Manning starting to meet high expectations
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By JASON WILDE / Lee Newspapers
Thursday, January 17, 2008 10:44 AM CST
GREEN BAY -- The expectations that come with being any one of the following would be awfully difficult to live up to:
1. The younger brother - playing the same position - of the reigning Super Bowl MVP, a two-time NFL MVP and one of the three best quarterbacks in the league today. (Not to mention being the son of a famous former NFL quarterback, too.)
2. A starting quarterback in New York, a notoriously tough media market with some of the most demanding fans around.
3. A former No. 1 overall pick who forced a trade when he didn't like his initial destination.
Now try being all three at once - which is exactly what New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is.
"You wouldn't wish that on many people," Cooper Manning, Eli's "other" older brother, told Sports Illustrated recently. "But he's a cool customer, no matter what hand he's been dealt. People are starting to figure that out."
At the same time, Eli is starting to figure it out as well. Entering Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, he is playing the best football of his four-year career.
"There have obviously been some ups and downs," Giants coach Tom Coughlin admitted Wednesday. "(But) what he's done here of late is recognize exactly what was necessary in order for us to have a chance to win. And he's done it."
In his last six games, including a 24-14 wild card playoff victory at Tampa Bay and last Sunday's 21-17 divisional playoff win at Dallas, Manning has thrown 10 touchdowns and only three interceptions after tying for the regular-season league lead with 20 INTs. After completing just 56.1 percent of his regular-season passes, he's completed 71.1 percent of his attempts in the two playoff games, throwing four TDs and not a single pick.
"Playing quarterback and playing quarterback in New York are totally different," Giants running back Brandon Jacobs said. "He takes all kinds of abuse from (the media), (but) he's done what he can do to help us win, and he's coming into himself and (become) the type of quarterback he's going to be for the rest of his career."
Included in that media abuse was ex-Giants running back Tiki Barber calling Manning's attempts at leadership "comical," but it's Manning who's having the last laugh, with a team one game away from the Super Bowl.
"No one expected us to be here, (so) it's been a fun journey. You have to enjoy it," Manning said. "(But) I don't think I'm doing anything different or anything extra special. I'm just trying to take what the defense is giving me.
"I am happy to be right here, no matter what has been said, whether it is great things, bad things, or anything. You are in the championship game of the NFC, and I think the whole team is fired up to be here and we're looking forward to the game."
But for the Giants to have a chance to win the game, Manning will have to continue his mistake-free ways. Of Manning's five highest-yardage games this year, the Giants only won twice. But when he didn't throw an interception, they were 5-1.
"You know, I think we've played two pretty good games. (But) it's not like this is brand new. I've played two good games in a row before," Manning said. "It's not like all of a sudden I'm a different man. I (just) think if we can go out there and play smart football, don't turn the ball over, don't have penalties and run the ball decently, we'll be in better situations to throw it."
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