Elite, Lucky, or Just Blessed?

Now that the Super Bowl has come and gone. Now that the predictions I made haven't panned out obviously. And now that the Peyton vs. Eli debate is in full swing I figured I'd write this post.

So many people are asking the question is Eli as good or even better in the clutch than his big brother. Many are saying with this addition Eli has now become an elite QB, and though he is extremely good and at times seems to control a game all by his lonesome I am here to tell you guys the comparisons aren't even valid. Now that I've said that let me explain some things baby brother still lacks that Peyton doesn't.

One, Eli still makes simple rookie mistakes. Even last night he threw a pass to a double covered Victor Cruz. Unfortunately Jerrod Mayo doesn't have the instincts of a Teddy Bruschi or Mike Vrabel. That pass was the same pass he'd make the year Kurt Warner started in NY. Remember the biggest knock against Eli was his inability to take a sack. He'd rather put it up and give up the turnover than be hit.  Since that year and the season after he's been pretty sound as a QB. More credit should go to Tom Coughlin for the building of the O-line over those years. I still remember Eli being continuously being harassed in the pocket those years too. No one ever talks about that. Only how he's playing now. And yes I do understand we live in the now but lets not get it wrong people Eli is a great QB but elite? I'd say he's on the verge. I wouldn't even say with this win he's not still 3rd skills wise in the class of QB's he came in with. Ben and Phillip Rivers are both better all around players than Eli.

The elite class of QB's is a really short list. I'm talking 4 people long. Brees, Brady, Manning,  and Rogers. I don't even put Big Ben on the list because the years he won Championships the Steelers were run heavy team's. And though he threw a strike to Santonip Holmes to win one of those he hasn't shown anything you can call clutch since that game. Brady, Rogers, Brees, and Manning all led there teams to the title. Literally put there teams on there backs and got it done to win the titles. Eli's never done that. Both times he's been to the Super Bowl he's been on the good side of the best pass rush in the league. The Giant defense won that game last night not the offense. Take the Brady intentional grounding call away and the pick by the Giants defense and the Patriots win that game. 

Without a great defense, without the help of someone with a superior football mind(Big Brother), and without any sort of running game these other QB's won themselves titles. That makes them elite. Not season play, records, or MVP's. And by the way Eli has none of the above either in case anyone was wondering.