It always starts and ends with Manning

The passing rating numbers: 2004= 55 2005= 76 2006= 77 2007= 75

GM Reese: "The quarterback has gotten skittish, for whatever reason. Maybe it's because he's feeling pressure, but he has to get used to that, because it's going to keep coming. I think he can do it, because he's shown he can. He was off yesterday and didn't play well, but I still believe Eli will do it."

Those were some of his public comments. He has no choice but to put on a strong and supportive front, whether he believes the stuff he is peddling or not. We here have the luxury of calling it the way we see it. Pilot to bombardier, bomb bays open... Note how even Reese falls into the "Eli trap." The Eli trap is believing that (1) because Eli "did" it means he can do it again and (2) because he can get it done means he can get it done on a consistent basis in the future. On both counts this is simply untrue.

He can play well against the Lions, maybe his most complete game, and then stink it up terribly. Doc calls him "2Q" because that is the number of quarters per game he is good for. Marvelous was a little more blunt about the prospects for this team-> if the Giants had to play the Vikings again next week on a neutral field the Giants would lose again. What that says is simply that Eli would not have enough again next week. If the Giants were exposed as a team 3 games ago vs Dallas, then Eli was exposed this weekend vs the Vikings. All of his sins were spotlighted, in front of 75K fans, in front of his brother, and in front of the entire NFL. With respect to the second point about Manning playing more consistently because he has gotten it done before, the only way to answer that is to look at his completion percentage and passer rating the last 4 years... he has shown NO IMPROVEMENT in the past TWO seasons, so why should anyone believe he is all of a sudden going to get religion and make a quantum jump in production? Out come the cruel hard realities- he is inaccurate and the Vikings have found a tell or two. I will be a little more blunt- this guy is a rich man's Dave Brown and needs to be shown the bench.