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What's with all the Eli Manning/Tom Brady comparisons?

Following the comeback win by Eli Manning and the New York Giants this past Sunday against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, there has been lots of chatter asking if Eli can be considered and elite quarterback and if he's now in the same class as Brady.

As a starting quarterback, Manning has a record of 66-45 (.595). He's completed 58.4% of his passes for 25,023 yards (6.9 y/a), 171 touchdowns and 119 interceptions (1.44 : 1). He has a lifetime quarterback rating of 81.6 and has one Super Bowl ring to his credit.

Tom Brady's record as a starting quarterback is 116-35 (.768). He's completed 63.8% of his passes for 37,447 yards (7.4 y/a), 281 touchdowns and 113 interceptions (2.49 : 1). He has a lifetime quarterback rating of 95.5 to go with three Super Bowl rings.

So, while yes, Eli led a nice comeback in the Giants' 24-20 win over the Patriots on Sunday, but does that place him in the same class as Tom Brady? Not hardly. Does it even qualify him as an "elite" quarterback? That's more debatable, but I'm still not sold on that notion. Manning has been inconsistent throughout his career, as his statistics showcase. He's is a solid NFL quarterback, but has lacked the year-to-year consistency to qualify him as "elite". If he continues on the pace he is this year, which is through eight games, the best of his career and if he's able to be consistent at this level or near it for another couple years or so, then we can begin to seriously debate whether or not he is an elite quarterback, but it's too soon for that discussion.

The comparisons to Brady are outright ridiculous. Brady has 50 more wins to his credit and 10 fewer losses. That's right. Brady has started 60 more games than Manning, yet has 10 fewer losses. I'll let readers soak that information in for a moment. Also, along those same lines, Brady has 110 more touchdown passes than Manning and 6 fewer interceptions. Once again, I'd read those stats over a couple more times. I'll wait. Brady has completed over 5% more passes than Manning, averaged half a yard better per pass attempt, about 12,400 more yards passing than Eli and has a rating of nearly 14.0 greater than the younger Manning. To go along with all of that, he also has two more Super Bowl rings.

Unless Manning wins a couple more Super Bowls, he will NEVER, let me repeat that, NEVER be in the same class as Tom Brady. Manning may go down in the history books as a good, perhaps even a great quarterback when all is said and done, but will never belong in the same sentence as Tom Brady, and this coming from a guy whom is none too fond of the Patriots (I'm tired of them winning).

So, please, stop the comparisons. St. Louis Rams' back-up quarterback A.J. Feeley led his then winless Rams to an upset victory over Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints two weeks ago. I'm not going to start comparing Feeley to Brees. Brees is hands down the better quarterback. One game doesn't make a player's career, especially in the regular season.

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