Just getting ready to leave Tampa, where Eli Manning and the Giants beat the Bucs to advance to the divisonal round of the NFC playoffs.
It was Manning's finest moment as a professional, and gave him and the Giants hope of more positive things in store. 
What Manning did yesterday is yet another reason why I've been reluctant to pronounce him a bust, despite his mediocre play at times during his career. I've always maintained that it's still early and that there is a bigger upside to Manning's career. Not necessarily the trendy thing to say, especially in this day and age of instant analysis and sweeping pronouncements.
But his performance against a very good Bucs defense convinces me even more that preaching patience about his career makes sense. And remember this: He's in only his fourth NFL season and already has a playoff victory; big brother Peyton, a quarterback for the ages who will wind up in the Hall of Fame, didn't win his first playoff game until his sixth season.
We'll be back in a bit with the Monday Memo.
Comments (6)
funny that you should mention patience with your assessment of eli as i thought it was his patience that won the game yesterday. his work on the line was the best it has been all year, checking off plays and calling out the LBs and DBs on seemingly every play. get the guy to the LOS with 10-or-more seconds on the play clock and he is a great reader of the defense. under 10 and the delay of game penalty is sometimes less hazardous to the health of the g-men offense.
Perhaps yesterday's game was worthy of praise, but he will always be Jughead to me. I suppose expecting he would stand up to Dad and say San Diego wouldn't be all that bad a place to play, what with the Zoos and beaches and stuff, and let the draft chips fall where they may. In the end, the P. Rivers approach to the game is much more my style, so I suppose I should be thankful. A.J. Smith could probably be indicted for theft.
And did you hear the news? My Chargers get to face Eli's brother, who no doubt will be doing what he can to avenge the six-pick loss he particpated in out here earlier this season. Moving on won't be easy
Congrats to Giants fans everywhere. Good luck with the 'Boys.
The best news out of all this, CC, is that you have delivered a comment worthy of our weekly comment contest. The reason that is so good is that one of our stated goals on this blog is to co-opt as many of Neil Best's original readers - and, in this case, friends - and bringg them over to our side. The dark side.
Well said.
Congrats on win, even if it was less than inspiring.
As they say, any win is a good win, but how many times this season did the Chargers go one half (first or last) without scoring? That can't happen again Sunday or they will be done.
You should probably know that I'm not much help with your page views competition there in the cyberspace Newsday world. I haven't yet "bookmarked" your blog so I get there via the WatchDawg, using the link on his page. So before you get a view, he does too.
CC:
It's ok. We appreciate each and every page view here, no matter how it's derived. Best reads our comments, and he gets insanely jealous any time one of his loyalists weighs in here.
:)
Ah, it's great to see Eli on top of the world again like he was after the wins over Philly, Chicago and now Tampa. I just hope he doesn't go back to being a bust like after the losses to Minnesota and Washington. He is the most scrutinized QB I have ever seen. Patience indeed.