By Phil Perry
CSNNE.com
Say this about Eli Manning: He's got confidence.
A few months removed from finishing the 2010 season with 25 interceptions, the Giants quarterback told "The Michael Kay Show" on ESPN New York 1050 on Tuesday that he considers himself one of the league's best signal callers.
When asked if he's in the same class as Tom Brady, Manning didn't hesitate.
"I consider myself in that class," Manning said. "And Tom Brady is a great quarterback, he's a great player and what you've seen with him is he's gotten better every year. He started off winning championships and I think he's a better quarterback now than what he was, in all honesty, when he was winning those championships.
"I think now he's grown up and gotten better every year and that's what I'm trying to do. I kind of hope these next seven years of my quarterback days are my best."
The 25 picks last season were an anomaly, according to Manning.
New England Patriots
Im not a 25-interception quarterback, I know that, Manning said. Thats going to be fixed and it should be a good year.
The most interceptions Brady has ever thrown in a season is 14. Manning does have a Super Bowl ring and MVP, which he won after beating Brady and the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. Brady, however, has three rings, two SB MVPs and two regular season MVPs (2007, 2010). Brady also has two of the top five single-season passer ratings in NFL history.
It would seem Manning has some work to do before catching Brady, or his brother for that matter.