Is it that time again? Like getting an oil change or visiting the dentist, we were about due for a story in which New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning was underappreciated.
Brooks: Eli Manning vs. Tony Romo
How do you measure QB greatness: wins or stats? Bucky Brooks assesses a QB debate: Eli Manning vs. Tony Romo. **More ...**
On Thursday, it came courtesy of former Manning teammate Amani Toomer, who said on SiriusXM NFL Radio that Dallas Cowboys star Tony Romo is the best quarterback in his division.
"Tony Romo is probably -- if you look at him statistically -- he's probably the best quarterback in the NFC East," Toomer said. "I mean, you look at Eli Manning and what he does in the fourth quarter. But you talk about consistency -- talk about 31 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions. That guy can play.
"For me, if I wanted a guy that is going to throw less interceptions, (be) more productive, higher completion percentage, I'm going to go with Tony Romo," said Toomer, apparently ignoring the fact Manning delivered him his only Super Bowl ring in 2008. "At crunch time, he's not as good as Eli, but every other time, he's pretty darn good."
It was fairly evident Toomer was attempting to compliment Romo rather than insult Manning, but his logic is way off. Manning -- beyond his Super Bowl heroics and late-game prowess -- was a fine statistical player last season, putting up 29 touchdown passes, just 16 interceptions, nearly 5,000 passing yards and a passer rating of 92.9.
For Romo, these are the exact type of comments that make his life difficult. It leaves him wide open for easy criticism and creates storylines that shouldn't even exist. This zinger from Giants PR man Pat Hanlon is a perfect example:
