New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning raised his play to rare heights in a postseason run two years ago that culminated in a Super Bowlupset of the previously undefeated New England Patriots.
Now, as streaky New York hosts the high-flying Philadelphia Eagles, the Giants hope Sunday night's NFC East showdown inspires an encore performance not far from the lights of Broadway.
"Anytime you are in the stretch — you are in December — you are talking to your team about playing their best, (and) obviously the quarterback has to play very well," sixth-year coach Tom Coughlin says.
Manning, 28, has watched older brother Peyton make it look easy at times in guiding the Indianapolis Colts (12-0) to the AFC South crown. Meanwhile, Eli has been as inconsistent as his unpredictable team while battling a foot problem, the first significant injury of his NFL career.
Manning, whose woes have been amplified by a defense that often has failed to make key stops, is keenly aware of how precarious New York's chances have become. After the Giants put together their first complete effort since their 5-0 start in beating the visiting Dallas Cowboys 31-24 last Sunday, Manning looked to the challenge of ending a three-game losing streak to the Eagles.
"We are going to need that win," he said.
After a four-game skid and later an embarrassing 26-6 Thanksgiving road loss to the Denver Broncos followed a torrid 5-0 start, New York (7-5) trails the Eagles and the Dallas Cowboys (each 8-4) in attempting to defend its title in the smash-mouth division.
Reasons for the Giants' wild ride surely extend well beyond Manning, including a defense that was shuffled as recently as last Sunday. But it is hardly coincidence that the team lost its way soon after the Super Bowl XLII MVP hurt his right foot and began to misfire.
He was hot when he completed 87 of 135 passes for 1,212 yards and 10 touchdowns with two interceptions through the first five games. His passer rating exceeded 100 in the last four of those contests, culminating in a perfect 158.3 mark in a 44-7 rout of the Oakland Raiders on Oct. 11. He played less than a half in that game after injuring his plantar fascia, the connective tissue that supports the arch of the foot, on the final step when he dropped back to pass the week before.
Concerns about Manning increased at the same rate as his incompletions when an MRI done during the second week of November showed a stress reaction (which signals the potential for fracture) in his foot that, at its worst, threatened his season.
In the first three games of the Giants' four-game tailspin, he did not complete more than 52% of his passes in any of those starts. He threw twice as many interceptions (six) as scores (three). His passer ratings: 61, 47.5 and 55.7.
Manning politely sidesteps questions about his injury and what went wrong as he focuses on his 84th consecutive start and the chance to avenge a 40-17 Week 8 rout against the Eagles, who also bounced the top-seeded Giants from last year's divisional playoffs.
"I was just going through a stretch," he says. "I feel good now, and hopefully we can finish the season strong."
After Philadelphia, road tests against the Washington Redskins and Minnesota Vikings are sandwiched around a home game against the Carolina Panthers. The Giants are bidding for their fifth consecutive postseason appearance. A little help, please
Eli needs supporting cast
In 2007, Eli made a name apart from Peyton and his father, Archie, a former NFL quarterback. He dramatically put a disappointing regular season (23 TD passes, 20 interceptions, 73.9 passer rating) behind him with a four-game playoff charge in which he threw for 854 yards and six touchdowns with one interception. His passer rating in that postseason: 95.7.
Center Shaun O'Hara, a friend of Manning's, emphasizes that the Giants do not need a repeat of those heroics to rescue them.
"I'll never put that pressure on him," he says. "I don't think it's fair to put all of that pressure on any one person, no matter who they are."
Former quarterback Phil Simms, MVP of the Giants' Super Bowl XXI victory, emphasizes the importance of the supporting cast.
"All he can do is do his job and take advantage of the opportunities when they are presented," the CBS analyst says. "If the team doesn't present him with opportunities, they are not going to the playoffs."
Simms praises the top pick in the 2004 draft for continuing his growth.
"I can just tell he's controlling the football better than he has at any time in his career," he says. "That means placement to the receivers, trajectory and speed. You've got to control trajectory, and, every once in a while, you've got to step on it."
Despite breaking in a young receiving corps and a foot problem that gave him visible discomfort in early October, Manning is 225-for-379 (59.4%) with 20 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions.
Continue
