Hyperbole Full Steam Ahead

Now that bootgate is over, the big hyperbole story of the moment is the status of Eli Manning as franchise quarterback and how everyone in the country was wrong for doubting him in the first place.

Here's a quote that pretty much sums up the goofiness of this argument:

"Everybody [else] is all surprised," New York Giants wide receiver Amani Toomer said about Manning's arrival as a Super Bowl quarterback. "I don't think anybody in this locker room is surprised how well he's playing. Everybody knew he could be that type of quarterback. Now, he's living up to everybody's expectation."

Here is what Amani is saying, broken down:

1. Everybody [else] is all surprised - No one expected him to play this well.
2. Everybody (in the locker room) knew he could be that type of quarterback - He's never been that type of quarterback before but we had a good hunch that he could eventually play at that level.
3. Now he's living up to everybody's expectations - well those in the locker room anyway who, as Toomer says, never saw him play that well but knew he could. But for everybody else in the country that "is all surprised", we also knew he could play that well, but until now had never seen evidence of it.

He was the overall #1 pick in the NFL draft, so we detractors always had an expectation that he could play this well. Maybe it's more because he has the Manning name, than because of his play in college. Either way, Amani Toomer seems to agree with all of us detractors that Eli didn't play anywhere near this level prior to Week 17 against the Patriots.

Every playoffs has an enormous amount of over-the-top hyperbole and here are the examples that are already out there and what we can expect to see over the next two weeks:

1. Eli is a greater playoff quarterback than Peyton - not exactly a large body of work to compare with, but that won't stop people from writing it.

2. Eli is hotter than Brady heading into the Superbowl - this is already getting enough play and some backlash has started to regain perspective but lets take a look at the only "perception is reality" argument that comes from Sunday's games.

Manning 21/40 254 yards 0 TD 0 INT
Brady 22/33 209 yards 2 TD 3 INT

Now, the obvious thing that stands out is that Brady had 3 INT to Manning's 0 which is a clear indication that Manning was better on Sunday. But how much better? Eli completed barely 50% of his passes and threw 0 TD's. Brady completed 66% of his passes and had two touchdowns that were critical. I'll still say that Brady's 3 INT negates the advantages in TD's and completion %, but you'd think Brady was utterly awful and Manning was phenomenal by what the media hacks are writing. What you see in Manning right now, is the 2001 Tom Brady...neither spectacular nor awful, but very efficient and mistake-free. But Tom Brady plays at a level now where his Sunday performance is viewed as horrible and reason for concern in comparison. So I think we have to go back a week to find out where the separation is for Eli being the hotter QB:

Manning 12/18 163 yards 2TD 0INT
Brady 26/28 262 yards 3TD 0INT

I don't know about you but I don't see where Eli is hotter this week either. He is continuing a streak of mistake-free football (of course throwing the ball 18 times doesn't create a lot of opportunities for mistakes).

All-in-all, I'd say they both played very well in the Divisional Round (Brady better), and mediocre in the Championship round (Manning better). And then ask yourself, "which QB do you want heading into this Superbowl" taking into consideration how they've both played in these playoffs? I'm thinking the majority of the country would take Brady. Just a hunch...of course I was a detractor of Eli's.

3. The Patriots NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS are not the best team ever - this is already making the rounds because it's the typical backlash to the season-long hyperbole argument that, yes, the Patriots are the best team ever. What I love about this debate is the fact that prior to the Patriots entering the argument, no one ever mentioned another team in the conversation outside of the 85 Bears. They were the consensus #1. But now, people who are writing the backlash argument point out the 72 Dolphins, 89 49ers, late 70's Steelers (they cant even pick a season), among those that are probably better than the Patriots and deserve to be #1. It's a ridiculous argument, I don't really care if the Patriots ever end up being the consensus #1, but I would be very happy that 19-0, 4 rings in 7 years, with no other team even appearing in the Superbowl twice during that time, would be indisputable.

4. The Giants know what it takes to beat the Patriots - The Eagles, Colts, and Ravens all said the same thing and really thought they'd be able to do it if only they had a second chance. Well the Giants do now, and they really believe they can do it. And there is no reason to doubt their confidence. However, this statement, so overused this season and now in the playoffs, is like saying "we know what it takes to bring peace to the middle east." Yes, everyone know what it takes, but no one is capable of actually doing it and seeing it all the way through. I know what it takes to beat the Patriots myself, but I'm not allowed to take a 2x4 to Brady's knee. So, although I know how to beat the Patriots myself, I'm not going to do it.

5. Brett Favre is the greatest QB ever - This one has been on the back-burner all season as he piles up more career records, which are great. But, as he showed yet again on Sunday, Brett Favre is also one of the most mind-numbingly-dumb decision makers in the history of the NFL. Everyone loves the Ultimate Warrior, so the criticism is never harsh, no matter if he costs his team their season...why? Because he had fun out there and had the best regular season of his career. Well...do you want Eli in the playoffs or Favre? Me? I want Eli. He may not end up throwing a 50 yard TD, but he also won't throw a 50 yard INT or several of them. The best arm in the history of the game, threw the lamest duck of a pass in OT. He's not the greatest QB in the history of the game, but he's probably around #5. Basically he's Cal Ripken. Great guy, Hall of famer, fun to root for, and durable.

6. The Patriots aren't nearly as good now as they were in October - this is my favorite one. While the Patriots offense is not putting up the points and stats they were in October, their running game has improved dramatically because the weather dictated it. The shutting down of Moss has prevented the quick long strike, but it has resulted in the Patriots dominating time of possession by using the short-to-medium passes to complement the rushing attack, and the defense has improved from being 31st in the league in the red zone in October, to completely shutting down their opponents in the playoffs. They're not giving up the rushing yards they were, and while they still give up the medium passing plays, all of this points to them returning to exactly the style and effectiveness of play that they used to win in 2001, 2003, and 2004. By the way, the Patriots passing juggernaut slowed down as it got windy and cold. They haven't played a game above 40 degrees in that time, but they're going to the warmest, driest, least windy area in the country for the Superbowl. So what game plan will the Giants prepare for? The control-the-clock dink and dunk combined with rushing, or the stretch the field bombs away that only works in a warm, dry climate?

Some other storylines you can expect to see in the next week that aren't getting play yet:
1. Brady is friggin awesome after a bad performance.
2. Belichick has two weeks to gameplan and that's too tough to overcome.
3. Coughlin is a hell of a coach who will be able to offset Belichick's gameplans
4. Kevin Faulk is the MVP of the Patriots
5. The Patriots still deserve an *
6. The Patriots shouldn't be celebrated at all.
7. The 72 Dolphins need to put a Code Red on Mercury Morris to shut him up.