He isn't just Peyton's little brother any more.
How can Eli Manning be just that after what he did Sunday night? His two-fourth quarter drives for touchdowns, the last coming with 35 seconds left, helped the New York Giants pull off one of the great shockers in NFL history. They defeated the previously undefeated New England Patriots 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII at University of Phoenix Stadium, an upset that ruined the Patriots' chance at a perfect season.
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| 'The man is a quarterback of a world champion,' Eli Manning's coach says. (Getty Images) |
Eli quarterbacked his team to victory against the supposedly invincible opponent, much like Namath did in 1969 when his New York Jets beat the Baltimore Colts. For his effort, Manning was named the game's MVP, outplaying Tom Brady, a quarterback known for magical Super Bowl moments.
This time, Brady had to watch one. This time, it was the other guy.
After being held to a field goal for the first three quarters, the Giants scored 14 fourth-quarter points as Manning put on a passing show. Manning finished the game 19-of-34 for 255 yards and two touchdowns, but much of that came in the fourth quarter and both scoring drives came with the Giants trailing.
Manning was 8-for-12 for 143 yards in the final quarter, including the game-winning score to a wide-open Burress for a 13-yard score with 35 seconds left.
"I talked about it before with Peyton," Manning said. "What situation would you want to be in? You want to be down by four at the end of the game where you kind of have to score a touchdown. If you're down three, you might just settle for a field goal. You're better off being down by four where you have to score (a touchdown) to win the game in the Super Bowl. To go and do it is an unbelievable feeling."
If you didn't know any better, you'd have swore that was Peyton out there. Eli Manning was poised, confident, daring, elusive -- and he's now also a champion.
Quarterbacks are defined in these situations. It was his big-boy moment for Manning, showing all those who doubted him -- which is a list of names as thick as a New York phone book -- that he has arrived. The two fourth-quarter touchdown passes mean Manning and Joe Montana are the only quarterbacks to accomplish that feat in a Super Bowl.
"The man is a quarterback of a world champion," said Giants coach Tom Coughlin when asked if Manning had put to rest the skeptics.
That can never be taken from him. It also helps put to rest the little brother talk. It helps ease all the talk about his forcing the trade from San Diego. It helps stop the comparisons to Phil Simms, who won a Super Bowl and endeared himself to Giants fans.
Eli Manning is now there with Simms.
