NFL Preview - San Diego (4-3) at N.Y. Giants (5-3)

By Scott Garbarini, Sports Network - The Sports Network

E-Mail

Comments (0)

Text Size:

tool goes here

Although the careers of Eli Manning and Philip Rivers will be forever intertwined, the two quarterbacks have never gone head-to-head on the playing field. That will change this Sunday, when Rivers brings the surging San Diego Chargers into the Meadowlands for a tussle with a reeling New York Giants team that will be out to stop a three-game losing streak.

The Chargers used the No. 1 overall selection of the 2004 draft to select Manning, despite the Ole Miss product's publicly-known intentions that he wished not to play for the franchise, and subsequently traded his rights to the Giants after New York tabbed Rivers with the fourth pick of the first round. Rivers was sent to San Diego in a deal that also landed the Bolts a pair of draft picks, including a 2005 first-rounder that was used on standout outside linebacker Shawne Merriman.

Both young field generals have been able to achieve significant success in the pros. Manning has helped the Giants reach the playoffs in each of his first four full seasons as a starter and was named MVP of Super Bowl XLII after orchestrating a late game-winning drive to defeat the then-unbeaten New England Patriots. Rivers has guided the Chargers to three straight AFC West titles upon taking over as the team's regular signal-caller in 2006 and threw for over 4,000 yards and a league-best 36 touchdowns during a stellar 2008 campaign.

While one could argue over which quarterback has had or will have the better career, there's little debate as to who's been the superior player of the two as of late.

Rivers has tossed eight touchdown passes against just one interception over his last four games, and his 249-yard effort in last Sunday's 24-16 victory over Oakland was the fiery sixth-year pro's lowest output of the season. He's on pace to throw for over 4,650 yards this year, which would be the most for a Chargers quarterback since Hall of Famer Dan Fouts put up 4,802 in 1981.

Manning, on the other hand, has struggled mightily ever since suffering a plantar fasciitis injury to his right heel during a Giants' win at Kansas City on October 4. The even-keeled 27-year-old has been intercepted six times and completed under 50 percent of his attempts over the past three weeks, with New York losing each one of those contests.

The Giants had won their first five games of 2009 prior to this slide, the team's longest since it dropped four in a row from November 12-December 3, 2006. Manning certainly had a hand in that excellent start as well, amassing 10 touchdown passes with only two picks to go along with a 64 percent completion rate.

Manning had two costly interceptions in last Sunday's loss at division-rival Philadelphia, but he wasn't the only culprit in a 40-17 thrashing that has served as the unquestioned low point of New York's season. A suddenly-slumping defense was burned for three touchdowns of 40 yards or more and surrendered 180 rushing yards to the usually pass-oriented Eagles, who moved ahead of the Giants and into a tie with Dallas for first place in the well-stocked NFC East. The G-Men enter this weekend's play a half-game behind the Eagles and Cowboys, both of whom have posted 5-2 records.

San Diego has regrouped from a 2-3 beginning to record wins over fellow AFC West members Kansas City and Oakland in their two most recent tests. The Chargers presently stand second in the division, two games back of 6-1 Denver.

Manning will actually be facing the Chargers for the second time of his career on Sunday. Amidst a persistent chorus of boos from an unforgiving Qualcomm Stadium crowd, he threw for 352 yards and two touchdowns in a 45-23 setback to San Diego in Week 3 of the 2005 season. Rivers did not participate in that game while serving as the understudy to current New Orleans Saints star Drew Brees.