Boston Sports Extra

Why Brady Is Better Than Eli — Period

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) sits on the bench on the sideline in the second half of an NFL preseason football game against the Philadelphia Eagles Friday, Aug. 15, 2014, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) ORG XMIT: FBO1

I don’t know about you, but I am sick and tired of all the talk about Eli Manning this week. His team is playing like a bunch of pylons and Coach McAdoo decides to bench Eli Manning. Personally, that’s like firing the engine room guy when it’s the coach steering the ship. Also, with this benching there has been a lot of talk from Giants’ fans how Eli is better than Tom Brady. Well, other than the two Super Bowl victories over the Patriots, there is not really anything for a comparison.

Bitter Giants’ fans are trying to use the two Super Bowl victories over Brady to make this ridiculous statement. I think there is no way you can even attempt to make a statement like that. You first need to compare their careers overall and not just two games. That is why I will show you once and for all that Brady is the GOAT and Eli is just a sad sheep.

 

IT’S LIKE COMPARING APPLES AND ORANGES

The best analogy I can think of when comparing Eli Manning to Tom Brady is that it’s like comparing apples to oranges. Yes, both of these players are quarterbacks who have won Super Bowls and have had long careers. Manning is entering his 14th NFL season and has had a very solid career. Eli Manning has won two Super Bowls (both over the Brady-led Patriots), and has put up some impressive career stats. He has passed for more than 50,000 yards in his career and also for 334 touchdowns, which are both impressive milestones. Manning has also been the reigning NFL iron man for quarterbacks, with 212 straight starts since his career began. All in all, I would give Eli a career grade of B+, or maybe even an A-.

Now Giants’ fans are trying to say that Eli is better than Tom. This is why it’s not true. Brady has won five Super Bowls, more than the entire Manning family, including their father Archie.  That should be enough to win all comparisons all by itself but I have much more. Tom is playing in his 18th season in the NFL and plays better now then he likely ever has. Eli can’t say the same thing in that regard.

Before all of you Giants’ fans and Brady haters go even more nuts, think of this. Tom has dealt with as many injured players and issues if not more than Eli ever did. Tom and the Patriots played most of last season without Gronk and won the Super Bowl. Brady played most of last week’s game with a third-string player on his offensive line and threw for four touchdowns. Eli is without Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall this season, and that is tough for sure. Brady is without Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell, and the list goes on. That excuse is just that; a sad reason to explain why Eli is declining or at least slowing down.

There are a couple of other stats that make this whole foolish comparison a moot point as well. The biggest stat that leaves no doubt that Brady is so much better than Eli is the number of respective wins. Brady has the most wins in NFL history by any quarterback, including the post season. Brady’s 217 regular-season wins and 25 post-season wins are just marks that may not ever be matched. How can you even think that Eli is in that class, let alone ahead of Brady? Manning has 118 wins, so just digest that stat for a minute. Brady is ahead of him by almost 100 wins, the equivalent of winning out including playoffs for five straight years.

Another stat that Eli is far behind Brady in would be their career TD/INT ratios. Eli has thrown an impressive 334 TD passes over his career but has amassed 222 INTs also. Tom Brady has thrown a jaw dropping 482 career TD passes and only 155 INTs over his playing time. Brady has significantly more TD passes, and not just because he has played longer. The fact that Brady has played quite a bit longer with only  he only 155 INTs, almost 70 less than Manning, is amazing.

(Mexico City 11/19/17) New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady congratulates wide receiver Brandin Cooks’s touchdown during the third quarter of the NFL game against the Oakland Raiders at Azteca Stadium on Sunday, November 19, 2017. Staff Photo by Matt Stone

NOT A FAIR FIGHT

Besides the number of Super Bowl appearances and wins versus Manning, there is another reason why Brady is just plain better. You will never see Tom Brady complain to the media or anyone that he does not have the tools to do his job. I honestly think that Brady could have a great season with only using other teams’ players that they released from their rosters. There is no way you could ever say the same thing about Eli Manning.

Tom Brady also realised that he must stay in fantastic shape to be able to play at age 40.  And Brady is not just playing at age 40, he’s excelling. He remains one of the front-runners for the league MVP this season. He has adapted his playing style to bounce around in the pocket to allow his receivers to get open. Eli Manning has the agility of a refrigerator and is just a sitting duck in the pocket.

Before all of you Giants’ fans and haters go off on a tangent of saying that Brady plays in the weak AFC East, just hang on a minute. Brady also plays in the AFC, which has been the stronger conference in the NFL for some time. The AFC contains teams like the Steelers, Ravens, Chiefs, Raiders, Bengals, who have been consistently solid for many years during Brady’s career. The NFC usually has the Packers, Seahawks, Saints and maybe one team for the NFC East be solid every season. It is just not a fair fight to say that where you play makes that much difference.

The NFL schedule is also weighted, where the better you finish the previous season gives you a harder time next year. The Patriots won the Super Bowl last year and are at a record of 9-2 at this point of their schedule. It has not been a cake walk and the team and the Patriots are dealing with a boat load of injuries and not missing a beat. Can Eli Manning and the Giants say anything like that? I didn’t think so, but thanks for trying.

Before Giants’ fans or Brady haters start spreading fertilizer all over social media, they should check their facts. The only thing that matters is the W and Tom continues to put those up regardless. You do not see him whining about things other players or his coaches are doing. You certainly wouldn’t see him crying in the locker room about it to the media. Get used to it people, you hate us cuz you ain’t us and that’s about it.

 

 

Exit mobile version