The Fan Hub

The parallels between the Giants’ Super Bowl XLII win and their second victory over the Patriots on Sunday night were prevalent throughout the week. However, the difference between Eli Manning in 2007 and Eli Manning in 2011 was encapsulated not only by his play all season long, but also his play in the Super Bowl.

Manning has been making his case as a member of the “elite” quarterback club all season with the most prolific passing campaign of his career. It’s a far cry from the Eli of 2007, when he led the league in interceptions but turned it around with an amazing postseason. This time, however, the play of Manning during both the regular season and postseason was by far the biggest reason why the Giants even made the playoffs in the first place, and his 103.3 rating during the playoffs was just a continuation of that.

Even the signature catches of the two Super Bowls encapsulated the difference between the two Elis. Four years ago, David Tyree’s catch was accomplished by pure instinct, a once-in-a-lifetime play that ended with a wobbly pass somehow sticking to Tyree’s helmet. But on the first play of the Giants’ game-winning drive on Sunday night, Manning dropped a beautiful pass into an impossibly small window on the sideline to Mario Manningham, with the catch this time being overshadowed by the pass.

Although both Super Bowls ended with Eli being named the MVP, this time there was no doubt as to who deserved it. This is Eli Manning’s team, and now there is no disputing it.

— Craig Lowell