A two-minute Manning for Giants

But it’s still hard to get that recurring image of Manning throwing a wobbler off his back foot that lands right in a defensive back’s hands out of your mind when deciding whether Manning belongs among the greatest passers in the game.

Manning has always struggled with his decision-making, which led to a career-high 25 interceptions last season, and his mistake-filled past clouds critics’ judgment of him.

But Sunday’s game-winning drive again showed that Manning is undoubtedly clutch.

He may make mistakes early in games, but Manning thrives in the two-minute offense and always has. Manning is at his best when he’s calling plays at the line, making presnap adjustments and rushing the tempo. Maybe these are the situations in which Manning’s mind doesn’t get in the way of his talent, but he has come up big for New York in crunch time throughout his career.

Just this year, Manning has led the Giants to five fourth-quarter comeback wins. In Week?3 vs. the Eagles, he threw two touchdown passes in the final 8:07 to erase Philadelphia’s two-point lead. Which Manning topped the following week, throwing two scores in the final 3:37 to come back from a 10-point deficit against the Cardinals. Against the Bills, he put the Giants in position for a game-winning field goal with just 1:32 remaining. And New York avoided an upset to the Dolphins at home in Week 8 after Manning threw a game-winning touchdown with 5:58 left.

Of course, he did get intercepted at the end of a loss to the lowly Seahawks, but winning five out of six close games this season isn’t bad.

Manning may not be elite, but there may not be a better quarterback with the ball in his hands in the final two minutes of the game.

– Jeffrey Tomik

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