Amani Toomer was talking the other day about his former teammate Kerry Collins and the notion that he is nothing more than a “game manager” when it comes to defining his worth to the unbeaten Titans.
“It’s like they want to say something good about the quarterback,” Toomer said, “but they look at his stats and say ‘I don’t really know that much about football, he’s doing well but his numbers aren’t high, he’s got to be game manager, that’s a good word.’ ”
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It’s a description often used to minimize the contribution of a quarterback, but in the case of the Giants’ recent dominance, is it too much of a stretch or insult to consider Eli Manning a “game manager?”
Manning seems to be viewing himself that way.
“We’re moving the ball, keeping the chains moving, we’re not hitting the big ones but we’re hitting our 6- and 7-yard completions that are getting our first downs,” Manning said yesterday. “Hopefully we can continue to play this way. That would be the goal.”
It will remain that way as long as the Giants continue their assault on the ground that is leaving opponents physically beaten and emotionally battered. The Giants are averaging an NFL-leading 172.7 rushing yards per game and a staggering 208.7 yards in their last three games. They are 9-1 and riding a five-game winning streak heading into yet another interesting test, Sunday against the NFC West-leading Cardinals in Arizona, and they don’t need to change a thing.
That doesn’t mean nothing will change. At some point, someone will erect a speed-bump to slow the Giants’ rushing express.
Manning hasn’t completed more than 20 passes since the third game of the season and his longest completion in the past three games is a mere 24 yards. In the five-game winning streak, the Giants have run the ball more than they’ve thrown it every single game, totaling 179 rushes and 144 passes.
It’s not as if the weather has grown cold and throwing has been perilous. The wind at kickoff for the 30-10 pounding of the Ravens was 19 miles an hour and at times it was a factor, but not a major detriment.
“It wasn’t bad, it wasn’t the worst we’ve been a part of,” said Manning, who mentioned two lobs on fade patterns to Plaxico Burress that he felt could have been thrown better.
Can Manning pick up the pace when needed? In the past five games, Manning has been mostly about ball-control. His leading receiver in that span is running back Derrick Ward, whose 17 catches are more than those of wide receivers Steve Smith (15), Toomer (15) and Burress (13).
“It certainly does make my job easier,” Manning said. “Really just trying to convert third downs, that’s been my job primarily for the last couple games. Not in a situation where I’ve got to force the ball downfield. We are running the ball tremendously. When you can do that it’s wonderful, but when you are having trouble, in some games it’s not going to be that easy, we are going to have to throw the ball better.”
That time could come this weekend. The Cardinals, with Kurt Warner once again directing a wild passing circus, this time featuring Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, are unbeaten at home and capable of putting up points in hefty bunches. At some point, a defense is going to sell-out to stop the Giants from amassing yardage on the ground, daring Manning to beat them.
“I think there isn’t any question Eli will be ready if and when that situation comes up,” coach Tom Coughlin said.
“That’s when the passing game has got to step up,” Manning said. “Should have man-to-man coverage on the outside, that’s where receivers got to do their part and I got to do my part and get them the ball. We got to know that whatever the defense is doing we’re going to have an answer.”