First of all, it's a certainty the New England Patriots are going to be 19-0. Tom Brady is having the best season a quarterback, and maybe even a professional athlete, has ever had, and we are going to have to consider the Patriots may be the best team ever.

The Chargers have no chance this weekend. I look at this as similar to when the Chargers had to go to Cincinnati in the -59 wind chill back in '82 after being exhausted in the humidity of the Epic in the Orange Bowl (which, did you see, was a stadium I was at recently?).

But the NFC Title Game is just a dream come true. Giants at Packers at Lambeau? In the cold?

Why, the Giants oughta go back to putting the "NY" on their helmet like back in the day and . . .

YOU MEAN THEY DID?

Hey, maybe they'll come out in sneakers again, too!

But the figure I will be focused on is Eli Manning. We may be looking at his coming out party- living up to the hype of not just being the No. 1 Draft Choice- but playing up that selection like John Elway did.

At the beginning of the day I was thinking about a Civil War Super Bowl- Brother against Brother- Eli vs. Peyton- a matchup only a mother could hate.

But now, I'm considering the idea that Eli may have finally surpassed his brother as the superior player.

It's not just that the Giants- who are hardly the team the Colts are- are still alive.

It's that when Eli is given 47 seconds to see what he can do when his team has just fallen behind on a potentially game-changing drive, he ties the game up- while his brother fails on fourth down at the goal line with two minutes left.

And he's doing this when, in all honesty, Eli's coach is taking opportunities away from Eli by having him only throw 18 times.

No, Eli won't have 49 touchdown passes in a season. But Peyton is forgotten anyway with Brady throwing 50 this season.

What isn't forgotten is Peyton is throwing picks at the goal line at the half. What isn't forgotten is six interceptions and statistics this season that were less-than-impressive.

This despite stellar players around him. Peyton has Marvin Harrison. Eli has Amandi Toomer.

And no Jeremy Shockey, by the way.

Could you imagine if Eli was able to win the Super Bowl? And it would be ELI winning the Super Bowl- not the Giants.

That defense allowing everything they can over the middle and rather mediocre running backs aren't going to back him up.

Eli would do it under a coach that is not just tough, but sadistic, whereas Peyton had players-dream Tony Dungy to play for.

Eli would do it by beating the GREEN BAY PACKERS ON THE ROAD and then the supposed "Greatest Team of All Time" in the Super Bowl.

Peyton did it by beating the Chicago Bears in the Super Bowl. Yawn.

Eli would be heralded by the New York Media. Little Brother would be the biggest thing since Joe Namath on Madison Avenue.

Peyton would have, what, the sports editor of the Indianapolis Star compiling his stats and showing how he relates to the greats of all time?

How very Dan Marino.

Okay, that one even I hated to write- because I think Marino was the best of all time.

But folks, you tell me- what is more impressive- winning 10 games at Tennessee or winning 10 games at OLE MISS?

Even if Eli doesn't win the Super Bowl- which would put his legacy over that of his brother- the fact is he's coming into his prime whereas Peyton is coming out of his.

Favre and McNabb are riding out to the sunset. Alex Smith is going to be a bust. Matt Leinart is a maybe. That leaves, who, Marc Bulger?

I'm really tough on the Central Catholic kids today, huh?

Regardless, today, Eli Manning passed Tony Romo as the QB of the future.

And if the Giants were to somehow, some way play the Chargers, Eli would be the center of attention. Playing against the team he scorned.

And the script says he's just gotta win. Why, it would be Elway putting 21 on the board against Baltimore in '83 to win 21-19- effectively putting the Broncos into the playoffs and sending the Colts to Indy.

Little Brother becomes Terry Bradshaw- the one-time Ugly Duckling turned into Beautiful Swan!

That said, I think the Packers will win- setting up what quite possibly will be the greatest quarterback matchup in Super Bowl History- including Montana vs. Marino, Bradshaw vs. Staubach, or Namath vs. Unitas.

Ah Roger Staubach...I remember the old man shouting his awful name when I was a very young lad.

I met Roger Staubach once.

AND HE GLARED AT ME because I was wearing Steelers stuff!

I met Roger Staubach once.

AND HE GLARED AT ME because I was wearing Steelers stuff!

Okay, Giants and Pats.

This has a significant chance to be sort of a Super Bowl XX, where you knew the Patriots weren't going to match up against the Bears.

So, it goes back to what I said before. If the Giants are able to win this game, Eli Manning becomes the man.

I just want the Giants to wear the red in the Super Bowl. Anybody with me there?

Eli still hasnt thrown an interception (that wasnt flagged for pass interference) in the last 3 games. I'd say he's about due. The Giants can win, but it ain't gonna be easy.

Go Giants!

You know, one of the favorite cliches of home town sportscasters when a player comes up is that he's "overdue for a hit."

THE MAN IS HITTING .210! HE'S NOT OVERDUE FOR A HIT- HE JUST STINKS!!!!!!!

But the question here is why Eli Manning is OVERDUE for an interception, when he's done so well, including against the Patriots?

Was Tom Brady OVERDUE for an incomplete pass against the Jaguars?

By the same logic, the Patriots are OVERDUE for a loss.

For the record, I think the Patriots are going to win and they'll probably do it in a rout.

But nevertheless, while Peyton Manning has had some success in playoff games and big games, he's also choked a lot.

Eli hasn't choked. Eli has had to take time to develop, like every other quarterback not named Marino or Roethlisberger has had to. And he didn't lead the NFL in interceptions in his rookie season, either.

The only post-season defeat Eli has had, to date, is the wild-card loss to the Eagles last year. And in that game all he did was lead the Giants- a very mediocre 8-8 team- to tie Philly, on the road, overcoming a 10-point fourth quarter deficit in the process before the Eagles won the game on their last possession.

Which was hardly Eli's fault.

Eli is succeeding faster than his brother did with less talent around him and more pressure- New York instead of Indianapolis media- Tom Coughlin instead of players coaches like Jim Mora and Tony Dungy.

Again, I don't know how the Giants beat New England. I don't know if they have the pass protection, among other things (which makes Eli's success in the postseason so more remarkable).

But I'd love to see it, wouldn't you?

While the attention has focused totally on the Patriots- and rightfully so- let's ask-

If the Giants win- Eli Manning is Namath. Eli Manning is the "Big Game QB You Most Want to Have Play For You In the Big Game out of This Family Dynasty."

Are Vols fans ready for Eli to overtake Peyton?