Eli Manning comes to his 15th season armed with so much to prove — if not so much to himself and his true-blue teammates, then to John Mara and Dave Gettleman and Pat Shurmur for believing that this 37-year-old quarterback can get off the canvas. And to cynics, who are convinced that Father Time is roaring around the edge on him more ferociously than Lawrence Taylor ever did.
Manning is forever grateful he was able to keep his dream job after all the 3-13 turmoil and heartbreak of having his 210-game ironman streak broken so witlessly and unceremoniously last December in Oakland by the previous regime, and such was his mission of payback that he reported to training camp feeling forever young.