As an Indianapolis Colts fan, I can certainly sympathize with all of the Cheeseheads who must be mourning the demise of their beloved Green Bay Packers, 2012 edition. After all, this team who finished the regular season 15-1 joins the 2007 New England Patriots and the 2009 Colts as clubs who had a legitimate shot to run the table only to fall short in the postseason. Unlike the Colts and Pats, though, the Packers didn't win one even playoff game, a fact made all the more stunning by the dint of their world championship last year. The really interesting aspect about the comparison between the `07 Patriots and this year's Pack is that both teams were undone by the same nemesis. That common foe, Eli Manning, now has his New York Giants poised for a return to the Super Bowl, this time in the backyard of his more celebrated older brother, Colts' quarterback Peyton Manning.
Eli Manning has made a career out of playing just pedestrian enough during the regular season to make experts and fans doubt his true abilities, and then following up with one outstanding performance after another when it matters most. The most celebrated of those triumphs certainly came in Super Bowl XLII against the Patriots, thanks to an assist by David Tyree, but Manning has put together enough big games to rightfully earn the description of "clutch." His three touchdown passes in the playoff victory over the Packers on January 15 were capped off by three fourth-quarter scoring drives that cemented the Giants' 37-20 victory in the cold of Lambeau Field.
Of course, Eli's latest heroics, as they generally do, have spawned a flurry of Internet activity surrounding his rightful place in the game. Is he a member of the NFL's quarterbacking elite? Is he as good as, or better than, brother Peyton or father Archie? Or is he simply a product of the system in which he plays, a beneficiary of the talent around him and of Tom Coughlin's coaching?
Those questions, while fun to ponder, don't really do justice to Eli Manning or any other quarterback. There are several statistical measures which aim to answer such queries, but, especially with Eli, it's OK to lay down the analysis and just enjoy the show on the field. He seems to be a solid performer who is prone to the occasional lapse of focus, but generally only when the game situation is not critical. When the stakes are high, you know that Manning will always give you a good show, if nothing else.
While I have a certain fondness for Jim Harbaugh and his San Franscisco 49ers, I will find it hard to root against Eli Manning next weekend during the NFC Championship game. After all, how great would it be to see a Manning dismantle the Patriots in the Super Bowl, in Indianapolis? Even if it's not Peyton at the helm, it would be a sweet scene.
Adam Hughes was raised, and still lives, in rural Indiana. He has been a Colts fans since the team arrived in Indianapolis on a snowy morning in 1984. The Blue and White eventually replaced the Chicago Bears as his #1 team, and Super Bowl XLI was a dream come true.
Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.
No comments:
Post a Comment