Manning, Grossman One of a Kind

Manning, Grossman One of a Kind

Though their seasons hang in the balance largely based on what they accomplish in their battle against one another, a part of you just knows that both Eli Manning and Rex Grossman will be secretly pulling for one another come Sunday's showdown.

Pulling for one another, if for no other reason, than when each looks at the other he sees a reflection of himself. Think about it, what two young quarterbacks in the game have gone through more strife and conflict than Manning and Grossman have over the last few seasons?

And that reason alone is enough to make each card-carrying, fully supportive members in the others crusade for respect and appreciation. Not surprisingly, each arrives in Chicago at opposite ends of their ever-winding spectrum, Manning coming off a four interception ( three of which were returned for touchdowns) implosion in his team's 41-17 thrashing at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings and Grossman riding the wave of the Bears' thrillingly improbable, 37-34 come-from behind, overtime win over the Denver Broncos .

Just what any of that'll mean come early Sunday evening afternoon is anyone's guest, as the two signal-callers have become just that maddeningly inconsistency. But at least they can be assured of having the empathy of one another.

Since joining the NFL, the paths of the small town boys with the big city talent have been much the same. Each landed in big-city markets, where they soon began to face a level of scrutiny few man can withstand.

At times, each has proven to be up to the task with Manning throwing for more than 3,200 yards and 24 touchdowns last season and Grossman leading the Bears to the Super Bowl. But always, more has been expected, eventually bringing the resolve and toughness of each man into question.

On Sunday at Soldier Field, they'll yet again seek to answer some of those questions, this time in a Mano-Mano type confrontation. Though only one of them can win, dooming the other to yet another stretch of nonparallel scrutiny and endless questioning, you have to believe each will be secretly pulling for the other.