tsn_talent
jesse_palmer

Four Downs: Rivers, Manning forever linked

Eli Manning

Eli Manning

1/15/2008 2:38:14 PM

First Down: Rivers or Manning?

Eli Manning and Philip Rivers will forever be linked since they were traded for one another in the 2004 NFL Draft.  Four years later, the debate rages as to which of the two teams, San Diego or New York, got the better end of the trade. 

There have been remarkable comparisons to date between both Manning and Rivers, particularly if you consider their respective teams this season.  Both QBs are playing in their first-ever conference championship game this upcoming weekend.  Both play on similarly structured teams and the Giants and Chargers both feature aggressive defenses.  Both Manning and Rivers are complimented by outstanding running games and each throws to a Pro Bowl tight end (although Jeremy Shockey has been placed on IR for the remainder of the playoffs, and Antonio Gates is hurting). 

At this point, it really is a coin toss to determine which quarterback will have the better future.  If I were a head coach in a crucial conference championship game and had to decide between the two, I would start Eli Manning based off of what we have seen in the past two weeks of the NFL playoffs. 

While Eli Manning's numbers wouldn't necessarily jump out at you, he has done an incredible job of protecting the football, and not putting his team into any holes.  This is something that Manning has struggled with for the majority of his young career thus far, but it is as if we are seeing a new player emerge before our eyes.  During the first 16 weeks of the regular season, Manning threw 19 touchdowns against 19 interceptions.  In the last three weeks, Manning has limited his mistakes, throwing eight TDs and only one interception!  A remarkable turnaround indeed. 


 

These numbers make a coach like Tom Coughlin smile, considering there is not another coach in the NFL who harps on turnovers more.  When I played for Coughlin, he would come into each meeting during training camp and display a power point presentation showing us the negative effects of turnovers on football teams.  Then he would show us the teams from previous seasons that did the best job of not giving the football away.  These teams were almost always playing deep into the playoffs each and every year. 

It was an effective message that I believe Eli Manning has bought into it, as he is realizing that he doesn't necessarily have to "stat it up" and try to win games throwing the football 40 times a contest.  With their defense playing the way they are right now, and their ability to control the clock with the running game, Manning only has to throw the ball around 20 times a game to be effective. 

The last two weeks, Manning hasn't been connecting on shots deep downfield, but has been completing high-percentage short passes and screens.  He is playing in a groove right now, and this is the most confident I have seen him in his young career.  This New York Giants team is going to need more of the same from Manning this weekend if they are going to pull out a win over legendary Brett Favre on the frozen tundra of Green Bay.

Second Down: Who Can Stop the Patriots?

Can anybody stop the New England Patriots now?  After beating what many considered to be the second-best team in the playoffs last week (Jacksonville Jaguars), the Patriots are set to face the San Diego Chargers at home this upcoming weekend. 

The Chargers three main weapons on offense are all banged up.  Philip Rivers and LaDanian Tomlinson are both nursing knee injuries, while Antonio Gates is still hampered by a dislocated toe. 

Do the Chargers then even stand a chance?  Does anyone at this point? 

I think the only team left playing with a "chance" to beat the Patriots is the Green Bay Packers.  When I look back to last week's games, the Packers weren't the best team playing, but they were the most complete team.  In terms of the three phases of football, there was no better unit on the field. 

Let's start with the passing game.  Brett Favre looked about as good as we've seen him all year, going 18-of-23 with 3 TDs in what was basically a blizzard (not a shocker considering how many times we have seen him do this).  Favre was able to spread the wealth, as seven different Packers had at least one catch in their divisional round game with the Seattle Seahawks. 

In terms of running the ball, it couldn't have been any better for the Packers - almost!  Ryan Grant had two fumbles on their opening two drives, leading to an immediate 14-0 deficit.  But Grant then proceeded to break two franchise records, one for rushing yards in a playoff game (201) and another for rushing TDs in a playoff game (3). 

After their dismal start, the Packers offense generated six consecutive touchdown drives!  What is most impressive to me is that five of those drives were at least 64 yards.  Again, to re-iterate - in a blizzard! 

Defensively the Packers held Matt Hasslebeck and company to only 200 yards total.  The Packers physical style of play, particularly in the secondary, proved too much for the Seahawks wide receivers, and Hassleback was never able to get into any type of comfortable rhythm. 

If both the Patriots and the Packers are able to win this weekend, than we would have a QB match up for the ages: Favre vs. Brady; the master against the heir apparent.  Super Bowl Sunday couldn't get any better than that.

Third Down: Tooms Day

Amani Toomer has been enjoying a remarkable playoff run these past two weeks.   Statistically, Toomer has 11 receptions for 154 yards and 3 TDs in the post-season stretch.  

The Giants couldn't have asked for a better time to have Toomer step up.  With Plaxico Burress hobbled by injuries all season long, and Jeremy Shockey being placed on IR for the remainder of the season, the 12-year veteran has re-established himself as the go-to-guy for the Giants in the passing game. 

Having played with Amani for five years, it doesn't surprise me that he is still able to find success in the latter stage of his NFL career.  Toomer is the consummate professional in the locker room and on the field, and I don't know anyone who takes better care of himself away from the game.  During the off-season, Amani focuses his time on his own personal fitness.  He attends yoga classes and even improves his flexibility and balance while taking kung fu classes. 

The most impressive thing about Toomer, however, may be his competitiveness.  During one off-season a few years back, the Giants hosted a marathon race in which fans could come out to Giants Stadium and participate in a run with players around the Meadowlands complex.  Amani was one of the players representing the Giants in the run.

Amani later told me that there was one particular runner who had showed up specifically to beat Amani.  While Amani was pacing himself over the entire course, this gentleman kept stride with him in an effort to pass Toomer at the final stretch. 

Most players would just let the runner win, and have his or her day.  After all, the race was supposed to be about the fans, not the players.  Realizing this fan trying to pass him when they came to the final straightaway, Toomer turned on the jets and left the runner in his dust. 

That's classic "Tooms." 

When the Giants began facing an injury crisis at the end of the season, Toomer took it upon himself to step up and lead a young, inexperienced receiving corps into the playoffs.  Toomer's will to win and competitive fire have helped the Giants reach the NFC Championship game, and with physical corners Al Harris and Charles Woodson looming on the horizon in Green Bay this weekend, we may see Amani's best performance yet.

Fourth Down: Don't Blame Mexico

Players are grown adults and have the option to do what they want with their free time.  If Tony Romo wants to take a vacation before the playoffs, that is his prerogative.  Fans will look at that and feel it is a distraction from football, but who is to say that after 17 grueling weeks, and the pressure of being the quarterback of "America's Team," Romo didn't need to just get away and re-charge? 

It's not up to us to decide what Romo is supposed to do with his free time.  Only Romo does that. 

In the end, Romo's performance this past Sunday wouldn't have improved had he chosen to stay home in his living room and study film of the Giants during his time off.  The Giants pass rush was simply too much for the Dallas Cowboys to handle. 

Now, Romo didn't do a good job of handling it, either, but added preparation won't make a quarterback shake off two Pro Bowl caliber defensive linemen every snap.  Under that pressure, Romo made a lot of poor decisions and was forced into poor execution.  At least twice, Romo refused to throw the ball away when pressured and instead took unnecessary sacks.  He was flagged for a costly intentional grounding penalty, and on several occasions severely under-threw open receivers downfield.  Costly false start penalties by the offensive line didn't help Romo's cause either. 

All of the above are examples of what happens to offenses when they can't handle the opposing team's pass rush. 

Still, it should be noted, that fairly or unfairly, it is the quarterback's responsibility to handle the opposing team's pressure scheme, and Romo was unable to do that. 

The game of football, though, is the ultimate team game.  Losses are never the result of only one player. 

However, since the invention of the position, the quarterback has taken more credit than he deserves when his team wins, and more blame when his team loses.  For this reason, the majority of the Cowboy's demise will fall on the shoulders of Tony Romo

But Mexico and Jessica Simpson were not the reason for Romo's poor play.  Romo himself and eleven players on the defensive side of the ball wearing blue jerseys were the main reasons.  And all the film study in the world couldn't have changed that.  

 






Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Tuesday, December 11, 2007


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