New York Giants Official Website

Simms a Believer in Manning
Former Giants great has no doubts about current Giants QB.
By Michael Eisen, Giants.com

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July 19, 2006

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Phil Simms is bullish on Eli Manning and the 2006 Giants.

"I'm not saying they're going to be Super Bowl champions," Simms said yesterday. "But they've got a good team and if you told me the Giants are going to be that skilled, I can believe it. I think they have the qualities to get it done, and I think he'll be a better quarterback because the time, experience and physical maturity will all play a hand in him doing better."

"The biggest thing of all is that the Giants have big-time playmakers on both sides of the ball. Eli Manning ... will hold his part up. I have no doubt about it." - Phil Simms

As always, Simms - now the lead NFL analyst for CBS - delivered. He was impressed with Manning's performance in 2005, when he threw for 3,762 yards and 24 touchdowns. The Giants won the NFC East championship with an 11-5 record before losing an NFC Wild Card Playoff Game to Carolina, 23-0.

"I thought Eli did tremendous for a second year quarterback," Simms said. "I thought the season, overall, went very well. He established himself."

Although the postseason defeat was lopsided and disappointing, Simms said the Giants can grow from it.

"I'll never forget Terry Bradshaw said it about a lot of guys: sometimes you've got to hit rock-bottom so you can really appreciate what it takes to keep going up," Simms said. "I think at the end of the year it was rough - the playoff game and all that. It's going to serve Eli and the Giants well."

Simms wouldn't say if he thought Manning dropped to a personal rock bottom at the end of the season, but he acknowledged that the young quarterback struggled.

"I think it was rough at the end of the year, yeah, I do," Simms said. "I think the playoff loss was so uncharacteristic of all the good things that went on for the Giants that it was rough. I know how it is to live the whole offseason with a bad ending or whatever. It just drives you and I know it's going to drive that coach (Tom Coughlin) over there and he will push that down on the players. I think that's a good thing, I really do. I think they're motivated."

All the incentive in the world won't matter if it isn't accompanied by talent. Simms believes the Giants have the players to again be title contenders.

"The biggest thing of all is that the Giants have big-time playmakers on both sides of the ball," Simms said. "Eli Manning ... will hold his part up. I have no doubt about it."

Last year, Manning completed 52.8 percent of his passes, a figure Coughlin has marked for improvement this season. Simms believes Manning will be a more accurate passer in the coming season.

"I think his throwing is going to get better," Simms said. "I think his throwing was really good at times, but I think there were times he suffered, too. I just think that an NFL quarterback who has talent will become a better thrower every single year. He becomes more accurate. I think you learn that it's about accuracy, maybe not throwing something too hard or whatever - you just know how to throw it at the right speed at all times. I watch preseason games really close for all the teams, I think I'll see it. It's easy to pick up for ex-quarterbacks. I think I'll see it from him early."