In fact, when the Steelers and Giants meet Sunday in Pittsburgh, Roethlisberger will carry the following career advantages over Manning to the center of the field:

More touchdown passes (93 to 85); fewer interceptions (57 to 68); a higher completion percentage (63.2 to 55.4); a superior quarterback rating (93.0 to 74.9); and a better regular-season record (44-17 to 35-26).

So naturally, if a re-draft were ordered prior to the opening coin toss, you would reverse the fortunes of the two quarterbacks and take Manning at No. 11 and Roethlisberger at No. 1.

I would not.

Everything changed in a New York minute last winter, when the maddeningly inconsistent Manning ripped off consecutive postseason victories over Tony Romo, Brett Favre and Tom Brady to give the Giants the most improbable Super Bowl title since the one claimed by Joe Namath's Jets.

Suddenly, Eli was the equal of big brother Peyton, a Super Bowl MVP universally hailed for his precision and poise.

I believe Eli will end up with a better career than Roethlisberger's, if only by a margin the length of his chinstrap.

"You can't go wrong with either one of them," said former Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi. "But I have absolutely no regard for statistics when it comes to evaluating quarterbacks. I only care about wins, whether a guy can get you into the end zone and whether he can make the play on third and long.

"I had Eli rated a smidgeon higher than Roethlisberger in the draft, and I'd still rank them the same way."

Accorsi doesn't come to the debate without his professional biases. After all, his legacy will be defined by the biggest trade of his life — Philip Rivers and three draft choices for Archie's youngest son.