Stats Say Eli Manning Is One Of NFL’s Top Quarterbacks
Eli Manning has been in the headlines of the NFL lately after his recent fiasco with Rashad Jennings in week one. Manning was getting criticized from all ends over his decision-making. Yes, he made a mistake, but when will the comments ever end? The fans love to hate Manning, but stats can prove them all wrong. This past Thursday, Manning guided the New York Giants to their first win of the season in a stunning fashion and ended up having some pretty flashy numbers to show for it.
One factor that has held Manning back over the years from reaching an elite status in the eyes of fans is his tendency to be very streaky at times. When I say streaky I mean one game he’ll throw three touchdowns and the next game he’ll throw three interceptions. However, the streaky Manning we all know and love is gone.
It’s already three weeks into the season and Manning has yet to throw an interception. That is a huge shock for both Manning’s critics and his supporters. So far he has 64.8 completion percentage, 764 yards and four touchdowns on the season. His quarterback rating is 97.9. Manning’s current stats are comparable to Aaron Rodgers, Carson Palmer, Tom Brady, and Ben Roethlisberger who all have a rating over 100.
If the season ended right now, Manning would be one of the top quarterbacks in the league. His completion percentage would be even higher if it wasn’t for his receivers dropping a number of catchable passes.
These stats change by the second every time a football game is played. My argument could easily be contradicted by saying Tryod Taylor and Marcus Mariota would also be ranked top quarterbacks if the season ended now. That is because their quarterback ratings are extremely high. Quarterback rating tends to be the most misleading stat in the NFL and fails to gauge the true ability of a quarterback.
Manning having some ball control and limiting his bad decisions makes the Giants instant contenders for the playoffs. The Giants have the most stable unit in the NFC East, they just have to try to keep it that way.