Manning shows more than his numbers can tell

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- It's not what Eli Manning did in his first game as quarterback of the New York Giants that was impressive. It's what he didn't do.

He didn't panic.

Eli Manning doesn't throw for any TDs but also doesn't make any rookie mistakes in his debut. (AP)

The first pick of the draft played a quarter and a half of the Giants' 34-24 defeat of Kansas City on Friday night and while he didn't throw a touchdown pass, he didn't throw an interception, he didn't fumble, he didn't take a bad sack and he didn't commit any stupid mistakes.

In short, he played as you would expect a Manning to play, and don't take it from me. Take it from the guys who had to defend him.

"I think the guy's going to be a great player," said Kansas City defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham. "He throws a great ball, and he acts like he's been there before.

"Mostly, I was real impressed with the way handled himself. I'm big on body posture and how you act, and he acted like he wasn't a rookie quarterback. I'm sure he was a little bit nervous, but he didn't show it."

Manning, who described his performance as "a decent first outing," produced points on three of his six series. In fact, the Giants scored two plays into his pro career on a 67-yard Ron Dayne burst off left tackle and through the Chiefs' secondary.

It was the second TD for Dayne, who ran for 118 yards.

Though Manning's numbers weren't noteworthy (7 of 13 for 91 yards and no touchdowns) he was -- looking poised, confident and in command of the offense. One scout at the game said he was impressed by Manning's poise, his release and his vision, and Manning demonstrated all in the face of a handful of blitzes -- including one instance where the Chiefs ran two defenders at him off the corner.

By contrast, Kansas City never blitzed Giants starter Kurt Warner.

"When we brought those two guys off the corner he did not panic," said Cunningham. "He knew exactly what was coming. The guy is confident."

Once, he was chased out of the pocket by two defensive linemen and, instead of taking the sack or making a hurried throw, he dashed to his left and threw the ball out of bounds. Smart. On another snap, he took a five-step drop, looked downfield as a blitzing linebacker was checked to his left, then dropped a 14-yard pass in the hands of tight end Visanthe Shiancoe.