October 12, 2015, Queens, NY In 1982, music group Was Not Was put out a single,”Tell Me That I’m Dreaming.” In that song, there is a quote from former president, Ronald Reagan, who in his State of the Union message said, “Can we, who Man the ship of state, deny that it is somewhat out of control.” Brilliantly executed, the statement was looped and manipulated by omitting some of the words and eventually became, “Can we deny Control.”
Eli Manning is Manning the Ship of State. The State, or nation, or more accurately stated: The Team–is the NY Football Giants who have “righted” their ship thanks in large measure to Manning. The Giants played a resurgent 49ers team that came to MetLife Stadium with “bad intentions.”
San Francisco got on the board first with a field goal. The Giants tied the score with a field goal giving the impression after the first quarter that it would be a low-scoring game. In the second quarter, Shane Vereen caught a 2-yard pass for a touchdown and the Giants went up 10-3. Josh Brown kicked a 41-yard field goal to increase the lead to 13-3. The 49ers kicker, Phil Dawson, answered with a 21-yard field goal to close the gap, 13-6.
The teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter, and the Giants maintained a seven-point lead, 20-13. A Colin Kaepernick touchdown pass and a two-yard touchdown run by Carlos Hyde gave the 49ers a 27-23 lead with just 1:45 left in the fourth quarter. Manning led a Manningesque Super Bowl Drive that was capped off by a spectacular Manning pass and an equally spectacular catch by Larry Donnell. The Giants Win the… (well, not the Pennant), 30-27.
After two embarrassing losses to start the season, the Giants have won the last three games in a row to take sole possession of first place with a record of 3-2. Manning completed 41 of 54 passes for 441 yards, throwing three touchdowns and one pick.
Manning is Manning the Ship, and things are all good in Giants-ville. He has Manned the Ship of State, and cannot deny that he is in Control. (Was not Was.)
Professor Clifford Benton can be reached at @cliffordbenton.