Discover Yahoo! With Your Friends

Explore news, videos, and much more based on what your friends are reading and watching. Publish your own activity and retain full control.

To get started, first

YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    The Week

    Eli Manning: A better QB than big brother Peyton?

    After leading the New York Giants to a second Super Bowl victory in four years, Eli now beats Peyton in a key statistic: Championships

    Has Eli Manning finally proven that he is, as he claimed in the face of much ridicule at the start of the season, one of the NFL's truly elite quarterbacks? After leading the New York Giants to a Super Bowl victory over the indisputably elite Tom Brady and his New England Patriots for the second time since 2008, the consensus answer is resoundingly "yes." But a new question arises: Does winning a second Super Bowl ring make Eli a better quarterback than his older brother Peyton? Despite having a legendary, record-setting career, the Indiana Colts QB — who was forced to sit out this season with a neck injury — has only won one Super Bowl. Does that mean Eli is better than Peyton?

    Yep. Eli is better when it counts: Peyton may be "more decorated than his brother" when it comes down to regular-season stats, says Eddie Pryce at Bleacher Report. But Eli is "more decorated where it matters most." Quarterbacks shouldn't be measured purely on passing yards and QB ratings, but on the less tangible "greatness" factor. By that metric, Eli — with his two Super Bowl rings, two Super Bowl MVPs, and demonstrated ability as a reliable clutch performer — "has garnered much more widespread respect as a weapon in this league." When it comes to winning games late in the season, when it counts the most, Eli trumps Peyton, hands down.
    "Who's the better Manning, Peyton or Eli Manning?"

    No way. Peyton is a legend: Eli's boosters "can't be serious," says The Denver Post. Just a year ago, fans debated whether Peyton was a better quarterback than all-time greats Joe Montana, John Elway, and Johnny Unitas. Now, after missing just one season, his credentials have been so unceremoniously devalued that his inferior-in-every-way brother is being called a better QB just because he won a big game? Peyton averaged 4,218 passing yards over 13 seasons. That creams Eli's 3,447-yard season average. And it's not like Peyton hasn't won — he has a Super Bowl ring. On Sunday, Eli proved that he is great… but not that great.
    "Super Bowl XLVI: Eli Manning? Better than Peyton? Only time will tell"

    We put way too much stock in championships: This ridiculous conversation is symptomatic of a larger problem, says Brad Wells at SB Nation. "As fans and media, we overvalue championships." Using Super Bowl rings as a measure of greatness is lazy and doesn't stand up to argument. If his two rings makes Eli a better QB than Peyton, does it also make him a better player than Drew Brees, Steve Young, and Brett Favre — who have each won just one championship? Does two rings trump Peyton's four MVP awards? His 10 straight playoff bids? "Instead of rewarding winning," sports fans should reward "overall great play." And overall, Peyton is greater player than Eli.
    "The inevitably stupid 'is Eli now better than Peyton' question?"

    View this article on TheWeek.com Get 4 Free Issues of The Week

    Other stories from this topic:

    Like on Facebook - Follow on Twitter - Sign-up for Daily Newsletter

     

    25 comments

    • ffrank  •  San Antonio, Texas  •  3 mths ago
      the press is always looking for trouble why stir up a controversy between two brothers they were always doing this with the Di maggio Brothers on who was the better fielder it caused their relationship to deteriate to the point they never spoke to each other in their later years
    • David  •  San Francisco, California  •  3 mths ago
      So, if the 49ers' Williams hadn't fumbled that punt in overtime and SF had driven down the field with Eli on the bench and kicked a FG for the win, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.

      So many playoff games were won or lost when either Eli or Peyton were on the bench.
      • Robert 3 mths ago
        That's true of all players, on all teams. It's not even a point, really.
    • Topkick  •  3 mths ago
      Two brothers. Two elite quarterbacks. Two totally different teams playing in different leagues. Can't quantify it. Can't qualify it. And it's not a problem for Eli or Peyton! And I bet Archie would say the same. That's good enough for me.
    • K  •  Akron, Ohio  •  3 mths ago
      Leave it to the media to start a sibling rivalry. This is stooping to a new low
    • CarlM  •  Chico, California  •  3 mths ago
      Let us not forget this is a team. A lot of good players did what was necessary besides Eli.
    • George  •  Little Rock, Arkansas  •  3 mths ago
      No. Better is relative in quarterbacks, depending on what they do. Peyton is the machine quarterback, continuing practice to get it right. He is always in focus. Eli is the sometimes out-of-focus quarterback. When he is in focus, he is almost unbeatable, but when he is not, then bad things happen.
    • Bob  •  Santa Barbara, California  •  3 mths ago
      They are both great quarterbacks. Not a question of who is the better one. I think it's just great that two brothers have done so well. Dad Archie can sure be proud of them.
    • petal  •  3 mths ago
      Not better, not worse. Another fine quarterback. Did no one tell you that comparisons are odious?
    • Football Folly  •  San Francisco, California  •  3 mths ago
      Eli is surrounded by a better team than Peyton.
    • Doug S  •  Annapolis, Maryland  •  3 mths ago
      We put too much stock in championships. Lots of factors influence whether or not you get to the big game, many of which have nothing to do with the quality of the quarterback. There are ten other guys out there on offense, eleven on defense, plus special teams, too.

      And the big game itself? It's one more football game. More important perhaps, but still just one game. And it turns on all of the same factors as the others. Lots of teams with great quarterbacks never won championships. Lots of teams did win championships with second tier quarterbacks. We're all way too quarterback-worshipful. The quarterback is not the be-all and end-all of a football team. We used to say, offense sells tickets, defense wins ball games.
    • Domino  •  Center Moriches, New York  •  3 mths ago
      Archie Manning and his wife must be very proud parents. Their 2 sons are in the top 5 quarterbacks in the NFL. They have taken their teams to the promise land and have won. Enough said.
    • Nails  •  Rochester, New York  •  3 mths ago
      Both great QB's but Peyton has a face for radio.
    • dave and ann  •  3 mths ago
      One of my local anchors said it best. You have a choice, healthy Peyton or Eli,, you take? Peyton,\. Eli or Brady, you take Brady. Eli is VERY good and has great weapons around him.
    • Bubba  •  3 mths ago
      They are Both Great QB's but I think sometime Payton try's to do a little too much in Running the Game. I wouldn't turn either one away from my team if I owned one.
    • Vince Reg  •  Gardena, California  •  3 mths ago
      Umm... No. Peyton is the team. Eli is part of it. Peyton is the better QB hands down
    • Ninety-Nine Percent  •  Atlanta, Georgia  •  3 mths ago
      Eli defines the term "game manager."
    • MadMan  •  3 mths ago
      Of course Peyton is the better QB!!
    • Gary  •  New York, New York  •  3 mths ago
      It's sad how little regard the Giants have for their customers ("fans"). They made a lot of money and now there is a big parade going on down the street from me, paid for by the taxpayers, and the Giants won't spring for port-a-toilets for them.
    • Dave  •  3 mths ago
      Winning one or two post season tournaments does not necessarily make one a football god.
    • Chad  •  Indianapolis, Indiana  •  3 mths ago
      Eli could have played for the Colts last year and went 4-12... Peyton would have the Colts at 9-7... Difference... nobody impacts a team more then Peyton.. hands down, he is better.