I’ve been watching ESPN all morning, reliving the great game last night. If you ask, “what game” stop reading right now. The rest of this won’t make any sense to you. I was absolutely thrilled for Eli for all the reasons the commentators made throughout the game. No one gave him much of a chance….actually no chance. I love it when the under-dog wins. As they say, “Every old dog has his day!”

Though Eli isn’t old he sure took a beating from the press and even the fans at home. We heard it all…..about his demeanor, how lost he looked at times with a busted play, body language….on and on. I don’t know if he read any of it but surely if he did it produced a quiet resolve. He is one young person that never lost sight of the direction he wanted to go.

I am impressed with both Manning boys. I love a sports figure who isn’t “needy” when it comes to all the hoopla. They just go about their game as a business or a job with the intent of winning. Too often sports figures get too full of themselves and prance around, and yes, flap their lips, to be outplayed at the end of the game. Ooops! Oh, oh!! Shut my mouth!! (Should have thought about that earlier guys.)

Which brings me to one of my favorite parts. The pre-game stuff when they interview the most outstanding players of each team. The laugh (and yes) the body language of Brady couldn’t hide his reaction when told the predicted score would be 14-17. It was brushed aside with a hint of arrogance unbecoming to Brady. Little Eli? The low score was unthinkable to Brady.

But then, that was before the game.

Little Eli went out on the field with guys who believe in him and all he did was pick the Patriots apart…..play after play. Eli made no mistakes and the rest of the team worked hard to protect him. The defense worked Brady over on every play. At half time it was expected the game would take a turn-around when the teams took to the field. This is where I began squirming.

As the game went on and with time running out Eli out-stepped several Patriots and fired a long shot down field. How on earth David Tyree caught it was a miracle. It seemed he held it on his helmet forever. With two of the Patriots going up after the pass with Tyree I figured they’d intercept or strip it from him and that would pretty well wind it up for the Giants.

With seconds counting down and Eli tending to business the game ended with the predicted 14-17 score with Brady and the Patriots coming in short. After playing the regular season without a loss the Patriots took a sound beating. It wasn’t won with mistakes, bad plays, or injured men. Eli and company tore them apart and made the game theirs. How sweet it is………

Essentially Esther