NEW ORLEANS — This is, after all, a sibling Super Bowl, with Jim and John Harbaugh taking center stage tomorrow inside the Superdome — the first time two brothers ever have coached against each other on such a stage. It’s a theme familiar to Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who is part of the first family of the NFL. He has never faced older brother Peyton’s team in the Super Bowl. Not yet, anyway.
“The fact that we’re in the AFC and NFC gives us that possibility,’’ Eli said Friday. “I think with my parents it would probably be the hardest. I think they would be the proudest parents for those two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, but that Sunday during the game, watching the game, would be tough on them. And afterwards it would be tough to be so happy for one of their kids for winning a championship and feeling bad about the other one who just lost.’’
With that, Eli flashed a deadpan smile.
“I wouldn’t want them to feel that bad about Peyton in that situation,’’ he said.
Being around the events leading up to the big game, Manning said, brought back the sting of the recently completed Giants’ season.
“You’re kind of reminded and disappointed that you’re not in the playoffs,’’ said Manning, who is back in his hometown. “That hurts, the way the season ended. Obviously the Philadelphia game ended well, but the two weeks prior to that not playing very good football with so much at stake is upsetting.’’
Manning dismissed the notion he struggled with a tired arm, but said he thought “we were a little tired as a group’’ because the Giants had to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, when many players were displaced from their homes. He also singled out the season-long difficulty Hakeem Nicks had regaining his form. “It had an effect on our offense,’’ Eli said.
As for the new look to many NFL offenses, with mobile quarterbacks in vogue, Manning said, “I think we’ll kind of stick with what works for us. A lot of it obviously is that style of quarterback. You know, I don’t think I’m going to be running the read-option any time soon. I don’t think anyone wants to see that.’’
Having the Super Bowl back in the Big Easy allows Manning to spend time with his family. Father Archie and oldest brother Cooper live in New Orleans and Peyton is also in town. Next year, the venue moves to New Jersey for the first outdoor Super Bowl in a cold-weather city.
Ravens’ quarterback Joe Flacco this week used words like “retarded’’ and “stupid’’ to convey his thoughts on the New York area Super Bowl.
“I disagree with a lot of things about that comment: wording and overall content of it,’’ Manning said.
Manning was the MVP of both Super Bowls he has played in, winning in Glendale, Ariz. and Indianapolis, both inside domes. He’s hoping to get a chance to stay home for next year’s Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium.
“Obviously the weather will be kind of the big issue but football, I always say, ‘Hey, you can play the NFC or AFC Championship Game in cold weather and have snow coming down and that’s just part of it,’ ’’ Manning said. “Why not have a Super Bowl?’’
As for this year’s game, it sure sounds as if Manning is thinking it is going to be a Ravens celebration.
“Their season kind of reminds me of ours last year,’’ he said. “They kind of went through a slump. They got hot at the end, started playing their best football, got some guys healthy, got Ray Lewis back, and started playing their best football since that moment. So I think they’ll be a tough team on Sunday.’’