Manning vs. Manning

The New York Giants will open their season next year on a Sunday night, September 10, at 8:15 pm on NBC against...the Indianapolis Colts. This will be the first time Eli Manning will face his older brother Peyton Manning.

Michael Eisen of the Giants website reports:

“It’s going to be meaningful and exciting,” Eli Manning said today after completing a workout in the team’s offseason conditioning program. “It’s going to be something different, something I’ve never done before. We’ve never competed against each other in anything, really, besides one-on-one basketball in our backyard.

“It will be fun, obviously. But I’m really competing against the Indianapolis defense. I just have to play hard and try to play well. It will be exciting and something you always remember, because it’s the first time we’ll ever compete against each other.”

The NFL today announced the prime time schedule for the 2006 Kickoff Weekend and its Thanksgiving Day games. The remainder of the schedule will be announced next month.

Peyton and Eli – the second and third sons of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning - were No. 1 overall selections in their respective NFL drafts: Peyton by the Colts out of Tennessee in 1998 and Eli from Mississippi by the San Diego Chargers in 2004. Eli was soon traded to the Giants.

Peyton Manning has never missed a start in his pro career, starting 128 consecutive games. He is 80-48 (.625) in the regular season, plus 3-6 in postseason play. He is a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player. Last year, the Colts were 14-2 and champions of the AFC South.