Eli Manning’s legacy, NFL playoff picture, Raiders farewell and more
Eli Manning said his farewell to New York on Sunday, but the Giants legend deserves a moment of remembrance beyond the cheers.
Eli Manning had the rarest of moments in sports. He got to say a proper goodbye.
Manning walked off the MetLife Stadium field to a standing ovation from the remaining fans following a 36-20 win over the Miami Dolphins. The New York Giants are a forgettable 3-11 and Manning is finished as a quality quarterback, but the day wasn’t about the present. It was about a career worth celebrating.
For years, Manning has been an unfortunate punching bag both locally and nationally. Some fans were happy when No. 10 was benched for Geno Smith by former head coach Ben McAdoo. On social media, the 38-year-old has been meme’d and mocked.
https://twitter.com/theMMQB/status/1206344485799694337
Now, nobody is here to say Manning hasn’t been given a damn good shake. He was taken first-overall in the 2004 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers before forcing his way to the Giants. Once there, he learned under Kurt Warner before starting the second half of his rookie season. Manning was blessed to play for a future Hall of Fame coach in Tom Coughlin, surrounded by elite talent on both sides of the ball.
Manning is no victim, but he is underrated. History will remember him in a better light.
Why? Because regular-season miscues fade when compared to Manning’s postseason exploits. The four-time Pro Bowler has thrown 241 interceptions, and lost as many games as he has won. He’s led the league in INTs three times and made the postseason only six times in 16 years.
Still, Manning made the most of his opportunities.
Manning was never elite. He never put up Hall of Fame numbers. In 2007, Manning went to Tampa Bay, Dallas and Green Bay in the playoffs, and won ’em all. In Super Bowl XLII, he engineered one of the great NFL upsets, beating a previously-undefeated New England Patriots team, highlights by his epic late-down-the-middle heave to David Tyree.
Four seasons later, Manning once again won the NFC Championship Game on the road, taking brutal shots from the San Francisco 49ers. Two weeks later, he stayed the Pats once more, punctuated by a phenomenal sideline throw to Mario Manningham.
Manning’s two best plays essentially won two Super Bowls. How many players’ best moments are so important?
Arguing Manning as a great quarterback is incorrect. Arguing him as one of the most important in the game’s history is a better route. And, frankly, that is Manning’s potential ticket to the Hall of Fame. You can’t tell the NFL’s story without him.
After this season, Manning will be finished in New York. Maybe he’s finished period. He doesn’t need the money, so why hold a clipboard?
If this is it, Manning will retire as an unqualified success. Two rings, two indelible moments.
On Sunday, Giants fans got to say goodbye. Another moment for Manning.
Power rankings
Top 10 underrated quarterbacks in NFL history
1. Y.A. Tittle, New York Giants (MVP, 3x All-Pro, 7x Pro Bowl, 242 TDs)
2. Dan Fouts, San Diego Chargers (4x passing champ, 6x Pro Bowl, Off. POY, HOF)
3. Steve Young, San Francisco 49ers (3x Super Bowl champ, 3x All-Pro, 2x MVP)
4. Boomer Esiason, Cincinnati Bengals (4x Pro Bowl, 1x All-Pro, MVP, Super Bowl appearance)
5. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons (4x Pro Bowl, 1x All-Pro, MVP, Super Bowl appearance)
6. Steve McNair, Tennessee Titans (3x Pro Bowl, MVP, Super Bowl appearance)
7. Phil Simms, New York Giants (2x Super Bowl champion, 199 TDs)
8. Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals/Arizona Cardinals (3x Pro Bowl, 46,247 yards)
9. Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia Eagles (6x Pro Bowl, Super Bowl appearance)
10. Mark Brunell, Jacksonville Jaguars (3x Pro Bowl, 184 TDs)
Quotable
"“I’ll be fine. The doctor says if everybody go out and vote for me for Man of the Year, it’ll be better.”"
– Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner on his ankle after win over the Carolina Panthers
After injuring his ankle during a 30-24 triumph in Carolina, Wagner gave Seattle fans the best news on the day. The All-Pro linebacker’s health is fine as the Seahawks remain in control of their own destiny.
With two more wins — including a Week 17 win over the 49ers in CenturyLink Field — Seattle would finish the regular season 13-3 and the NFC’s top seed.
Plenty to shake out in the NFC playoff picture.
Podcast
Random stat
Jameis Winston threw his 30th touchdown on Sunday in a 38-17 win over the Detroit Lions. Should he throw for 427 yards over Tampa Bay’s final two games, he’ll eclipse the 5,000-yard mark.
If Winston does so, he becomes the eighth quarterback all-time to amass 5,000 passing yards and 30 touchdowns in a single season. After rampant speculation regarding Winston’s future, it seems quite likely the Buccaneers will bring him back for 2020 if not longer after a breakout campaign.
Info learned this week
1. Texans wrestle control from Titans, and now the race clears up
Deshaun Watson and Bill O’Brien are breathing much easier.
After beating the previously red-hot Tennessee Titans 24-21 on Sunday, the Houston Texans suddenly have a vice grip on the AFC South. While only leading by a game with two remaining, Houston owns the tiebreaker over Tennessee. A win against Tampa Bay on Sunday or the Titans in Week 17 wraps up a second straight division title.
As for Tennessee, a late surge might come up short. The Titans need to beat the New Orleans Saints next week and then take down the Texans to have any realistic shot of a playoff berth. While conceivable, a tall order.
Should the Titans come up short, the next questions surround Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry. Both have proven huge cogs in the offense alongside rookie receiver A.J. Brown. How does general manager Jon Robinson allocate resources?
The thought here? A long-term deal for Henry, and a pay-as-you-go pact for Tannehill dressed up as a multi-year contract.
2. Ravens, Chiefs separating from rest of AFC
The New England Patriots can’t be discounted. The Baltimore Ravens and Kanas City Chiefs are the AFC’s top two teams. Both things can be true at once.
On Thursday, Lamar Jackson accounted for five touchdowns in a rout of the New York Jets. On Sunday, Kansas City’s emerging defense smashed Drew Lock and the Denver Broncos. The Chiefs won 23-3, with Patrick Mahomes throwing for 340 yards and two scores. Both teams are rolling.
GOING DEEP: KC rookies are leading charge for Andy Reid’s club
Meanwhile, the Patriots led 13-10 at halftime over the one-win Bengals before pulling away in the second half for a 34-14 victory. Still, the trouble signs are everywhere. Tom Brady completed 15-of-29 for 128 yards. Of the wide receivers, N’Keal Harry led New England with 15 yards.
The Patriots are attempting to reach their fourth consecutive Super Bowl. They might well have a postseason bye. Counting out Brady and head coach Bill Belichick would be absurd.
It would also be absurd to not state the obvious. The Baltimore and Kansas City are ascending. New England appears stuck in neutral.
3. Packers’ offense a clear concern with playoffs looming
Green Bay keeps winning, but the Packers have obvious problems.
In a 21-13 win over the Chicago Bears, Aaron Rodgers went 16-of-33 for 203 yards and a touchdown. Green Bay was outgained 415-292 in total yards, only to be bailed out by a trio of Chicago turnovers.
Barring a loss to the last-place Detroit Lions in Week 17, the Packers will win the NFC North. They might even end up with home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Still, Green Bay’s offense has largely been underwhelming in recent weeks. The defense is good, but can it be great against elite competition for a month straight?
If the Packers are going to win their fifth Lombardi Trophy, they’ll need Rodgers and the offense to be better than they’ve been.
4. Bills, Steelers must find offensive groove to be playoff threats
The Buffalo Bills are in. The Pittsburgh Steelers might be. If either wants to stay more than three hours, the offenses need to show up.
On Sunday night at Heinz Field, we saw two terrific defenses in Buffalo’s 17-10 win. We also saw Josh Allen miss one open receiver after the next, while Duck Hodges lived up to his first name with four interceptions. Yes, defense can win games, but in the playoffs, offenses rife with miscues go home.
On an aside, Bills fans should be thrilled. After failing to make the playoffs from 1999-2016, Buffalo is now making its second trip in three years under head coach Sean McDermott. Both he and general manager Brandon Beane deserve ample credit for the program they’ve built.
No, they aren’t serious AFC contenders yet, but the Bills are a good team. They’ve come a long way in a short time.
5. Cowboys, Eagles may finally put the NFC East race to a merciful end
Our long, national nightmare might end. We might have an NFC East champion come Sunday.
After throttling the Los Angeles Rams and essentially ending their playoff dreams, the Cowboys visit the Philadelphia Eagles this weekend. The same Eagles who barely survived the Washington Redskins and New York Giants, juggernauts who are a combined 6-20.
If Dallas wins, it clinches the NFC’s No. 4 seed. At 8-7 and with a tiebreaker over Philadelphia, Week 17 becomes moot. If the Eagles win, they would need either a win over New York or a Dallas loss to Washington in the season’s final weekend to advance.
Maybe the Cowboys turned the proverbial corner on Sunday. We’re about to find out.
History lesson
The Raiders played their final game in Oakland on Sunday. The postgame was emotional, with players and coaches saying their goodbyes to the Black Hole after losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 20-16.
For longtime Raiders’ fans by the bay, it’s been a journey. The team was founded by Wayne Valley in 1960 in the American Football League. The organization was on the verge of relocation a few years later, only to be saved by a loan from Bills founder, Ralph Wilson.
From 1967-75, the Raiders went to seven AFC/AFL title games. They lost all but one, and were hammered by the Packers in Super Bowl II. Finally, in 1976, they went 13-1 and beat the Vikings in Super Bowl XI. Four years later, they won it all once more, handling the Eagles in the Superdome.
The return to glory was short. Owner Al Davis was in litigation against the NFL to move his team to Los Angeles. He won. The Los Angeles Raiders came to be in 1982. Thirteen years and a title later, they were back in Oakland. It seemed one of the league’s largest wrongs had been righted. Now, it’s so wrong again.
Perhaps Las Vegas ends up being a wonderful NFL city. Maybe the fans embrace the silver and black. Maybe the Raiders win a few Lombardi Trophies in the coming years.
Still, one can’t help but mourn the move. Oakland has great fans. It deserves so much more.
It deserves a football team.
Parting shot
Jay Glazer did all NFL fans a service on Sunday morning.
The well-respected FOX insider secured the Patriots footage in question last week regarding whether they filmed the Cincinnati sideline. From the initial viewing, New England can’t feel confident.
A cameraman in Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s employ filmed the Bengals’ sideline continuously. In the video, the same employee can clearly be heard offering to destroy the tape. No such luck. Whether Bill Belichick and his staff have any involvement remains to be seen. According to Glazer, the league is attempting to wrap up its investigation shortly. More answers are coming, and perhaps a stiff fine and the forfeiture of draft picks.
GOING DEEP: Video shows Patriots in hot water
Fans in New England will cry foul, but optics matter here as well. Whether the Patriots were trying to gain a competitive advantage or simply had someone on the payroll with no knowledge of league rules, it’s on them. They need to be held accountable for shoddy practices, and after being popped for both SpyGate and DeflateGate, one would imagine they will be.
New England has dealt with myriad on-field issues this season. It’s biggest off-field one is only growing.