I couldn't get to post game thoughts last night, but Peter King and Don Banks pretty much some up my short and long-term thoughts:
King
Did you see the Giants out-Steel Curtain the Steelers?
Banks
Something's just missing from this Steelers team, and even though Pittsburgh might wind up winning the AFC North once again, my sense is that it won't be a deep run into January for Mike Tomlin's team.
It isn't time to throw in the (terrible) towel because we lost one game, especially considering it was to one of the top teams in the league, but the injuries keep piling up and our offense is too inconsistent to win against top teams. The O-line isn't completely at fault (see this article), and missing Santonio surely hurt, but we haven't had any type of rhythm since week 1. There is still plenty of time to get this fixed (see 2007 NY Giants Super Bowl run), but until we do, the talk of the Steelers as a legitimate threat to make the Super Bowl is certainly premature.
One other quick thought. Although losing a game is rarely palatable, the "best" teams to lose to are those from the opposing conference. Tie breakers for division titles are (1) Head-to-head (2) Division Record (3) Conference Record. Tie breakers for non-division teams are (1) Head-to-head (2) Conference record. Since the Steelers haven't lost to anyone in the division or the conference, they hold the tie breakers in these categories.
That said, I would prefer we beat the NFC East's Washington Redskins next week.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Five burning questions
I set up a point-counterpoint with my two college roommates. Hank is a Steelers fan. Jon is a Giants fan. Unfortunately Jon had trouble following directions. So, here are Hank's thoughts on 5 burning questions.
1. Ben Roethlisberger v Eli Manning. Who has had the better career thus far? Who is currently the better Qb? When all is said and done, who will have the better career?
It was nice of the Steezbros to throw me a softball for the first question, though it shows their bias against my pro-Giants foe. This is a better setup than if Bob Scheiffer started off the presidential debate with "Lets discuss your running mates…."
Allow me to provide a timeline:
Draft Day 2004
Big Ben
The Rooney's get sick of trying to win without a quarterback and take a chance on a no name from "The U" (of ohio). Nice back story, having not played quarterback until high school after being over looked by his coach, his talent was only recognized by a small college and then the venerable Rooney's. The town of Pittsburgh is excited having drafted what appears to be a blue collared player with great up side.
Eli
HA! We all know the story. Footballs version of the silver spoon still firmly inserted in his mouth, Eli is drafted by the Chargers. He made it clear he wouldn't play there, which he gets to decide because of his amazing career at… Ole Miss? He appears to be pouting when he takes the podium but we learn later that is how he always looks. The Giants give away too much for what turns out to be the same quarterback as Phillip Rivers… and that's not a compliment.
Rookie Season
Big Ben
Down goes the starter and in steps The Rookie. A fans greatest fear, a rookie starting at quarterback. The Rookie manages to go 13-0 and wins a playoff game, surpassing all expectations and historical precedents
Eli
"Eli Manning or Kurt Warner, Eli Manning or Kurt Warner. Well we gave away everything for this guy so lets give him a shot."
Eli blows. He loses the locker room and talk of "Bust" begins to emerge. To make things worse he has to face Big Ben in the middle of Ben's historical season. He loses. Steelers 33 Giants 30
Super Bowl Season
Big Ben
Both teams had similar stories… wild card coming in. Sweep through some tough challengers. The difference is Big Ben was the reason we made it to the super bowl. We had no running game, and we came out throwing all playoffs. I am aware of the shitty Super Bowl Ben had, but he also had a play that rivals "The Helmet Play" ; "The Tackle".
Eli
Nice run by the Giants… but this was not on the backs of Eli. His most memorable play was memorable because the receiver made a nice catch. Have you seen an athlete look more awkward amidst a great play than Eli and "The Helmet Catch".
Future
Big Ben
Ben will win one or two more Super Bowls and will be Hall of Fame bound. More importantly he will have hooked up with 78% or Pittsburgh's female population and have given the other 22% to Jeff Reed.
Eli
By week 10 we will be watching Merrill Hodge freeze frame and say "You see! He is throwing off his back foot. That is the old Eli, not the one we all fell in love with after 4 good games.
2. Better owners: Maras or Rooneys?
Rooney's. No family represents a franchise like the Rooney's represent the Steelers. The initial grief around the rumors that the team may be sold is more proof of the Rooney's superiority than anything else. And of course the team was never sold. The Rooney's have done a lot of good for the NFL, always having a focus on the good of the league, but I think what best typifies their great ownership is the consistency at the head coaching position. Three coaches in almost 40 years! And they made a bold, but wise, decision on the latest hire.
Mara's are solid but uninspiring and are not revered by the fans of the New Jersey Giants nearly as much as the Rooney's are in Pittsburgh.
3. The Steelers and Giants had similar Super Bowl runs. Thoughts/reflections about those playoff runs?
This question would appear to lean towards the Giants as much as the first question leaned towards the Steelers. The Giant's run is fresh in people's mind and they knocked off the despicable Foxboro Patriots. However, here is what frustrates me about the Giants run. The regular season. When the Steelers made their run, they had to squeak into the playoffs and do the whole go on the road thing. However, throughout the season there was not talk about firing Cowher or Ben is a bust. With the Giants that was not the case. Tom Coughlin was the worst coach in football (only because Fassil didn't have a job) and the team was never going to win with Eli. My fellow author, Jon Perrelle, who claims to be a diehard even though he roots for a team in New Jersey when he lives in upstate New York, even said after week 2 "The Giants are the worst team in football".
I guess what I am saying is that I am happy the Steelers fans didn't have to do a 180 when their team did, unlike New Yorkers who were scrambling for seats on the bandwagon that was headed across the East River to New Jersey.
On top of that, if you think back to 2006, we had some great story lines (The Bus retiring and winning in his hometown) and we won a seemingly unwinnable game (Colts in the RCA Dome). Most importantly, we saved all NFL fans from having the Seattle Seahawks as World Champions.
4. How many sacks will the Giants/ Steelers have on Sunday?
I hope the return of Willie keeps the Gents boys up front off balance enough to keep the sack total in double digits. Yes I said double digits.
5. Thoughts on this weekend's game. Who will win this Sunday and why?
Where should I start? I know, the Steelers will win.
This belief that the NFC East is the best thing since, well the NFC East circa 1990, has been put to bed the last few weeks and now the Steelers will tuck it in. After being manhandled by perennial powerhouses such as the Brownies, St. Louis, and the Cardinals people are realizing that the NFC East is not the NFL's greatest division but instead a good division that happens to play in the NFL's largest markets.
Well the Pittsburghers are going to welcome the Giants to the NFL's most passionate market. I am sure the Heinz Field grounds crew has the sprinklers out right now, turning what used to be a football field into a soggy mess, neutralizing the mismatches such as Justin Tuck against or JV offensive line. This will be the type of game where Hines Wards 8 yard grabs will be more critical than Holmes and Washington stretching the field. Ben will shake off enough hits and scramble for enough big first downs to put up 17 for our boys.
Meanwhile our D will eliminate Brandon Jacobs from the game plan early and beg Eli reincarnated to win the game. The line backing corps will stop focusing on the run and start teeing off on Lead Legged Eli, matching the vaunted Giants D Line sack for sack. On this day, Eli's standard 18-33 for 182 will not be enough. He will be left standing on the sidelines as Ben gets his jersey dirty one more time, taking a knee at the 40-yard line. Steelers 17 – Giants 6
Bonus Question: Plexico Burress, thoughts?
The thing with Plex is… he's an idiot. You would think Steelers fans would be irate that we let him walk. I mean, Big Ben spent the offseason begging for a big receiver and there was still no mention of the fact that we had let Plex leave. For good reason. Plexi-glass'es inadequacies stood out to much when he shared a field with Hines Ward. It becomes intolerable for a Steelers fan to watch this contrast.
Plex booked his ticket out of Pittsburgh early when, in his disappointing rookie year, he finally made a catch. Naturally he fell to the turf untouched, because after all, who really wants to get tackled. It hurts! Well, unfortunately for Plex, his mind was still in college (or high school for that matter), so he got up and spiked the ball. Now Steelers fans already hate anyone who celebrates after a 15 yard catch, but it really irks them when you celebrate before you are down. Well we happened to be playing the Jags, who turned out not to be as stupid as Plex. They pounced on the ball, and all those in Pittsburgh started counting the days until this clown was sent packing.
The author, Hank Watson, is a Pittsburgh native who currently spends his days as a Healthcare Consultant in Washington D.C.
1. Ben Roethlisberger v Eli Manning. Who has had the better career thus far? Who is currently the better Qb? When all is said and done, who will have the better career?
It was nice of the Steezbros to throw me a softball for the first question, though it shows their bias against my pro-Giants foe. This is a better setup than if Bob Scheiffer started off the presidential debate with "Lets discuss your running mates…."
Allow me to provide a timeline:
Draft Day 2004
Big Ben
The Rooney's get sick of trying to win without a quarterback and take a chance on a no name from "The U" (of ohio). Nice back story, having not played quarterback until high school after being over looked by his coach, his talent was only recognized by a small college and then the venerable Rooney's. The town of Pittsburgh is excited having drafted what appears to be a blue collared player with great up side.
Eli
HA! We all know the story. Footballs version of the silver spoon still firmly inserted in his mouth, Eli is drafted by the Chargers. He made it clear he wouldn't play there, which he gets to decide because of his amazing career at… Ole Miss? He appears to be pouting when he takes the podium but we learn later that is how he always looks. The Giants give away too much for what turns out to be the same quarterback as Phillip Rivers… and that's not a compliment.
Rookie Season
Big Ben
Down goes the starter and in steps The Rookie. A fans greatest fear, a rookie starting at quarterback. The Rookie manages to go 13-0 and wins a playoff game, surpassing all expectations and historical precedents
Eli
"Eli Manning or Kurt Warner, Eli Manning or Kurt Warner. Well we gave away everything for this guy so lets give him a shot."
Eli blows. He loses the locker room and talk of "Bust" begins to emerge. To make things worse he has to face Big Ben in the middle of Ben's historical season. He loses. Steelers 33 Giants 30
Super Bowl Season
Big Ben
Both teams had similar stories… wild card coming in. Sweep through some tough challengers. The difference is Big Ben was the reason we made it to the super bowl. We had no running game, and we came out throwing all playoffs. I am aware of the shitty Super Bowl Ben had, but he also had a play that rivals "The Helmet Play" ; "The Tackle".
Eli
Nice run by the Giants… but this was not on the backs of Eli. His most memorable play was memorable because the receiver made a nice catch. Have you seen an athlete look more awkward amidst a great play than Eli and "The Helmet Catch".
Future
Big Ben
Ben will win one or two more Super Bowls and will be Hall of Fame bound. More importantly he will have hooked up with 78% or Pittsburgh's female population and have given the other 22% to Jeff Reed.
Eli
By week 10 we will be watching Merrill Hodge freeze frame and say "You see! He is throwing off his back foot. That is the old Eli, not the one we all fell in love with after 4 good games.
2. Better owners: Maras or Rooneys?
Rooney's. No family represents a franchise like the Rooney's represent the Steelers. The initial grief around the rumors that the team may be sold is more proof of the Rooney's superiority than anything else. And of course the team was never sold. The Rooney's have done a lot of good for the NFL, always having a focus on the good of the league, but I think what best typifies their great ownership is the consistency at the head coaching position. Three coaches in almost 40 years! And they made a bold, but wise, decision on the latest hire.
Mara's are solid but uninspiring and are not revered by the fans of the New Jersey Giants nearly as much as the Rooney's are in Pittsburgh.
3. The Steelers and Giants had similar Super Bowl runs. Thoughts/reflections about those playoff runs?
This question would appear to lean towards the Giants as much as the first question leaned towards the Steelers. The Giant's run is fresh in people's mind and they knocked off the despicable Foxboro Patriots. However, here is what frustrates me about the Giants run. The regular season. When the Steelers made their run, they had to squeak into the playoffs and do the whole go on the road thing. However, throughout the season there was not talk about firing Cowher or Ben is a bust. With the Giants that was not the case. Tom Coughlin was the worst coach in football (only because Fassil didn't have a job) and the team was never going to win with Eli. My fellow author, Jon Perrelle, who claims to be a diehard even though he roots for a team in New Jersey when he lives in upstate New York, even said after week 2 "The Giants are the worst team in football".
I guess what I am saying is that I am happy the Steelers fans didn't have to do a 180 when their team did, unlike New Yorkers who were scrambling for seats on the bandwagon that was headed across the East River to New Jersey.
On top of that, if you think back to 2006, we had some great story lines (The Bus retiring and winning in his hometown) and we won a seemingly unwinnable game (Colts in the RCA Dome). Most importantly, we saved all NFL fans from having the Seattle Seahawks as World Champions.
4. How many sacks will the Giants/ Steelers have on Sunday?
I hope the return of Willie keeps the Gents boys up front off balance enough to keep the sack total in double digits. Yes I said double digits.
5. Thoughts on this weekend's game. Who will win this Sunday and why?
Where should I start? I know, the Steelers will win.
This belief that the NFC East is the best thing since, well the NFC East circa 1990, has been put to bed the last few weeks and now the Steelers will tuck it in. After being manhandled by perennial powerhouses such as the Brownies, St. Louis, and the Cardinals people are realizing that the NFC East is not the NFL's greatest division but instead a good division that happens to play in the NFL's largest markets.
Well the Pittsburghers are going to welcome the Giants to the NFL's most passionate market. I am sure the Heinz Field grounds crew has the sprinklers out right now, turning what used to be a football field into a soggy mess, neutralizing the mismatches such as Justin Tuck against or JV offensive line. This will be the type of game where Hines Wards 8 yard grabs will be more critical than Holmes and Washington stretching the field. Ben will shake off enough hits and scramble for enough big first downs to put up 17 for our boys.
Meanwhile our D will eliminate Brandon Jacobs from the game plan early and beg Eli reincarnated to win the game. The line backing corps will stop focusing on the run and start teeing off on Lead Legged Eli, matching the vaunted Giants D Line sack for sack. On this day, Eli's standard 18-33 for 182 will not be enough. He will be left standing on the sidelines as Ben gets his jersey dirty one more time, taking a knee at the 40-yard line. Steelers 17 – Giants 6
Bonus Question: Plexico Burress, thoughts?
The thing with Plex is… he's an idiot. You would think Steelers fans would be irate that we let him walk. I mean, Big Ben spent the offseason begging for a big receiver and there was still no mention of the fact that we had let Plex leave. For good reason. Plexi-glass'es inadequacies stood out to much when he shared a field with Hines Ward. It becomes intolerable for a Steelers fan to watch this contrast.
Plex booked his ticket out of Pittsburgh early when, in his disappointing rookie year, he finally made a catch. Naturally he fell to the turf untouched, because after all, who really wants to get tackled. It hurts! Well, unfortunately for Plex, his mind was still in college (or high school for that matter), so he got up and spiked the ball. Now Steelers fans already hate anyone who celebrates after a 15 yard catch, but it really irks them when you celebrate before you are down. Well we happened to be playing the Jags, who turned out not to be as stupid as Plex. They pounced on the ball, and all those in Pittsburgh started counting the days until this clown was sent packing.
The author, Hank Watson, is a Pittsburgh native who currently spends his days as a Healthcare Consultant in Washington D.C.
Black and Blue? Thoughts from a Giants fan
Although I am a diehard Giants fan, I must confess an admiration for the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise. Of course it is hard not to like them somewhat when you spent your college years surrounded by Steelers fans. But, you can’t help having respect for their players (except Santonio Holmes), fans, owner, and, most importantly, the style of football they play. I’ll take hard-nose, take no prisoners football over the “Greatest Show on Turf.”
I think that’s why I enjoy watching the Giants so much this year. Not only are they the defending Super Bowl champs, but they have gone back to focusing on Steelers-type football. Gone are the days of allowing Kerry Collins to air it out for 4,000 yards a year (as he did back in the early 2000s in between drinks). Everyone knows KC wasn’t a real quarterback, and the painful display against the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV proved it. Now, the G-Men have gone back to what they were known for in the Parcells-era: a ferocious defense with a clock-controlling running game. Sounds like Steelers football to me.
Or, should we call it Giants-football, since, after all, the Giants are playing “Steelers-football” better than the Steelers themselves. We all know what happened last year with the Giants riding their defense and running game to a Super Bowl victory. Everyone also knows they did it in a way eerily similar to the Steelers latest title run, winning 3 straight road playoff games against higher seeds before winning the Super Bowl. Only, the Giants did it better than the Steelers, taking down an undefeated, 14-point favorite in the Super Bowl, a team many were ready to crown the best ever. Yeah, those Seahawks were real tough too.
This year is no different. Sure both teams are 5-1, but the Giants are doing it more Steeler-like than the Steelers. The Giants running game has been unstoppable so far this year. Ranking 1st in the NFL in yards per game, at 169.7, the have an unprecedented 3 headed attack in which their 2nd running back, Derrick Ward, averages 7.2 yards per rush. Their best back at the end of last season, Ahmad Bradshaw is only averaging 4 carries per game. Meanwhile the Steelers running game ranks a paltry 18th, averaging only 109.3 yards per game. Of course the Steeler defense has been quite impressive this year, ranking 1st in the league. However, the Giants defense is not too far behind, ranking 4th.
Ok, so maybe this isn’t the most lead-proof argument, but the Giants run-dominating attack and its tenacious defense clearly qualify it as a January football team. And as the defending Super Bowl champs, they have the track record to back it up and show that this isn’t an early-season fluke. Sure the Steelers have had a dominating defense thus far, but can it last the whole season? And what about that weak running game? Will they be able to rely on Big Ben and the passing game when the snow begins to fall? Clearly there are some question-marks that need answering before they punch their ticket to Tampa. The Giants? Well, if I had the funds, I would by buying my ticket right now…
But, right now all we are concerned about is October; January is not the issue. Recently the Giants lost to the Browns, in embarrassing fashion, snapping their NFL Record 12-game road winning streak. Look for them to start a new one today. With all the focus in Eli v. Ben this week, it will be the Giants running game that steals the show. Although the Steelers have handled the run this season, they have never seen the likes of “Earth, Wind, and Fire” in action. Get ready Steelers fans, its going to be a bumpy ride… G-Men 23 Steelers 20.
And regardless of what happens today, hope you can make it to Tampa. We’ll be waiting…
The author, Jon Perrelle, is a die-hard Giants fan that currently spends his days as a law student in Brooklyn.
I think that’s why I enjoy watching the Giants so much this year. Not only are they the defending Super Bowl champs, but they have gone back to focusing on Steelers-type football. Gone are the days of allowing Kerry Collins to air it out for 4,000 yards a year (as he did back in the early 2000s in between drinks). Everyone knows KC wasn’t a real quarterback, and the painful display against the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV proved it. Now, the G-Men have gone back to what they were known for in the Parcells-era: a ferocious defense with a clock-controlling running game. Sounds like Steelers football to me.
Or, should we call it Giants-football, since, after all, the Giants are playing “Steelers-football” better than the Steelers themselves. We all know what happened last year with the Giants riding their defense and running game to a Super Bowl victory. Everyone also knows they did it in a way eerily similar to the Steelers latest title run, winning 3 straight road playoff games against higher seeds before winning the Super Bowl. Only, the Giants did it better than the Steelers, taking down an undefeated, 14-point favorite in the Super Bowl, a team many were ready to crown the best ever. Yeah, those Seahawks were real tough too.
This year is no different. Sure both teams are 5-1, but the Giants are doing it more Steeler-like than the Steelers. The Giants running game has been unstoppable so far this year. Ranking 1st in the NFL in yards per game, at 169.7, the have an unprecedented 3 headed attack in which their 2nd running back, Derrick Ward, averages 7.2 yards per rush. Their best back at the end of last season, Ahmad Bradshaw is only averaging 4 carries per game. Meanwhile the Steelers running game ranks a paltry 18th, averaging only 109.3 yards per game. Of course the Steeler defense has been quite impressive this year, ranking 1st in the league. However, the Giants defense is not too far behind, ranking 4th.
Ok, so maybe this isn’t the most lead-proof argument, but the Giants run-dominating attack and its tenacious defense clearly qualify it as a January football team. And as the defending Super Bowl champs, they have the track record to back it up and show that this isn’t an early-season fluke. Sure the Steelers have had a dominating defense thus far, but can it last the whole season? And what about that weak running game? Will they be able to rely on Big Ben and the passing game when the snow begins to fall? Clearly there are some question-marks that need answering before they punch their ticket to Tampa. The Giants? Well, if I had the funds, I would by buying my ticket right now…
But, right now all we are concerned about is October; January is not the issue. Recently the Giants lost to the Browns, in embarrassing fashion, snapping their NFL Record 12-game road winning streak. Look for them to start a new one today. With all the focus in Eli v. Ben this week, it will be the Giants running game that steals the show. Although the Steelers have handled the run this season, they have never seen the likes of “Earth, Wind, and Fire” in action. Get ready Steelers fans, its going to be a bumpy ride… G-Men 23 Steelers 20.
And regardless of what happens today, hope you can make it to Tampa. We’ll be waiting…
The author, Jon Perrelle, is a die-hard Giants fan that currently spends his days as a law student in Brooklyn.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Big Ben and Eli
There quite a few articles in the blogosphere about the Giants – Steelers game, especially comparisons of Big Ben and Eli. It’s inevitable that these two will be compared throughout their careers. The have a number of similarities - they were first round draft picks from the same class, they both won super bowls, they both like to party.
But outside of these few facts, there seems to be a lot of disagreement about who is a better QB. Before we get to the comparisons, let’s all agree on one thing. Both are better than Philip Rivers.
It’s interesting to compare Eli and Ben, because defenders of both players will tell you vehemently that their respective quarterbacks cannot be judged on stats alone. Big Ben is consistently underrated because he doesn’t put up monster yardage. Ditto for Eli. They both play for teams that commit to running the football, controlling the clock, and throwing in some play action pass. Eli often gets more attention. He is a Manning. He plays in the biggest media market in the country. But despite this attention, he still had lots of doubters before the season He didn’t even get the normal pre-season, post-championship love because of the drama queen Brett Favre came into town.
Even though statistics don’t tell the whole story, we couldn’t have a respectable comparison without diving into the statistics. (From Joshua’s random thoughts courtesy of postgameheroes.com)
It’s interesting to compare Eli and Ben, because defenders of both players will tell you vehemently that their respective quarterbacks cannot be judged on stats alone. Big Ben is consistently underrated because he doesn’t put up monster yardage. Ditto for Eli. They both play for teams that commit to running the football, controlling the clock, and throwing in some play action pass. Eli often gets more attention. He is a Manning. He plays in the biggest media market in the country. But despite this attention, he still had lots of doubters before the season He didn’t even get the normal pre-season, post-championship love because of the drama queen Brett Favre came into town.
Even though statistics don’t tell the whole story, we couldn’t have a respectable comparison without diving into the statistics. (From Joshua’s random thoughts courtesy of postgameheroes.com)
According to all of these statistics, Big Ben compares favorably to Eli. But what about the most important statistic of all, wins? Ben has 44 in the regular season (plus 5 postseason wins). Eli has 35 wins in the regular season (plus 4 postseason wins). Advantage: Big Ben.However, ignoring statistics and focusing solely on wins doesn’t necessarily translate into one QB being better than the other. If I were an Eli supporter, I would argue that the Steelers teams were much better, so Ben had a much easier transition to the NFL. But the year before Big Ben was drafted, Pittsburgh went 6- 10 (allowing the Steelers to gain the #11 draft spot where we took Big Ben). With the team essentially unchanged from the year before, we went 15-1 and made it to the AFC Championship. Now I’m willing to admit that Ben’s role was simplified, but he was a big reason the Steelers were winning games. The following year, the Steelers made an unprecedented run to the Super Bowl, and despite a terrible Super Bowl performance, Ben was the MVP of the Steelers playoff run. He played incredibly well against Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Denver to get the team to the Super Bowl. Did I mention it was only his second year in the league? Even though he was still young, Ben was not a Trent Dilfer-like game manager. (Check out the Super Bowl run comparison below).
The NY Giants during this time seemed to have a great formula going for them. Start the year out hot, cool down in midseason, collapse at the end of the season. The Steelers definitely had a stronger defense than the Giants across the years, but Eli has always had weapons on offense. Tiki Barber had his best seasons with Eli at the helm. Plaxico defected to the Giants in Eli’s sophomore year. Shockey talked a big game. And Amani Toomer was more than the best dressed receiver in the league. Those Giants teams lost in large part because of poor decisions by one Eli Manning.
At the end of the regular season last year, I doubt there were many people that would have taken Eli Manning over Ben Roethlisberger. But, then Eli went on a magical run. All of a sudden he was making good decisions and the Giants were making a Steeleresque run through the playoffs. I’ll even admit that the Giants road was tougher than Pittsburgh’s. Dallas appeared to be unstoppable, beating Green Bay at Lambeau is not supposed to happen, and then we all know what happened against the unbeatable, undefeated NE Patriots.
Eli is given significant credit (and rightfully so) for taking his team to the NFL championship. And several articles have cited the fact that he outplayed Jeff Garcia, Tony Romo, Brett Favre, and Tom Brady to win the Super Bowl. This is true, but the last time I checked, Eli didn’t play defense against those teams. The reason he outplayed them was because Strahan, Umenyiora, and the rest of the Giants defense were harassing the opposition.
Throughout the 2007 playoffs, NYG averaged 21.25 points per game. That’s respectable, but not exactly blowing it up on the offensive side.
In comparison, the Steelers average 26.75 points per game during their Super Bowl run. .
Giants Playoff Run
NYG 24 TB 14
Eli Manning – 20/27 185 yards 2 TD 0 Int
TB averaged 21 points per game in the regular season. Had every opponent of TB scored 24 points, the team would have been 6-10. Therefore, NYG’s offense was potent enough to beat Tampa Bay the majority of the time.
NYG 21 DAL 17
Eli Manning – 12/18 163 yards 2 TD 0 Int
Dal averaged 28 points per game in the regular season. Had every opponent of Dallas scored 21 points, the team would have been 13 -3. Eli and the offense were solid, but the reason they won this game was because of defense.
NYG 23 GB 20
Eli Manning – 21/40 254 yards 0 TD 0 Int
GB averaged 27 points per game in the regular season. Had every opponent of GB scored 23 points, the team would have been 11 -5. Eli and the offense were solid again (especially considering the weather), but the defense kept them in this game (and made the interception in overtime to put the team in position to score).
NYG 17 NE 14
Eli Manning – 19/34 255 yards 2 TD 1 Int
NE averaged 37 points per game. Had every opponent of NE scored 17 points, the team would have been 16 -0. Eli won this game for the Giants with his two incredible drives, but had NE scored even half as many points as the team averaged in the regular season, this game would have been won by the Patriots.
Steelers Run
PIT 31 Cin 17
Ben 14/19 218 3 TD 0 Int
CIN averaged 26 points per game. Had every opponent of CIN scored 31 points, the team would have been 6 - 10. Big Ben and the offense won this game for the Steelers. The defense struggled early, but bounced back in the second half. Nonetheless, if you score 31 points in the playoffs, you expect to win.
PIT 21 IND 18
Ben 14/24 197 2 TD 1 Int
IND averaged 27 points per game. Had every opponent of IND scored 21 points, the team would have been 11 - 5. Big Ben and the offense threw the ball early and often in the game to take a nice lead. The defense was incredible and the reason we won this game.
PIT 34 DEN 21
Ben 21/29 275 2 TD 0 Int
DEN averaged 24 points per game. Had every opponent of DEN scored 34 points, the team would have been 1 - 15. The defense was solid in this game, but Big Ben and the offense dominated.
PIT 21 SEA 10
Ben 9/21 123 0 TD 2 Int
SEA averaged 28 points per game. Had every opponent of SEA scored 21points, the team would have been 12 - 4. Ben was awful in this game. The defense stepped up in an utterly boring Super Bowl. A little credit to Ben, but much more to the defense.
Overall
Eli 72/119 857 yards 61% 6 TD 1 int
Ben 58/83 813 yards 70% 7 TD 3 int
Take away what you want from this analysis. Eli threw it a bit more and didn’t make as many mistakes. Ben had fewer attempts, but was more accurate, had nearly as many yards, and had more touchdowns. Both players had significant help from their defenses. Eli got much more credit, due in large part to the two great drives that won them the Super Bowl.
There is no right answer to who is (and who will be) the better quarterback of the two. After watching the two, I would take Big Ben without thinking. He has performed better throughout his career, routinely carries his team to victory behind a shaky offensive line, and has become the unquestioned leader of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The argument espoused in several articles that Eli has more potential is also trash. Those that watch the Steelers know that Ben continues to improve. He has much better control of the offense. He has more freedom to call audibles. And gone are the days when he forced plays and turned the ball over constantly.. New York, be happy you have your man. Pittsburgh is certainly pleased with ours.
Oh yeah, let’s not forget crybaby Eli refused to be drafted by the Chargers. Classy.
Friday, October 24, 2008
UPDATE
Santonio Holms has been deactivated for the game against the Giants this week, according to KDKA and Mike Tomlin.
SH will either be replaced by Dallas Baker if he has recovered from his shoulder injury or 2nd round draft choice Limas Sweed. Either way we should see some action for Sweed in the 4 or 5 receiver sets.
SH will either be replaced by Dallas Baker if he has recovered from his shoulder injury or 2nd round draft choice Limas Sweed. Either way we should see some action for Sweed in the 4 or 5 receiver sets.
Parker out vs. Giants
Gerry Dulac at the Post Gazette. is reporting that Willie Parker will not play this week against the Giants.
Pro Bowl running back Willie Parker, who is concerned about the health of his sprained knee, did not practice today and is not expected to play against the New York Giants.
Pro Bowl running back Willie Parker, who is concerned about the health of his sprained knee, did not practice today and is not expected to play against the New York Giants.
The Links: Big Ben vs. Eli
I'm working on a post comparing our beloved hero, Ben Roethlisberger, to the pride of New York City, Eli Manning. Here are links to other articles comparing the two.
Despite presenting facts to the contrary, Ian O’Connor at Fox likes Eli better.
Adam Gretz at Fanhouse tears apart the Ian O’Connor article.
The Post Gazette looks at Ben and Eli’s career. Interesting fact that these two are the first pair of QBs drafted in the first round in the same year to win the Super Bowl. I had my money on Akili Smith and Cade McNown.
Post Game Heroes shows all the statistics. For the first time ever, Steelers fans point to statistics to prove that Big Ben is the better QB.
John Clayton at ESPN (lots of good Steelers-Giants material on ESPN) writes that the two QBs will always be linked
Behind the Steel Curtain trades columns with Giants blogger Big Blue View. The case for Eli. The case for Ben. Good point in here that each team got the QB that fits its respective team/market.
Blog ‘N’ Gold has a number of links as well. It also has a picture of the smoking Elisha Cuthbert. So hot. Want to touch the hiney.
Despite presenting facts to the contrary, Ian O’Connor at Fox likes Eli better.
Adam Gretz at Fanhouse tears apart the Ian O’Connor article.
The Post Gazette looks at Ben and Eli’s career. Interesting fact that these two are the first pair of QBs drafted in the first round in the same year to win the Super Bowl. I had my money on Akili Smith and Cade McNown.
Post Game Heroes shows all the statistics. For the first time ever, Steelers fans point to statistics to prove that Big Ben is the better QB.
John Clayton at ESPN (lots of good Steelers-Giants material on ESPN) writes that the two QBs will always be linked
Behind the Steel Curtain trades columns with Giants blogger Big Blue View. The case for Eli. The case for Ben. Good point in here that each team got the QB that fits its respective team/market.
Blog ‘N’ Gold has a number of links as well. It also has a picture of the smoking Elisha Cuthbert. So hot. Want to touch the hiney.
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