Former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning started 210 consecutive games at one point in NFL, a stretch that spanned 13 seasons. He didn’t fear much, even the face of some of the most ferocious pass rushed in the NFL.
But every player has some type of fear.
On Eli’s web show recently, late night host Jimmy Fallon asked which opposing player he feared during his playing days…
“What one football player are you actually afraid of?” 🤐
Watch: https://t.co/TSlzTWbfwv pic.twitter.com/EUbaUuqNMd
— New York Giants (@Giants) October 20, 2022
“I think it was, when I was playing, Ray Lewis,” Manning said. “The first game I’m in there and I’m like, ’52 is the Mike.’ And he goes, ‘No, I’m not the Mike. He’s the Mike.’ I’m like, ‘Okay, Ray says he’s the Mike.'”
Ray Lewis played his entire Hall of Fame career with the Baltimore Ravens (1996-2012), while Eli played all of his career (2004-2019) with the Giants. They only met three times in the regular season. The Ravens won, 37-14, in 2004 and 33-14 in 2012.
The Giants won, 30-10, in 2008 behind a powerful running game and a beastly offensive line. Ironically, it was the Giants who pushed Lewis around in that game.
The Giants rushed for 207 yards against the Ravens’ top run defense behind a bruising running game consisting of Brandon Jacobs, Derrick Ward and Ahmad Bradshaw aka Earth, Wind and Fire.
“It was a thumping. It’s the biggest thumping I’ve been a part of for a long time,” defensive end Trevor Pryce said.
“When you look at all the big runs they have, those plays we make 1,000 times out of 1,000 times,” Lewis said. “The bottom line is when you give that many plays up and backs are bouncing off you, that’s something we take pride in. That’s something we just don’t do. And today it happened.”
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