[jacobystealshome]

If Eli didn't break free of two tackles in the pocket and make the pass, no one would know who David Tyree was. Eli made that play happen, Tyree's catch was luck. Let's give a little credit where credit is due. Not saying that Peyton couldn't do the same thing, but a lesser QB than the current greats, would have folded in the pocket and never got pass off.

http://youtu.be/JNUkUCknT90

or conversely, give credit to the ref for not calling eli down

1 play, nor rings, make you great. see the dolphin comparison above

[bakerman8419]

At Christmas Peyton takes the 10 and under kids and Eli gets the older than 10 kids just so Eli has a fighting chance to not get totally destroyed by Peyton and 10 year olds in the family football game.

If Tyree doesnt make a spectacular catch Eli has 1 less ring.

If Peyton was allowed to move the ball in the last 30 seconds of last years game instead of playing for a tie Flacco is 100 million dollars poorer.

Peyton destorys Eli in almost every stat and he had to face Brady in his prime - a span that saw the Patriots win 3 of 4 Super Bowls and Drew Brees in arguably the best season of his career and amidst Bountygate.

When I think of Peyton vs. the Pats all I remember is the picks Peyton threw to Ty Law.

When I think of last year I remember the pick he threw in OT when he shouldve just thrown it out of bounds.

When I think of his Super Bowl victory against the Bears Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai were the MVPs of that game not too mention his counterpart was Rex Grossman.

When I think of Colts vs. Saints Peyton had his chance to cement his legacy and what did he do? He threw a pick to Tracy Porter and game over.

The best game I can remember where Peyton lived up to his super hero status was in 2007 vs the pats at Indy in the AFC championship game. That comeback was epic!

About the Tyree catch if Eli didnt have the ability to scramble around and break free from a defender and then throw the pass to a place where Tyree could make a play on it the great catch would have never been made.

For the record I agree if both guys retired right now Peyton would be historically the better QB but when its all said and done Eli may close the gap or overtake him if all the pieces fall into place.

[branesergen]

If Eli didn't break free of two tackles in the pocket and make the pass, no one would know who David Tyree was. Eli made that play happen, Tyree's catch was luck. Let's give a little credit where credit is due. Not saying that Peyton couldn't do the same thing, but a lesser QB than the current greats, would have folded in the pocket and never got pass off.

http://youtu.be/JNUkUCknT90

It still should have/could have been an incomplete pass. Eli got away yeah but still made a horrible throw that was most certain to be picked. Tyree jumped and stretched backwards to make that catch and had the ball knocked out to where he pressed it against his helmet! Tyree jumps 1 inch less and the balls sitting in the Safetys chest. Eli may have made it happen but Tyree made the play. Tyree saved Eli's bad throw.

---

When I think of Peyton vs. the Pats all I remember is the picks Peyton threw to Ty Law.

When I think of last year I remember the pick he threw in OT when he shouldve just thrown it out of bounds.

When I think of his Super Bowl victory against the Bears Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai were the MVPs of that game not too mention his counterpart was Rex Grossman.

When I think of Colts vs. Saints Peyton had his chance to cement his legacy and what did he do? He threw a pick to Tracy Porter and game over.

The best game I can remember where Peyton lived up to his super hero status was in 2007 vs the pats at Indy in the AFC championship game. That comeback was epic!

About the Tyree catch if Eli didnt have the ability to scramble around and break free from a defender and then throw the pass to a place where Tyree could make a play on it the great catch would have never been made.

For the record I agree if both guys retired right now Peyton would be historically the better QB but when its all said and done Eli may close the gap or overtake him if all the pieces fall into place.

Peyton had mental issues with the Pats until 2006 when he finally beat them lol I used to say that all the time back then - "Peyton will be there until he faces the Pats and he just goes dumb" lol

[phinzphan1372]

But isnt the purpose of playing the game in the first place is to be champions?

Exactly! but you cant by yourself.... so a ring cannot be factored in as a measuring stick to the over-all talent of a qb.... because its a team effort

The pats couldnt do it without sony so The Brady Argument is Pointless, montana couldnt have dont it without walsh, rice and the west coast system. Elway couldnt have won without Terell Davis running almost 2k in back to back seasons. Aikmen wouldnt come close to the qb he was with the cowboys if he were say on the browns. Could simms have done it without that Defense.

I will agree with you about rings as a measuring stick of greatness if you can say without a straight face that this list would be in the correct order.
I have 5 qb's and will list them in order according to achieving greatness by your criteria.

1. J McMahon
2. Jeff hostetler
3. Rob johnson
4. Mark Rypien
5. Dan Marino

By the logic of everyone who insists on rings as being a great QB then this list is absolutely correct... which means whoever believes it is an ABSOLUTE MORON ... no offense given unless you fit the bill.

[foleylion08]

You guys are forgetting about the best QB with one ring: Trent Dilfer! hahaha

I HATE Peyton Manning. I've hated him since he signed with Tennessee and beat my Alabama teams every year he started. I hated him when he became a colt, and hated the colts by association.

All that to say, Peyton is EASILY a better quarterback than Eli. Stats matter, that's why we keep track of them. Players don't care about records when they're playing, but it's their legacy when they leave. Eric Dickerson doesn't want anyone to touch 2106. Emmitt went to Arizona to pad his rushing yardage stats so he wouldn't be passed. Need I mention Brett Favre?

Eli was on a team with an amazing defense that contributed greatly to his rings. But so was Peyton. So was Brees. So was Brady. So was Flacco. So was Dilfer. So was Bradshaw. Defense wins championships, quarterbacks are the leader of their team and have to put their team in a position to win, but the defense often has to maintain the lead or get the ball back when a quarterback screws up.

Peyton's football IQ is better. He was basically the offensive coordinator for his last five or six years in Indy. He is so smart, almost too smart for his own good, because sometimes he overthinks it.

Peyton is better than Eli regardless of rings. Rings don't make the man. Is Barry Sanders not one of the greatest running backs of all time because he doesn't have a ring? Negative. And when you wanna talk about putting a player on another team, I salivate when thinking of Barry behind that Cowboys O-line.

[bakerman8419]

A lot of valid points. Now Im wondering what is the best way to determine who the best was. I dont want it just to be an opinion. I wish we could create a system to calculate a players' worth on the field a la QBR to determine who the best is/was.

Imo using just the eye test Dan Marino was the best because of how he threw the ball. In my lifetime the only guy that comes close is Aaron Rodgers.

Montana was the greatest winner but was not close to a bunch of QBs as far as the eye test goes but the majority of people say he was the GOAT. Why? 4 for 4 in the Super Bowl. Rings count imo.

Back to Eli though. Im not saying he is better right now historically but if Peyton keeps losing in the playoffs over and over and Eli adds 1 or 2 more titles to his resume and comes within striking distance of Peyton's stats the argument for Peyton will become smaller and smaller. Keep in mind Eli still has a lot of time to evolve his game. He may become more depended on and may have to carry more of the load and the perception may change about Eli being carried by his team. Either way do I think Eli will ever be considered better than Peyton? No I do not but I think he will be in the ball park.

[jfrench91]

i think as i said its consistency.. do i like eli? absolutely!.. but peyton manning puts his team in it EVERY SINGLE YEAR.. eli doesnt do that.. and the 2 years outve several eli took a team to the playoffs he happened to win 2 superbowls. if i were a running back or any other positional player that mattered on a 53 man roster.. id want a consistent playing QB managing MY team year in and year out instead of an every other year candidate... yeah even great QBS crash in key moments.. that has nothing to do with it IMO. every qb throws crucial interceptions and i mean EVERY qb has done it.

and joe montana has pretty good stats as well.. it isnt just because he won 4 superbowls
40k+ passing yards, 273 tds and 139 ints in is pretty efficient id say and he MISSED the 1992 season
terry bradshaw has 4 superbowl wins
27k+ passing yards,212 tds and 210 ints in
now marino..
61k+ passing yards,420 tds and 252 ints
peyton..
59k+ passing yards,436 tds and 209 int
manning would probably have close to 65k,465+ tds if he had played the other year.. un real lol

[rjcj2017]

OK, a couple of things ...

Winning when it counts makes you great, right?

Second thing ... I'm pretty sure it's Brad Johnson, not Rob, correct? LOL

[phinzphan1372]

OK, a couple of things ...

Winning when it counts makes you great, right?

Second thing ... I'm pretty sure it's Brad Johnson, not Rob, correct? LOL

yup it sure is... is it flacco's fault evans dropped the ball?... he might have had 2 SB's

does it really matter which johnson it was...lol wouldnt want either of em

[giantfan270]

i think as i said its consistency.. do i like eli? absolutely!.. but peyton manning puts his team in it EVERY SINGLE YEAR.. eli doesnt do that.. and the 2 years outve several eli took a team to the playoffs he happened to win 2 superbowls. if i were a running back or any other positional player that mattered on a 53 man roster.. id want a consistent playing QB managing MY team year in and year out instead of an every other year candidate... yeah even great QBS crash in key moments.. that has nothing to do with it IMO. every qb throws crucial interceptions and i mean EVERY qb has done it.

and joe montana has pretty good stats as well.. it isnt just because he won 4 superbowls
40k+ passing yards, 273 tds and 139 ints in is pretty efficient id say and he MISSED the 1992 season
terry bradshaw has 4 superbowl wins
27k+ passing yards,212 tds and 210 ints in
now marino..
61k+ passing yards,420 tds and 252 ints
peyton..
59k+ passing yards,436 tds and 209 int
manning would probably have close to 65k,465+ tds if he had played the other year.. un real lol

Eli was a rookie in 2004. The Giants were in the playoffs in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2011.