Jan

6

Big Step In Developement For Eli

Posted by Jeff Sack under NFL, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Bucs 

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He has heard the whispers, and murmurs through the years, read the unflattering columns written about him in the tabloids, and has realized that he has been skewered on Sports Talk Radio not only in his own market New York, but on a National basis. There was talk that he was a bust, especially as the number one pick in the NFL Draft. That his team had made a mistake to trade for him that they should have taken Phillip Rivers and kept the draft picks. That he would never be as good as his father was or his brother is. No one ever doubted that the physical skills were there, but may wondered if Eli, brother of Peyton and son of Archie had the intangibles, could he win the big game? Sunday he took a big step into showing that he just might not be the dog that Giants fans thought he was, Eli Manning won a playoff game with a great performance over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And with that 24-14 victory for the first time in the Eli Manning era of the New York Giants, they are advancing in the playoffs.

Sunday had a lot of subplots, but in my mind one of the biggest was the difference in temperaments in the two teams quarterbacks. Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Jeff Garcia is a talented man, he is not a Hulk with a cannon for an arm. He is a rather averaged sized guy, actually almost slight, but he’s heady, and can scramble. He also is that square peg in that round hole, he just never seems to be comfortable. He also has a fragile ego, and that is usually his down fall as it was on Sunday. You see Jeff Garcia went into that game knowing he was going to lose, and it wasn’t his fault. No, he had already laid the groundwork for the excuse, the last few weeks. He was rusty he claimed for not playing in the season’s last few games. Instead of just going with the flow of how Bucs head coach Jon Gruden wanted to rest him, he started to fester , and then to gripe. And the more he griped the more he festered, until the big thing was no longer the playoff game it was the disrespect shown by Gruden that was most important. And that is how Jeff Garcia went into that game on Sunday, little wonder that he was caught up in the moment many times which led to his and Tampa Bay’s downfall especially two key interceptions. 

For all the things that people have chastised Manning about over the years, he has always been known as a standup guy. He does not look to pass the blame he takes it onto his own shoulders, that is a true sign of a leader. As I wrote in my picks column, Manning showed me a lot last week in his loss to New England, I thought he would be ready to make the next step this week( I also said that Washington would beat Seattle so I am far from perfect!) Manning did take that step Sunday not only in his performance, 20/27 185 yards 2 TDS 0 interceptions, but in his body language. He looked relaxed, he looked poised, and he looked in charge. This has not always been the case in the past, but again another step in the development of a man who is still a work in progress.

Will he ever be Peyton? Probably not but who knows? I don’t think he will win next week, as I would have to say that the Cowboys should and will be the prohibitive favorites in that contest. But stranger things have happened especially in the NFL. What I do believe though is, that Manning can build from this win, and take even further steps because of it. We live in a society of instant gratification, but sometimes the best things are worth waiting for.

 © Copyright 2007 thesackattack.com


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