Eli's trip to Dome, New Orleans strictly business

METAIRIE, La. ? Eli Manning never played in a high school championship game. He never got to a Sugar Bowl. And playing in the NFC East, he doesn't exactly head to his home state all that often.

So, when the NFL released schedules earlier this year and his New York Giants were set to play in New Orleans, Manning's eyes lit up.

This time, there would be nothing to keep him from playing in the Superdome for the first time in his life.

"It was something I was really looking forward to," Manning said. "A few years ago, we had it marked on the calendar to play there but Katrina messed that one up. I'm looking forward to this opportunity."

Sunday at noon, that opportunity becomes reality - the Saints (4-0) host the Giants (5-0) in the NFC's biggest game to date in the 2009 season.

So many times the youngest Manning entered the Dome to watch his dad Archie play or his older brother Peyton.

The Manning name is synonymous with New Orleans, forever linked to the Saints. The First Family of New Orleans football is beloved by football fans city-wide.

Yet, Eli isn't making this trip anything special. He's not taking in a tour of the city, he's not staying with his parents and he's not looking to eat anything special.

That's a maturity that comes only with years of service in the NFL. For Manning, he's now in his sixth season with the Giants, having led them to the playoffs the past three seasons and a Super Bowl victory following the 2007 regular season.

"No, I'm kind of keeping my same routine that I do every week for an away game," Manning said. "I'm not going to go to my parents house or anything, just kind of treat it like a business trip and keep my same routine."

It's decisions like that that have nearly everyone glowing about his growth as an NFL quarterback.

So far this season, he has completed 64.4 percent of his passes for 1,212 yards, 10 touchdowns and only two interceptions. He's No. 2 in the NFL in quarterback passer rating, behind only his brother Peyton. And he leads the NFL in the fourth quarter, where he's recording a ridiculous 147.5 passer rating.

"He's a guy you can definitely see get better because he got more comfortable in the system and he has been in the system for a couple of years," Saints safety Darren Sharper said.

Sharper should know. Four of his career 59 interceptions have come against Manning. And two of his 10 pick-six's have come against the Giants' quarterback.

"He's come in the league after me so I've seen him mature and become a leader for that team," Sharper said. "He can make all the throws."

According to Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin, Manning matured at a normal pace. He became a leader not in spite of former New York players Michael Strahan, Tiki Barber or Jeremy Shockey. Rather, Manning's growth as a leader occurred at the regular intervals; he only became the leader he's considered today when those other players retired or left the team.

"Eli's always been a leader," Coughlin said. "He's always been strong in his own convictions. We've had some outstanding personalities here, some outstanding leaders."

Said Saints Head Coach Sean Payton, "I think with any real good quarterback, there have always been growing pains. I think he's playing at an extremely high level in the system now. He knows exactly what to do with his protections and what to do with his run checks. He does a great job of really orchestrating the offense."

But while Manning is having an outstanding season, things could get hairy for him this week. He faces the NFL's No. 6 total defense in the Saints and a unit that come through with eight sacks the past two games.

Additionally, the Saints lead the league with 13 take-aways, including 10 interceptions.

Then again, he's playing behind an offensive line that has given up only three sacks and paved the way for the Giants to average 160.4 yards per game.

"Our offensive line has been a strong point in our offense's success," Manning said. "I've really had them for the last five years playing. They work well. They communicate well. They run block. They are the strength of our team and have been since then. They're a reason for any success we have as a team and as an offense."

Does that mean he's going to treat the line to a good meal of jambalaya or crawfish etouffee prior to the game?

"No, I don't think some of that Cajun food is the best thing to eat right before a game, so I know its great food and I miss it a lot," Manning said. "I don't think eating oysters right before a game will help out anything."

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