"What I liked was his answer and what he said a week later. He said he was just trying to be the best quarterback he can be."
Despite a Super Bowl ring on his finger, despite the fact that he had thrown for 3,200-plus yards and 20-plus touchdowns 6 years in a row, Manning has had a tough time convincing people he is an upper-echelon quarterback. The popular opinion was that quarterbacks like his brother Peyton and Tom Brady and Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers were up here and Eli was down there somewhere.
After outdueling Brady in his brother's home stadium last night, no one should ever think that again. With his second Super Bowl title, Eli has proved once and for all that he is indeed an elite quarterback.
"I don't need to say anything about Eli," Giants running back Brandon Jacobs said. "I shouldn't have to say anything about Eli. Two-hundred twenty-eight countries just saw Eli. I don't have to say anything."
Two-hundred twenty-eight countries saw Manning perform his fourth-quarter magic again, completing 10 of 15 passes for 118 of his 296 yards in the final 15 minutes. Two-hundred twenty-eight countries saw him complete five of six for 74 yards on that do-or-die, game-winning, 88-yard drive, which ended with Ahmad Bradshaw running in from 6 yards out with 57 seconds left.
"We've won [the Super Bowl] 2 of the last 4 years [actually five seasons] and Eli's been the MVP both times," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "Anybody who doesn't think he is a great quarterback doesn't know what they're looking at. He put this team on his shoulders the whole year."
Seven weeks ago, the Giants were in free fall after losing five of six games. A 23-10 loss to the Redskins left them on life support at 7-7. A Super Bowl title seemed like a pretty tall order at the time.
