Super Bowl 2012 - Breaking down Tom Brady and Eli Manning | Sports Central | IrishCentral

Prior to the 2011 NFL regular season, Eli Manning claimed that he was in that elite category with Tom Brady as a professional quarterback. While many snickered and poked fun at Manning, who's Super Bowl victory is often credited more to his defense and David Tyree despite him winning the MVP, I initially felt it was a fair statement.

Brady is famously a fearsome leader in the lockerroom. His outbursts demanding the best from his teammates on the sideline have received a lot of attention in the past. It doesn't matter if the team are way ahead or in the midst of a shootout, Brady expects 100 percent from everyone around him and isn't too shy to point out if those around him aren't putting their best effort forward.

Manning is a different type of leader to Brady. He isn't the biggest talker in the locker-room but instead leads by example. Eli undoubtedly has the respect of the locker-room and the trust of the coaching staff.

Brady can make every single throw in the playbook. His consistency in hitting receivers in stride is astounding. However, accuracy is not just about completing passes, it is also about ball placement. Ball placement is the deciding factor between a ball that is competed for between receiver and cornerback, and a ball that gives the corner no chance of interception.