Is Eli the new Tom Brady?
With time running out in the fourth quarter on Sunday, and their teams trailing, both Eli Manning and Tom Brady were given the football deep in their own territory and asked to lead a game-winning drive.
In February of 2008, both men were given a similar task on the biggest of stages; the Super Bowl. Eli Manning pulled magic out of his hat and marched the Giants down the field, in the process creating an indellible moment in Super Bowl history with the Tyree catch. Tom Brady, who had won three rings with late drives leading to game-winning field goals, appeared poised to create one more miracle finish. However, the Giants’ defense was not willing to cooperate and be on the bad end of history.
Flash forward to last week. Tom Brady and the Patriots did it again, coming from behind to beat the Buffalo Bills. After an injury stopped his 2008 season almost before it began, it appeared that Brady was back to his old ways. If you give him the ball with time on the clock, watch out.
Now onto Sunday. In the 1:00 contest, the Jets and Patriots linked up in a highly anticipated divisional contest. The Jets were clinging to a slim 16-9 lead, and Brady got the ball with just under 2 minutes on his own 10 yard line. The Pats had 5 plays for 18 yards, and lost the game. Credit should certainly be given to the Jets’ defense, who played almost the opposite of the prevent. Also, the Pats were missing Wes Welker, a Brady favorite who has been key in improvising offense. Still, Brady has come back countless times against some very tough defenses, and has done it with many receivers.
Later last night, the Giants matched up with the Cowboys in another divisonal contest. After a back-and-forth game for the first 57 minutes, the Giants got the ball with 3:40 left, trailing 31-30. A holding call on Rich Seubert negated a good first down completion pushed the Giants back to their own 15, and set up a first and 20 with 3:24 left. Here is what followed:
- 2 yard pass to Bradshaw; 12 yard pass to David Hagan on a scramble; 2:00 minute warning.
- 11 yard pass to Steve Smith; no-huddle incompletion to Mario Manningham; 13-yard pass to Kevin Boss; 6 yard pass to Steve Smith; incomplete pass to Smith. 39 seconds left. Timeout Dallas.
- 8 yard completion on a tipped pass to Manningham (great concentration by the wideout); 12 yard completion to Smith. Timeout Giants with 13 seconds.
- Eli Manning sneak for 2 yards; timeout Giants. Kicker freeze timeout Cowboys. 37 yard field goal Tynes. Ballgame.
With a very Brady-esque drive, Eli Manning led the Giants down the field, managed the clock, and put his kicker in position to win the game. The weird thing is, Giants fans expected it to go this way. Smith and Manningham may have broken out in the same game, and Manning found them and Boss when he needed to. He didn’t panic, hurried but didn’t rush, and seemed in control the entire time.
So, with apologies to Brady and Rothelesberger, Eli Manning may just be the QB that fans would want with the ball in his hands and the game on the line.
(PS- Tuck injury is worrysome, and the trip that caused it was BS; the defense got gashed by the running game of Dallas; the Giants running game needs to get going; I am glad I picked up Manningham week 1)
September 21, 2009 at 11:17 am |
Nothing to worry about with the running game. Opponents are making Eli and his no-name receivers prove that they can beat them. Worrying about the running game is like worrying that Bonds didn’t hit a homer on a night when he was walked four times. A couple of big performances from Eli, and the running game will be back.
Your forgot about Peyton. I’d take him over his little brother with the game on the line. Eli is a strange QB to watch. He misses open receivers and throws ugly balls, but then he makes some beautiful throws.
September 21, 2009 at 11:59 am |
Not sure i agree with the Bonds analogy. Its more like complaining about the lack of singles when he scored 3 runs on errors.
The giants got a ton of points off of turnovers, which considerably shortened the field. You need a running game to set up the passing game, because eli can’t go no-huddle hurry-up the whole time. They kicked 4 FG and had two scoring drives of 18 and 28 yards. Their red zone wasn’t great.
September 21, 2009 at 12:21 pm |
My point was that other teams are scheming to take away the running game — like walking Bonds to take away the homerun. You walk Bonds and make another player beat you. You stop the running game and make eli and his receivers beat you. The receivers have been wide open because the safeties are keying on the run. So, the running game has indeed set up the passing game. Teams are trying to make the giants pass by taking away the run, and the Giants have made them pay thus far.
The red zone issue is troubling, as are the injuries on defense. They are going to need to get a little more creative down there.
And what a freaking double move by Smith on his td catch last night. He looked like Steve Largent or Wes Walker, but quicker.
September 21, 2009 at 12:44 pm |
Smith move was sick, and Manningham really showed me something. His concentration in the tip pass and the TD while on his back were really nice.
September 21, 2009 at 12:59 pm |
And Manningham has some speed as well. Looks like the real deal. Manning, Smith and Nicks could be a real nice trio. Manningham was looked at as a potential first-rounder heading into his senior year, and now he’s showing why.
September 21, 2009 at 1:09 pm |
What about Barden?
September 21, 2009 at 1:19 pm |
Pretty raw. I look at him as a project. But hopefully he’ll be able to help out in the red zone before the year is over.
September 21, 2009 at 8:59 pm |
36 doubles for Murphy, plus 11 homers and 4 triples.
September 22, 2009 at 7:45 am |
Meaningless stats complied in a forgotten season against teams who hardly take the Mets seriously. Besides that, well done.
September 22, 2009 at 9:28 am |
Just doing some old browsing-
How does this:
Reyes probably done through at least the all-star break. I’m guessing 8/1. Fucking idiots try to rush the kid back with tendonitis behind his knee at calf and he ends up tearing a tendon behind the knee at the hamstring, then act like its a coincidence so as to not look too incompetent.
Gibe with this:
That’s the medical staff’s fault? Must be the fault of those morons in charge of the orthopedic department at one of the best hospitals in the world, Hospital for Special Surgery. Yeah, lets blame them. Maybe its the Mets’ team orthopedist, the guy who the Yankees send their players to for consultations and second opinions.
September 22, 2009 at 1:12 pm |
I have consistently maintained throughout the year that the Reyes’ injury is the one injury for which the team should be blamed. But just because they rushed one player back does not mean they are responsible for the onslaught of injuries they otherwise suffered. And Reyes was not the medical people’s fault, but the fault of management in the manner in which they use the medical information supplied to them.
So Murph’s 36 doubles, 4 triples and 11 homers don’t mean that he has potential to be a .290 hitter with 40 plus doubles simply because he plays for a fourth place team?
September 22, 2009 at 2:39 pm |
By the way, Jeter is hitting .265 this year with runners in scoring position and .266 with runners in scoring position with two outs. If clutch hitting truly exists as you believe, then you have to be consistent and admit that Jeter has been a choker this year.
September 22, 2009 at 2:50 pm |
I will do no such thing, lol
Late & Close are PA in the 7th or later with the batting team tied, ahead by one, or the tying run at least on deck- Jeter is batting .346.
David Wright is batting .217 RISP & 2 outs, and .275 late and close. So in the spirit of consistency, Jeter is much better in the clutch than “the best 3B in NY.”
If the Mets are who you thought they were, Murphy won’t be seeing teams with a tee time on their mind, he will be seeing teams who know they have to battle to beat the Mets. Stats in a blowout loss are not impressive.
September 22, 2009 at 2:58 pm |
To be honest, I don’t know how Murphy will play out. You never answered me about the mystery player I proposed in the previous thread, who played very similarly to Murphy his first season in the bigs. It was Melky Cabrera, and I don’t think you were too high on him. He projects out to a better hitter than Murphy based on his rookie season (fewer XBH, more runs higher average and OPS…etc). Its a crap shoot with tweener talents.
September 22, 2009 at 3:01 pm |
The Braves have tee time on their mind? And I don’t believe in clutch hitting, so you’re not scoring any points with me with the DW stats.
As for Jeter’s “clutch” stats, he’s hitting a robust .207 late and close with runners on base, with a slugging percentage of an equally impressive .207 and an OPS of .540. These stats are so stupid and subject to massive swings due to sample size. What’s next: David Wright only hitting .222 with runners on base and Mercury in retrograde during a full moon at high tide? You want Jeter up in a big spot because he’s a .317 hitter. Period. This clutch hitting stuff is nonsense.
September 22, 2009 at 3:03 pm |
I’m just harping on Murphy because you said he “sucks” and everyone in the media says they need a first basemen for next year. But his stats this year while “sucking” are awfully similar to Melky’s this year, and you think Melky is good.
September 22, 2009 at 3:16 pm |
By the way, I don’t mean to say that these stats are entirely worthless. They are fine for looking deeper into a player’s season to see how he faired in light of his opportunities. I just don’t think its fair to draw conclusions such as “choker” or “clutch” based on these random stats predicated on small sample sizes.
September 22, 2009 at 10:40 pm |
Hideki can still hit. 28 bombs and 88 RBI. Don’t know if his knee is done-done, but he still looks like a dh for someone.
How about jeter with another 200 hit 100 run season? Clutch discussion aside, dude did not lose the proverbial step this year.
September 23, 2009 at 11:46 am |
No, he did not. And he’s had a great year. But now you guys will end up locking him up long-term at big $, then he’ll lose the proverbial step, and he and A-rod will be a $50 million per year anchor for years to come. Or so I hope.
By the way, and despite what everyone in the media says, Detroit would scare me in a 5 game series. Verlander could shut your ass down twice, and Edwin Jackson is no slouch either. You’ll get each of them twice, plus Rick Porcello in game three. Not an easy assignment. CC has yet to pitch well in the playoffs, and Burnett is a headcase. But if you get the Detorit pen, its over.
September 23, 2009 at 12:32 pm |
I think it will be an interesting series if it happens that way. I am still mad over the 2006 series. Thought we had a good team that year, despite the pitching. Verlander has good stuff, and did well against us in April. In July he lost a close one 2-1.
I am not that worried though. Look at the lineup- who scares you besides Cabrera? Brandon Inge? Curtis Granderson? Magglio?
I think the Yankees lineup will be too much, even for Verlander/Jackson, especially with their late game ability. The Yankees have gotten booted in series where they tried to be a bomb squad and hit 3-run homers against everyone. Now there are hitters up and down the lineup, and Gardner (despite your objections to him as an everyday player) adds the missing speed element. He can really fly, and allows guys like Swisher/Matsui/Jorge to work the count, draw walks, and get their asses off the basepath.
I was also thinking that Subbing in Molina at the end of close games might not be a bad idea. Posada gunned down Willets last night, but I feel like Molina inspires more confidence at the end of games. Posada felt like he was slowing the game down too much for the pitchers last night.
September 23, 2009 at 12:34 pm |
and I am assuming you meant Detroit would scare you if you were me, right? As a Met fan I’d be terrified of facing the Rolando Paulino Little League all-Stars these days. Danny Almonte could shut your asses down…
September 23, 2009 at 1:07 pm |
Your lineup is too much for the Detroit pen, but not for a Verlander or a Jackson if they are on. You guys have feasted on bullpens all year and will destroy the Tiger pen if you get to it, but you have not had a lot of success against hard-throwers who throw strikes. And Verlander is a horse who can throw gas all night. If Verlander beats CC in game one (quite possible), Yankee “universe” will be shitting itself.
My point was that I’d be more worried (if, god forbid, I was a Yankee fan) about the Tigers in a 5 game set than either Boston or Anaheim in a 7 game set. Anaheim has a great lineup, but their starting pitching is pretty average for a playoff team due to the injuries and its bullpen is suspect (Fuentes sucks). Boston just doesn’t have it this year. A lot of injuries, and Beckett doesn’t look like Beckett.
September 23, 2009 at 1:29 pm |
Verlander does have 3 CG this year, but the Yankee lineup had him out in 7 both times they faced him. Lot of patient hitters, provided they don’t tighten up. Your points are valid, but switch it around to a Tiger’s fan perspective. Can you come into a series with the Yankees feeling confident?
1- .330 17 and 64
2- .285 24 and 77
3- .292 37 and 118
4- .284 27 and 89 (after missing 29 games)
5- .280 28 and 88
6- .283 22 and 79
7- .321 23 and 77
8- .251 27 and 79
9- .271 12 and 64
thats an average .289, 24 homer, 82 RBI player. Even if you feel like Verlander is a stud, there is not one easy out, and there is balance with lefty-righty. then you have to face CC, Burnett and Pettite, with Aceves/Hughes/Rivera in the end game.
September 23, 2009 at 2:38 pm |
Burnett and Pettitte don’t scare anyone. Burnett is an overrated headcase, and Pettitte is 63 years old. A strong argument can be made that Verlander/Jackson/Porcello are better than CC/Burnett/Pettitte, and that’s why a 5 game series with Detroit is your biggest challenge in my opinion.
September 23, 2009 at 2:54 pm |
Of course an argument can be made. Thats what you do. You take a successful offensive season, and make it about the stadium. You take a great season by jeter and make it about him being overrated by the media, and a burden in 3-4 years.
What is is about the 4.1 innings Jackson has pitched in the post season which makes you so confident? What about 21 year old Rick Porcello, who was -2 years old when the Mets last won it all? Lets take these two untested guys and thrown them in a playoff series at Yankee stadium against the best lineup in baseball, and see them win, before we start getting rug burn.
sure CC has yet to pitch well in the playoffs. So what is Justin Verlander’s 1-2 record in the postseason with 5.82 ERA then? dominant? I’ll take one of the top pitchers in the AL and a guy with 4 rings over two 20 somethings with 100 playoff pitches between them thanks.
September 23, 2009 at 3:16 pm |
Are you confident that Burnett will pitch better than jackson in the post-season? The way I look at it, CC vs. Verlander is a wash, whereas against any other AL team that would be a Yankee advantage. Jackson is having a better year than Burnett. Porcello is young and good with no experience. Pettitte has the history and is having a decent year, but his shoulder is cranky.
I just did a little math. Tigers’ top 3 starters this year: 3.58 ERA, 1.248 WHIP, 477 K’s. Skanks’ top 3: 3.86 ERA, 1.284 WHIP, and 502 K’s. So, if the Tigers can clinch early and line their rotation up for the playoffs, it would be fair to say that the Tigers have a slight advantage in starting pitching. Yankees’ lineup much better, and Yankee’s bullpen much better. But starting pitching can go a long way in the playoffs.
September 23, 2009 at 3:40 pm |
By the way, who would you vote for AL MVP and Cy-Young? I’d go with Mauer and Grienke right now.
September 24, 2009 at 11:21 am |
you also need to reserve judgment until the season plays out. The Twins still have 4 games against Detroit and can grab the central if the Tigers lose 3-4. I do not fear either team.
September 24, 2009 at 1:42 pm |
I would not fear the Twins at all. But Verlander has the ability to shut your ass down twice. That would scare me.
September 24, 2009 at 2:00 pm |
you are over rating Verlander. Sure he has the “ability” to pitch really well. But his playoff numbers dont bear that out. CC is as likely, if not moreso, to give up fewer runs than his team scores. thats just simple numbers.
September 24, 2009 at 2:23 pm |
I’m not saying the Tigers are gonna win. I’m just saying that they are your biggest obstacle in my eyes because of their starting pitching in a short (5 game) series. But god forbid anyone should question whether the mighty Yankees will just sweep all three series, hands down.
And when are Verlander’s playoff numbers from? 2006. He was just a rookie. Now he’s an ace. Fat Albert is the one with the bad playoff stats, despite numerous appearances. How did Fat Albert do in the playoffs last year? The Phillies crushed his fat ass. But I wouldn’t give much credence to that. I only point it out because of the absurdity in questioning Verlander’s playoff record when he pitched in the playoffs only one year, as a rookie, two years removed from college. In 2006, he was a year younger than Joba, whom the Yanks continue to baby and won’t even use in round one.
September 24, 2009 at 3:11 pm |
What’s absurd is saying verlanders stats in the playoffs don’t matter because he was young, but simultaneously touting the potential for success in the playoffs for Jackson and porcello.
And if Joba was in det he would pitch now.
September 24, 2009 at 3:26 pm |
Fine, have no concerns about facing Verlander in game one of a short series. He couldn’t possibly be that good, after all, he’s not a Yankee.
And Joba at 23 wouldn’t have pitched in the playoffs. He got shut down after 100 innings with a cranky shoulder and was sent to see Dr. Andrews. And I have not been touting Porcello, just Verlander and Jackson. Besides, Porcello only has to pitch game 3. If Porcello can’t close out the skanks in game 3, then Verlander can win game 4 for a 3-1 series victory.
September 25, 2009 at 8:25 am |
Dude, stop hating. Part of enjoying sports is the occasional trip into blind and irrational devotion to your team. You can talk yourself out of anything in sports, but sometimes its fun to go the “nobody can stop us, we got this” route.
I would not have enjoyed the 2008 NFL playoffs nearly as much if I came up with reason after reason why the Giants were overmatched. I chose to ignore the flaws and fixate on the positives. Result= a fun month and a half.
Maybe you dig sitting on pins and needles, but I’ve been a Yankee fan long enough now to tell the difference between a playoff team and a true contender. Think we have the latter this year. I’m sure you can come up with a bunch of statistical reasons not to be confident, but I choose to ignore them and enjoy things right now.
September 25, 2009 at 12:08 pm |
You mean 2007 playoffs, but I actually believed that Giants were gonna win each game, until the Super Bowl.
And you have been totally misconstruing me. You should be confident. You have the best team in baseball. I don’t think the Angels’ pitching (especially the BP) is good enough to beat you, and I don’t think the Red Sox are that good either. Some key hitters got old fast, Dice K hasn’t been healthy, and Becket has been pretty ordinary. In the WS, you will destroy Lidge and the Phillies’ awful BP if its the Phils and the same thing for St. Louis and Ryan Franklin. I can’t see Franklin, or Lidge or Madsen closing you guys out in a tight game. The Dodgers have a good pen, but Billingsly is out of gas and their starters are thus average.
So, my point is and has been that Detroit is the team that would concern me most, their record notwithstanding. And the reason is twofold. First, its a five game series rather than seven. Upsets are more likely in a short series. Second, they could have Verlander and Jackson pitching four of those five games. Verlander is the kind of pitcher who can shut anyone down when he’s hot. If he gets hot at the wrong time for you, you could easily lose. That’s all I have been saying.
September 25, 2009 at 12:20 pm |
I know what you meant, but its still a rainy cloud on the positivity parade. Its not like “Hey, you guys look good, and if you can get through a tricky first round series, I like that way the playoffs set up.”
Its usually more like “the Skanks and Gay-rod need to worry about getting their asses shut down by Verlander. You think the yankees are the best at everything, but you guys will be in real trouble if your fatass starter doesn’t bail you out in Game 1″
The end message is essentally the same, but its a lot more negative then I typically like to be at this time of year, and I can’t fire back because the Mets have 65 wins and knocking them is tantamount to making funny of Jerry’s kids.
September 25, 2009 at 12:25 pm |
Trust me, I get a new and informed angle every time you post, and it does keep me in check when I veer into the lane of “Yanks rule dude, we’re gonna kick ass. We got Mo and Jeter and nobody can stop us!”. I try to be objective, but I do wear my fandom on my sleeve.
September 25, 2009 at 1:05 pm |
With Manuel at the helm, “jerry’s kids” is actually a pretty good nickname for that squad. And its not “Gay-rod”; it “Gay-Roid.”
The thing about about playoff baseball is that depth doesn’t matter as much as during the regular season (which takes away a Yankee advantage), and a team can be carried by one really hot starter. The most dangerous teams are therefore the teams with the best top 2 pitchers (Randy Johnson & Curt Schilling for example) as opposed to the deepest staffs, and that’s what Cashman was trying to accomplish by signing CC and Burnett. But I just don’t trust Burnett on the big stage. I think he’s a punk, and I know he’s inconsistent and overrated. But, we’ll see in two weeks.
September 25, 2009 at 6:55 pm |
I think its kinda unfair to label Burnett “a punk” as a negative, but Gary Sheffield “a badass motherfucker” as a positive.
How good was the Phillies staff last year?
September 25, 2009 at 7:36 pm |
It’s different. Sheff is a bad-ass motherfucker b/c he will stand up for what he believes is right to anyone, at any time. He’s deranged, and often wrong. But a bad-ass just the same. You’d want him in your foxhole.
The Phils’ BP was excellent last year. Lidge had a great year. Zeron blown saves This year, he has been a disaster — the worst closer in baseball. And that has had a cascading effect. Right now, their bullpen is like the mets was last year.