Eli's Comments yesterday- He's in a class with Brady!

[JackStroud]

Eli was asked some tough questions by Michael Kay of the Yankees YES Network yesterday.

 

Eli did not come off as arrogant or anything, was quite complimentary of Brady and said Brady was a better QB today than ever, and was the kind of guy who gets better every year (I'd say he's peaked)

 

BUT

 

Eli did say he was in the same "Class" with Brady when asked which of them was the better QB.

 

I like his optimism, and confidence but I think he has to improve his accuracy a hair yet to make that claim stick.

 

On the other hand, when they met in the Super Bowl Eli emerged the winner.....taking into account Tom was tossed around pretty good in that game.....Eli still won the battle.

 

On the topic of Plaxico "my ankle hurts" Burress, Eli said it was not his place to go recruit other NFL players.....he would throw to the WR group management put in front of him.

 

Personally, I think Plaxico was a good security blanket for Eli.......a guy who always got up to catch the ball and never tipped them into the secondary. I guess the Giants felt he was an un-necessary expense and distraction when all was said and done. Hopefully as part of Eli's improvement package this year, he learns to take the sack or throw it away when under extreme pressure.

[Guest StrahansGap]

I think he was referring to Peter Brady....not Tom.

[JMFP]

I agree...both Eli and Tom Brady are Elite quarterbacks.

[Allstarjim]

LOL.

 

Seriously, what is he supposed to say when asked a stupid question like that? I like his confidence, and I agree with Joe (again).

[Mr. P]

What do you expect him to say? "Nah, I'm like a 2nd tier qb." He responded the way anyone should respond.

 

Now he may not be in the same class as Brady, very few quarterbacks are. With that being said you can be a very good qb while not being in his class.

 

and like one of Ernie Accorsi's mentors Milt Davis (old baltimore colts scout) said to him: "Ernie, listen to me. You evaluate the great quarterbacks on one element alone: Can they take their team down the field, with the championship on the line, and into the endzone? That's how you evaluate a great quarterback."

 

Eli has proved he can do that, and I'll take it.

[Nas]

What do you expect him to say? "Nah, I'm like a 2nd tier qb." He responded the way anyone should respond.

 

Now he may not be in the same class as Brady, very few quarterbacks are. With that being said you can be a very good qb while not being in his class.

 

and like one of Ernie Accorsi's mentors Milt Davis (old baltimore colts scout) said to him: "Ernie, listen to me. You evaluate the great quarterbacks on one element alone: Can they take their team down the field, with the championship on the line, and into the endzone? That's how you evaluate a great quarterback."

 

Eli has proved he can do that, and I'll take it.

 

I love Eli as much as the next guy.. I feel he's inches away from Eite status. Better mechanics at the time of release .. have some zip on the ball for better accuracy... and we're cooking.

[mikmak]

He's definitely not in the same class as Brady. Brady's class is made up entirely of Hall of Famers and Hall of Famers to be.

 

I'd say Eli is an above average quarterback comparable to the Tony Romo's, Trent Greene's, Hasselbeck in his prime etc. etc..

[Nas]

He's definitely not in the same class as Brady. Brady's class is made up entirely of Hall of Famers and Hall of Famers to be.

 

I'd say Eli is an above average quarterback comparable to the Tony Romo's, Trent Greene's, Hasselbeck in his prime etc. etc..

 

Correct. My hope is Eli turns up a notch this season.. he's shown to be getting better each season.

[Treehugger]

Correct. My hope is Eli turns up a notch this season.. he's shown to be getting better each season.

I think he regressed last season.

[BIGBLUE01]

Way to go Eli, be confident.

 

ESPN Video

 

I love Michael Smith. He's spot on.

[JackStroud]

maybe he's was not talking about Tom Brady past.....but he and Tom's future.....sure Tom in his prime was better.

 

Tom has likely peaked not improving despite what Eli kindly said, he's peaked and its likely all down hill from here

 

Eli can improve, will improve and unlike in the past where Brady had a better supporting cast, Eli now has the premier crew around him

 

2 young 1000 yd rushers, 2 young 1000 yd WRs

 

Here are Tom's career stats.........If Eli has a #8 like Tom we should be in good shape

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/5228/career;_ylt=Ahr3HRaRAhBnssqcjNb4ETL.uLYF

 

Eli Mannings career stats

 

http://www.nfl.com/player/elimanning/2505996/careerstats

 

In yrs 1-7 both QBs ratings and stats are "In the same Class"

 

Head to Head in the Super Bowl Eli took him to the woodshed

 

Michale Kay can rant and rave until hes blue in the face but when the rubber met the road and Brady had the superior team

 

ELI BESTED HIM........on the biggest stage of all

 

Eli is more durable, Tom has been knocked out for an entire season

 

Eli has improved every year but last year which was a basic team cluster fukk

 

We'll see who was better when the final stats are in 7 years from now

 

tom did not win 3 SB's the Patriots did......and the same can be said for eli........this is a team game

[BlueInCanada]

maybe he's was not talking about Tom Brady past.....but he and Tom's future.....sure Tom in his prime was better.

 

Tom is not improving despite what Eli kindly said, he's peaked and its all down hill from here

 

Eli can improve, will improve and unlike in the past where Brady had a better supporting cast, Eli now has the premier crew around him

 

2 young 1000 yd rushers, 2 young 1000 yd WRs

 

He has three SBs, two time SB MVP, multiple pro-bowls, two time NFL MVP, was a part of a perfect (regular) season and is a sure fire first ballot HoF QB.

 

Honestly what more can he improve on?

[JackStroud]

He has three SBs, two time SB MVP, multiple pro-bowls, two time NFL MVP, was a part of a perfect (regular) season and is a sure fire first ballot HoF QB.

 

Honestly what more can he improve on?

 

He can improve on head to head competition with Eli Manning LOL

[Nas]

He can improve on head to head competition with Eli Manning LOL

 

You're a tool, Jack

[ksm7]

little eli certainly picked the wrong question to break from character on...the dog is pretty sure this was a stay away question, and he walked into it which is something he typically doesn't do. the issue with eli has always been that people want to make more of him than he is. he doesn't have to be mentioned in the same breath as brady (and other elite QBs in the league right now). he is a solid QB that many teams would be happy to have. nobody would place phil simms in the same "class" as joe montana back in the mid to late 80's. doesn't make sense to. but to bite the worm on the hook here, particularly coming off a year where he lead the league in interceptions was ill-advised.

 

the dog will help eli out for the future when asked questions like this: "you know, it is not my place to assess where I fit in with the other QBs in the league. that's the media's job. My job is to win football games and ultimately get my team in position to win the super bowl." done.

[Nas]

little eli certainly picked the wrong question to break from character on...the dog is pretty sure this was a stay away question, and he walked into it which is something he typically doesn't do. the issue with eli has always been that people want to make more of him than he is. he doesn't have to be mentioned in the same breath as brady (and other elite QBs in the league right now). he is a solid QB that many teams would be happy to have. nobody would place phil simms in the same "class" as joe montana back in the mid to late 80's. doesn't make sense to. but to bite the worm on the hook here, particularly coming off a year where he lead the league in interceptions was ill-advised.

 

the dog will help eli out for the future when asked questions like this: "you know, it is not my place to assess where I fit in with the other QBs in the league. that's the media's job. My job is to win football games and ultimately get my team in position to win the super bowl." done.

 

You know.. dog.. I agree with you. But I'm a Giants fan and I'd take Eli over Brady... at this point. My rationale is.. Eli's best days are still ahead of him.

[JackStroud]

Does anyone think the NE Patriots would have done as well in the NFC?

 

In the NFC East......the Beast of the NFL

[Nas]

Does anyone think the NE Patriots would have done as well in the NFC?

 

In the NFC East......the Beast of the NFL

 

18-0 wasn't a fluke Jack.

[Treehugger]

I'd take Tom over Eli in a heartbeat, at any stage in their respective careers. Eli didn't beat Tom, Mike & Co beat Tom.

 

That said I think Eli's comment has been taken out of it's intended context:

 

"I consider myself in that class," Manning said. "Tom Brady is a great quarterback, he's a great player, and what you've seen with him is he's gotten better every year, and he started off winning championships, and I think he's a better quarterback now than what he was, in all honesty, when he was winning those championships."

 

I think he's trying to say that, like Brady, Ei feels he's a better QB post-SB and still improving. I don't think he intended it to mean he's equal to Tom, though it's a pretty garbled response.

[BlueInCanada]

I'd take Tom over Eli in a heartbeat, at any stage in their respective careers. Eli didn't beat Tom, Mike & Co beat Tom.

 

That said I think Eli's comment has been taken out of it's intended context:

 

"I consider myself in that class," Manning said. "Tom Brady is a great quarterback, he's a great player, and what you've seen with him is he's gotten better every year, and he started off winning championships, and I think he's a better quarterback now than what he was, in all honesty, when he was winning those championships."

 

I think he's trying to say that, like Brady, Ei feels he's a better QB post-SB and still improving. I don't think he intended it to mean he's equal to Tom, though it's a pretty garbled response.

 

Plus I mean what else is Eli going to say in that situation? "Oh Yeah I'm a horrible QB compared to Tom Brady, he's A tier I'm more of a B- tier QB"

 

Obviously Eli is going to say he's in the same class as Brady, you gotta admire the confidence.

 

It's the same thing as during the SB when Plax was asked "What is the score going to be for the game" Obviously Plax is going to give the winning favor to the Giants.

 

It's just the press putting players into a position where if they answer, they stir something up, if they dont answer they still stir something up. In this case when Eli said he thinks he's in the same class they can go on for acouple days about it, but is he said it wasnt then the press could go on about how Eli doesnt have confidence.

 

It's just the press being the press.

[Treehugger]

Manning on his elite QB claim: 'What am I supposed to say?'

 

* NFL.com

 

Eli Manning has been around long enough to understand the power of the media. That's why he can be too surprised that his recent comments about being in the same class of quarterback as Tom Brady received as much play as it did.

 

But Manning doesn't regret saying what he did, mostly because he's not sure what the alternative answer is.

 

“It was kind of like, what am I supposed to say? ‘No, I don’t think so?’” the Giant quarterback told The Star-Ledger on Wednesday. “I’m trying to compete, I’m trying to be the best quarterback and get to a championship. That’s what I’m trying to do every year.”

 

Giants coach Tom Coughlin feels the same way as Manning.

 

“I do (think Manning's elite), but what would you expect him to say?” Coughlin said. “He is for me.”

 

Manning is often a subject of debate when it comes to where he falls on the list of top quarterbacks in the league. He's put up some impressive numbers, and of course, guided New York to a shocking upset victory over the New England Patriots, and yes, Brady in Super Bowl XLII.

 

But Manning has also battled turnover problems ever since his career began in 2004. He threw a career-high 25 picks last season.

 

“What you’ve got to do is cut down on the mental mistakes,” Manning said Wednesday in an interview on WFAN 660. “There are some that are just bad decisions; those are on me. Some are tipped that are not on me, some are tipped because they’re high and I’ll take (the blame) for those.”

 

Manning threw an interception during Wednesday's practice when his ball was tipped at the line of scrimmage. Eight of Manning interceptions in 2010 were tipped and another was ripped out of the hands of ex-teammate Steve Smith.

 

Still, Coughlin would like to see his quarterback play smarter at times.

 

“Sometimes it’s better to, instead of take a risk like that, throw it away,” Coughlin said. “Sometimes it’s the high balls. A little more accuracy perhaps.”

 

Manning looks at Brady and sees a quarterback who played the best football of his career at age 33. Like Brady, Manning, 30, hopes he has prime seasons in the second phase of his career.

 

“I’m hoping these next seven years are my best seven,” he said. “My body feels great, I feel young, my arm is alive, I have a great feel for the offense, it’s the same offense I’ve been in. We’re getting guys who have been in for a few years now and have a better understanding."

[JackStroud]

Look closely at Tom's 1st Seven yr stats........considering his supporting cast and the competition for those years Eli might be the better of the two for years 1-7

 

Eli is going into year 8

 

Also Eli has steadily progressed........who knows how far he can go with the offense he now commands

 

I consider the Giants and Pittsburg as the 2 SB favorites for 2011...........NE is not in the conversation

 

Michael Kay is trying to make a career out of Eli's spontaneous comments.......what an asshole

I've totally lost respect for Kay

[Allstarjim]

Look closely at Tom's 1st yr stats........considering his supporting cast and the competition for those years Eli might be the better of the two for years 1-7

 

Eli is going into year 8

 

Also Eli has steadily progressed........who knows how far he can go with the offense he now commands

 

I consider the Giants and Pittsburg as the 2 SB favorites for 2011...........NE is not in the conversation

 

 

NE is definitely in the conversation. Their run game is getting tougher. They just drafted a good pick in Stevan Ridley, had 3 TD's in the preseason game. They return BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Danny Woodhead, and Kevin Faulk. But the biggest reason they are going to be an even better team than last year is now they have big Albert Haynesworth playing next to big Vince Wilfork. So they got a lot meaner on defense, and say want you want about Haynesworth, he was a dick in Washington, no doubt, but he's a great player, and I think that NE is going to play in a 4-3 a lot this year simply to put those two DT's next to eachother and shut down those running lanes in between the tackles. I wouldn't sleep on the Patriots this year.

[Treehugger]

The Pats were 14-2 last year. How could they NOT be in the conversation?

[BIGBLUE01]

Eli has gotten progressively better each yr in the league. Including last yr, where he put up the best #s of his career, aside from the INTS. What people are failing to mention, is that a good # of those INTS were not Elis fault. If the WRs make those catches, he has an even better yr than the previous.

 

So, how can you NOT think that Eli will have his best yrs ahead of him, possibly joining the ranks of Tom?? And of course the obvious.....what was he supposed to say?