The Comeback Kids
http://www.atomicsportsmedia.com/articles/709/1/The-Comeback-Kids/The-Comeback-Kids.html
Peter Giordano
By Peter Giordano
Published on 02/13/2007
Thanks to Eli and Plaxico, the Giants turned in the greatest NFL comeback in a long while. Peter Giordano breaks it down in his entry to ASM's Greatest Comebacks series.
Thanks to Eli and Plaxico, the Giants turned in the greatest NFL comeback in a long while. Peter Giordano breaks it down in his entry to ASM's Greatest Comebacks series.
The Comeback Kids
Going into the 2006-2007 season, the New York Giants were widely considered the team to beat. With the younger brother of now Super Bowl XLI champ Peyton Manning at the helm, Eli Manning was entering his second full season as Giants QB.
In hindsight, Eli’s second full season in the pros should remind you a lot of his first year. Manning delivered the first eight games of the year, posting an NFC East best 6-2 record, winning five straight at one point against conference rivals. As their schedule got tougher, the Giants struggled.
A key injury to Amani Toomer, one of Manning’s favorite targets is where the collapse started. Much like his rookie campaign, 2006 saw Manning wear down late in the season as the Giants backed into the playoffs. Through all of this, Manning still managed to throw for an impressive 3,244 yards and 24 touchdowns. He was able to complete almost 58 percent of his passes, improving by five points from a year ago.
Analyzing his short career, only three games come to mind that would validate him as the top overall pick he once was, one of which was a loss.
One of Eli’s most impressive performances came in 2005 when the Giants traveled to San Diego for the first time since the 2004 draft. Although his team didn’t come out with a win, he showed brilliant resilience when Charger fans booed him every time the Giant offense stepped on the field. The Giants wound up losing that day, but their young star put on quite a performance. He completed almost 60 percent of his passes while throwing for over 350 yards and two touchdowns.
At Giants stadium, a week after the 42-23 defeat to the Chargers, Manning showed confidence wasn’t an issue. He was able to deliver against the St. Louis Rams, throwing for a career high four touchdowns. He threw for 200 odd yards, as the Giants put on a rout of their own, winning easily 44-24.
Fast forward a year to 2006, when Manning was able to deliver one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history which will remain a staple of his potentially brilliant career. It was against one of the Giants most hated NFC rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles.
To backtrack, Eli was coming off a Week 1 nationally televised showdown with big bro Peyton and the future-champion Indianapolis Colts. After a tough five-point loss, the Giants had to travel to Philadelphia to face a rejuvenated Eagle team with a chip on their shoulder, fresh off a blowout of the Texans.
In hindsight, Eli’s second full season in the pros should remind you a lot of his first year. Manning delivered the first eight games of the year, posting an NFC East best 6-2 record, winning five straight at one point against conference rivals. As their schedule got tougher, the Giants struggled.
A key injury to Amani Toomer, one of Manning’s favorite targets is where the collapse started. Much like his rookie campaign, 2006 saw Manning wear down late in the season as the Giants backed into the playoffs. Through all of this, Manning still managed to throw for an impressive 3,244 yards and 24 touchdowns. He was able to complete almost 58 percent of his passes, improving by five points from a year ago.
Analyzing his short career, only three games come to mind that would validate him as the top overall pick he once was, one of which was a loss.
One of Eli’s most impressive performances came in 2005 when the Giants traveled to San Diego for the first time since the 2004 draft. Although his team didn’t come out with a win, he showed brilliant resilience when Charger fans booed him every time the Giant offense stepped on the field. The Giants wound up losing that day, but their young star put on quite a performance. He completed almost 60 percent of his passes while throwing for over 350 yards and two touchdowns.
At Giants stadium, a week after the 42-23 defeat to the Chargers, Manning showed confidence wasn’t an issue. He was able to deliver against the St. Louis Rams, throwing for a career high four touchdowns. He threw for 200 odd yards, as the Giants put on a rout of their own, winning easily 44-24.
Fast forward a year to 2006, when Manning was able to deliver one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history which will remain a staple of his potentially brilliant career. It was against one of the Giants most hated NFC rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles.
To backtrack, Eli was coming off a Week 1 nationally televised showdown with big bro Peyton and the future-champion Indianapolis Colts. After a tough five-point loss, the Giants had to travel to Philadelphia to face a rejuvenated Eagle team with a chip on their shoulder, fresh off a blowout of the Texans.
The Comeback Kids
For the first three quarters, Eli and the Giants weren’t playing the prettiest of games, to put it mildlyPhilly was ahead by 17 points and all signs pointed to a two game division lead for Donovan McNabb and the Eagles. The Birds had held Manning to a lonesome touchdown which came on a 37 yarder to Toomer in the first quarter.
After a fumble by Eagles running back Brian Westbrook, the Giants were able to rally and score an insane ten points with four minutes left in regulation. Manning threw his second touchdown of the day to Toomer to cut the deficit to three. After the Eagles missed an opportunity to close it out, Manning got the ball on his own twenty with a minute left and no timeouts. His team was able to drive down to the Eagles 32 with just seconds remaining. A personal foul penalty called on Eagle defensive end Trent Cole moved the Giants 15 yards closer to a game tying field goal. With just seven seconds remaining, Giant kicker Jay Feely booted one through the uprights to force an improbably overtime.
The extra period lasted a little over six minutes with both teams getting a crack at breaking the tie. On the Giants second possession, things weren’t looking good when they started things off at their own 15. Taking advantage of a tired and weak Eagle defensive front, the Giants pounded the ball eight times gaining over forty yards. Eli Manning orchestrated a drive going 5-5 which was finalized with a heroic 3rd and 11 touchdown to Plaxico Burress out jumping Sheldon Brown in the end zone. The game was finally over. The Eagles did get the last laugh though delivering a last second win of their own, when the two teams met for a third time in the first round of the NFC playoffs.
Regardless, 2006 Week 2 will remain a turning point in Mr. Manning’s young career. He battled blitzes, withstood the pressure, and even was sacked eight times. The first three quarters were as ugly as could be, but much to the chagrin of hostile Eagle fans, Eli proved his worth, and orchestrated one of the greatest comebacks the NFL has ever seen.
After a fumble by Eagles running back Brian Westbrook, the Giants were able to rally and score an insane ten points with four minutes left in regulation. Manning threw his second touchdown of the day to Toomer to cut the deficit to three. After the Eagles missed an opportunity to close it out, Manning got the ball on his own twenty with a minute left and no timeouts. His team was able to drive down to the Eagles 32 with just seconds remaining. A personal foul penalty called on Eagle defensive end Trent Cole moved the Giants 15 yards closer to a game tying field goal. With just seven seconds remaining, Giant kicker Jay Feely booted one through the uprights to force an improbably overtime.
The extra period lasted a little over six minutes with both teams getting a crack at breaking the tie. On the Giants second possession, things weren’t looking good when they started things off at their own 15. Taking advantage of a tired and weak Eagle defensive front, the Giants pounded the ball eight times gaining over forty yards. Eli Manning orchestrated a drive going 5-5 which was finalized with a heroic 3rd and 11 touchdown to Plaxico Burress out jumping Sheldon Brown in the end zone. The game was finally over. The Eagles did get the last laugh though delivering a last second win of their own, when the two teams met for a third time in the first round of the NFC playoffs.
Regardless, 2006 Week 2 will remain a turning point in Mr. Manning’s young career. He battled blitzes, withstood the pressure, and even was sacked eight times. The first three quarters were as ugly as could be, but much to the chagrin of hostile Eagle fans, Eli proved his worth, and orchestrated one of the greatest comebacks the NFL has ever seen.