NickKaeding Posts -- FanHouse

Eli Manning and Philip Rivers Story Comes Together Again

There are tons of storylines in today's AFC/NFC Championship games. One that hasn't gotten much press but is rather interesting is that the Giants and Chargers are led into today by quarterbacks that were dealt for each other.

Remember that the theme heading into the 2004 NFL Draft was that Eli Manning didn't want to play for the San Diego Chargers. San Diego owned the #1 pick in that draft. When the pick was made, Manning famously had a forced smile on his face and refused to wear the customary cap during the photo op. Maybe he knew that the New York Giants were feverishly working behind the scenes to get him.

Later in the day, New York drafted Philip Rivers with the #4 pick ... then dealt him and three draft picks to San Diego for the rights to Manning.

For New York, it has been an on/off love affair with the younger Manning. He is criticized more than any QB in the league ... yet has led the Giants to the playoffs the past three seasons and into today's NFC Championship game. Also, the Giants did a great job of not folding to San Diego's wishes to include Osi Umenyiora in any deal.

Broncos Might Be Better Off Without a Punter

I hope punter Paul Ernster wasn't getting comfortable in Denver because two days after a dreadful effort against the Chargers, he was cut. And this comes a week after Todd Sauerbrun got, uh, the boot, for some weird taxi-cab-related issues.

Merry Christmas, everybody!

Unlike Sauerbrun, who was a pretty good punter, Ernster was released strictly for his on-field performance. He averaged 35.6 yards per kick on Monday night, including a 17-yarder that led to Denver's first touchdown, as well as 31- and 33-yarders that resulted in two Nick Kaeding field goals.

Granted, Ernster wasn't the reason the Broncos loss -- they only managed three measly points -- but he didn't help things either. Whatever, my favorite Ernster moment from the 2007 season wasn't on Christmas Eve, but way back in Week 1. At the time, he was playing for the Browns, a late-week replacement for the injured Dave Zastudil. On Cleveland's first punt of the year, Ernster muffed the snap, before finally booming a 15-yarder. Oh, and the Browns committed four penalties on that one play. Good times.