Big Blue View Drools over Big Ben
Big Blue View, the NY Giants blog, is consistent about sticking with the New York traditions of perpetually bashing Eli Manning. Today, however, it's reached a new level of hilarity. They're playing the we-should-have-drafted-Roethlisberger game--and this time, they're serious about it.
A straight up comparison of Roethlisberger and Manning tells you Big Ben is a better player. He has a Super Bowl title, a 63% career completion percentage and a QB rating of 110. Eli has a couple of playoff losses, has never completed 60% and has a career rating of 78.6.Add to that Roethlisberger's toughness, blue-collar personality and ability to make plays on the move (like that guy the Giants faced Sunday) would suit the Giants well.
It leaves me with a few questions, even if the responses I get aren't exactly impartial:

- Is Roethlisberger actually so much better than Manning that they've sunk this far?
- Even further, how much of Ben's success is in the fact that the Steelers are a traditionally run-heavy team, so he doesn't throw as much? Would Ben be this successful anywhere else?
Ouch.
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wow!
DId he not play well the other day against Dallas? Attention span that short up in NY?
by Blitzburgh on Nov 13, 2007 10:21 PM EST 0 recs
He definitely has his good days and bad.
I wouldn't call it a short attention span, though. It's more like an intolerance of anything imperfect, especially when anything related to the Red Sox or Cowboys are involved. New Yorkers and the NY media are like that; that factor is a major reason why I wonder if a lot of other QBs would be doing better there.
For an example, remember how McNabb was complaining earlier in the season that he's being held to a higher standard because of some perceived racism? He failed to consider the fact that in the northeast, everything's held to a higher standard.
by HinesField on
Nov 14, 2007 1:18 PM EST
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Forget Ben, think of Rivers
Eli will be fine. He has made more progress this year. I don't think he is much of a leader and certainly not a New York Type A personality, but he can make all the throws, seems unselfish and a hard worker. He will probably never match up well with Ben. Having Romo in his own division also creates problems for Eli in terms of how Giants fans will perceive him.
Playing in the NFC, Eli might have a chance in the near future to get to a Super Bowl. Hard to imagine the Giants winning a Super Bowl, but getting there and having some personal success might do a lot for Eli's image with New York fans.
by steeler lifer on Nov 14, 2007 2:10 AM EST 0 recs
word on draft day
by schnifin on
Nov 14, 2007 9:23 AM EST
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Rivers
Eli Manning
SPLIT CMP ATT YDS CMP% YPA LNG TD INT SACK RAT
2007 168 283 1820 59.4 6.43 60 14 11 13 78.6
Projected 299 503 3236 59.4 6.43 60 25 20 23 78.6
Career 858 1559 9869 55.0 6.33 78 68 55 79 74.2
Philip Rivers
SPLIT CMP ATT YDS CMP% YPA LNG TD INT SACK RAT
2007 155 255 1743 60.8 6.84 49 10 10 13 77.9
Projected 276 453 3099 60.8 6.84 49 18 18 23 77.9
Career 456 745 5279 61.2 7.09 57 33 20 44 86.2
He has struggled this year, but I said before the season that Norv Turner is not head coach material, and look at the team. The whole team is struggling compared to last year. LT's numbers are down, the defense gave up 296 yard to Adrian Peterson. They're in trouble all around.
I mean, let's not get too carried away, it's not like he's Alex Smith, or something.
Ok, I'm done defending Philip. And, I wouldn't trade him for Ben right now, that's for sure.
by WolfpackSteelersFan on
Nov 14, 2007 11:18 AM EST
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Rivers
He had some really, really efficient games last year. This year, I definitely have been unimpressed, but I'm not ready to write him off yet. I think he'll be as good, if not better, than Eli when all is said and done.
by Blitzburgh on
Nov 14, 2007 12:19 PM EST
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Thier concerns/questions are pretty valid
Season's with a QB rating over 98 -
Ben 3
Eli 0
Season's with a QB rating under 80 -
Ben 1
Eli 4
Seasons with a completion percentage over 60% -
Ben - 3
Eli - 0
Career TD to INT ratio -
Ben 74:50
Eli 68:55
Career Yds -
Ben 10,539
Eli 9,869
Career yards per attempt -
Ben 8.3
Eli 6.3
Bottom line is there isn't any comparison and just to stick it to NY fans, Ben's worst season he still had a better QB rating than Eli's career average.
by cgolden on Nov 14, 2007 9:24 AM EST 0 recs
nice
by Blitzburgh on
Nov 14, 2007 12:21 PM EST
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True enough.
One statistic you don't mention is that in each of the last 3 years, Manning had at least 20% more attempts than Ben (even after adjusting for the games Ben missed in 05). I think part of that is the Giants just throw more, and throw long passes more, which will typically decrease completion percentage and increase interception numbers except for exceptional quarterbacks, i.e., Peyton.
Further, back when the Giants had Tiki Barber, they used a LOT of short passes to Tiki instead of the run (about 20% of Manning's completions were to Tiki), which brings down yards/completion and yards/attempt averages.
This isn't to denigrate Ben or talk up Eli. I don't think Eli would really have a chance of succeeding in the Steelers offense. I just wonder how Ben would do in the Giants'.
The fact that Ben started his career with a top-tier football team couldn't hurt his numbers, either.
Although, you do have to respect that Ben's put up better career passing yard numbers than Eli in the same number of games (almost).
by HinesField on
Nov 14, 2007 1:14 PM EST
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Tiki probably helped his numbers
by cgolden on
Nov 14, 2007 1:31 PM EST
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Giants 2004 Draft
Lots of good background info. The Giants did indeed have Ben rated ahead of Rivers, but would not have picked him at No. 4. They had a deal with Cleveland to move down to No. 6 and pick Ben there, and would have gained extra draft picks. They originally turned down a deal from SD to swap positions that would have cost them Umenyori as well as draft picks. Bottom line, they accepted a deal to move up that cost them a first-rounder and two third-rounders, rather than take a deal to move down that would have got them Ben and extra picks.
Apologies for saying Rivers has gone into the tank. Didn't mean to suggest it's permanent for Rivers. He showed enough last year to think he still has some promise. But Norv Turner or not, he has looked awful at times and will have to turn things around next year to become a solid career QB.
by steeler lifer on Nov 14, 2007 12:25 PM EST 0 recs
no need to apologize
I think his track record at NC State is enough evidence to believe he's a good enough competitor to get things straightened out. The guy he replaced, Brees, also bottomed out during his second full year as a starter.
by Blitzburgh on
Nov 14, 2007 12:29 PM EST
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Yeah, no need to apologize
Anyway, I think he'll be fine, but only time will tell.
by WolfpackSteelersFan on
Nov 14, 2007 5:49 PM EST
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