During training camp, Eli Manning raised some eyebrows by saying he considers himself one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks. Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan says Manning is absolutely right about his status.
“The guy’s playing excellent,” Ryan said of Manning, via ESPNDallas.com. “He does a great job. He’s got an unbelievable touch. He will stand in there in the face of a damn hurricane and throw the ball. He’s really tough. We’re looking forward to this challenge. We’ve played some great quarterbacks during the year and this guy is no exception. He’s really playing well. He’s in that elite group for sure.”
Ryan is preparing a game plan for Manning for Sunday night’s Giants-Cowboys game, and he said he thinks his players have their hands full.
“If you watch the tape the last two weeks, you don’t want to watch it,” Ryan said. “Eli Manning threw 22 straight completions against the Saints, hung up 35 points against the world champion defense supposedly [Green Bay]. We’re up for a big challenge here, but our guys are ready to go. We’re anxious about this game. We’ve done our preparation and we can’t wait until it gets here.”
The Cowboys are a game ahead of the Giants in the NFC East and can probably win the division with a split of their two remaining games. But Ryan says he thinks his team can’t afford to lose to the Giants at home.
“Down the stretch here, is this a must win?” Ryan asked. “In my opinion, yes it is. We need to win this game.”