Giants In The Age Of Eli

Fans of the National Football League are well aware of the rich history of the New York Giants

. Over the course of the last eighty-five years, the Giants have managed to achieve status as one of the elite historical franchises in the NFL. With a total of seven National Football League championships, including four prior to the advent of the Super Bowl and three since, the Giants have the third highest number of championships in the League. Only the twelve titles of the Packers and the nine earned by the Bears surpass the Giants total. Their most recent title win came in 2007, and featured the play of rising star Eli Manning.

"No" to San Diego

As most fans know, Eli's older brother Peyton is the quarterback of the Colts. Like his brother, Eli was a star player in college. By the time he graduated, his stock was so high that he ended up being the number one pick of the 2004 draft. Everyone knew that the Chargers of San Diego were certain to select Eli since the team needed a field general. Manning had cast doubt on the situation by declaring that he would not take the field if drafted by San Diego, however, so what would happen on Draft day was anybody's guess. In the end, however, a last-minute series of trades with the Giants allowed San Diego to pick Eli with their number one selection, and trade him immediately to the Giants for Philip Rivers. Thus, thorough an arguably bizarre set of circumstances, Eli ended up in a Giant's jersey.

A new beginning

When Manning arrived in New York, the Giants had not won a Super Bowl since 1990. Worse, the franchise was still stinging from its loss to the Baltimore Ravens in 2001's Super Bowl XXXV. Since that Super Bowl loss, the team had been in need of a new direction. The arrival of a new coach in 2004 coincided with the trade for Manning in what the Giants franchise hoped would be a cloning of the success that Eli's brother Peyton had been having with the Colts for more than a decade. As it turns out, the arrival of Eli did see a turnabout in the team's fortunes as they went to the playoffs in each of the next three seasons. The 2007 campaign saw them once again back in the biggest game of all, representing the NFC in Super Bowl XLII.

From underdog to champion

There was little doubt as to who the experts expected to win Super Bowl XLII. The Patriots, after all, had just achieved the game's first 16-0 season and had cruised through the playoffs. The Vegas bookies had the Giants as an eighteen point underdog. Of course, Eli soon reminded them why the game still needs to be played, as his team managed a come-from behind 17-14 win. In the final moments of the game, Eli had engineered a last minute final touchdown scoring drive that earned him a place in the history books. He also effectively silenced the critics who had spent years comparing him to his older brother.

by: Freddie Brister.

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