Super Bowl 2012: Is Eli Manning the NFL’s best quarterback?
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Eli Manning is now a two-time Super Bowl champion as well as a two-time Super Bowl MVP. In both games, the New York Giants quarterback led a drive filled with spectacular plays that culminated in the game-winning score with less than a minute remaining.
All that combined with the breakthrough year he had statistically leads one to wonder: Is Manning the best quarterback in the NFL right now? Kind of depends on how you look at it.
Of all the active quarterbacks, only New England’s Tom Brady has more Super Bowl rings (three), but he is now 0-2 against Manning and the Giants in the Super Bowl and 1-3 overall, including a 24-20 loss back in November. This year, Brady threw for 5,235 yards (second-best all-time), 39 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Manning had his best year with 4,933 yards, 29 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger has been in the league the same number of years as Manning (eight) and the two players have two championships each, although the Steelers quarterback has made one more Super Bowl appearance. Their career statistics are similar -- Manning has thrown for 27,579 yards with 185 touchdowns and 129 interceptions, Roethlisberger 26,579 yards with 165 touchdowns and 100 interceptions.
Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers, New Orleans’ Drew Brees and Indianapolis’ Peyton Manning (when healthy) have all put up better numbers than Eli Manning, who also has no regular-season MVPs to Rodgers’ one from this year and Peyton’s four overall. But Eli has twice as many Super Bowl rings as each of those quarterbacks.
What do you think? Vote in the poll, then leave a comment explaining why you voted the way you did.
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-- Chuck Schilken
