Jackson Free Press

While Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning was having one of the greatest seasons ever, his brother, former Ole Miss and current New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, was having one of his worst since he joined the league in 2004 and became the team's full-time starting quarterback in 2005.

Eli threw the most interceptions of his career with 27 and tossed the fewest touchdowns of his career as full-time starter with 18. He also had his worst record as full-time starter, going 7-9.

Manning broke his previous 2008 low for touchdowns with 21 and the previous high for interceptions set in 2010 with 25. The two-time Super Bowl MVP couldn't get anything going in 2013, but it wasn't all his fault.

The Giants struggled at the offensive line, and Manning got sacked a record 39 times, breaking the previous high of 30 in 2009. He also struggled with injured receivers, bringing about one of the lowest completion percentages of his career at 57.5 percent.

At 33 years old, Manning is still close to the prime of his career even as he enters his 11th NFL season. But he will have to get more help from his running game, something the Giants have struggled to do in most regular seasons since drafting him. He finished 29th last season with only 1,332 yards, and the team didn't even produce one running back who went over 500 yards rushing, the best being Andre Brown with 492.

Last season began with a six-game losing streak for the Giants that included a season-opening loss to their archrival the Dallas Cowboys and a 38-0 beatdown at the hands of the Carolina Panthers. The Giants eventually righted the ship and won seven of their last 10, but that included another loss to the Cowboys and another shutout coming from the Seattle Seahawks, who won 23-0.

The Giants will have a new offensive coordinator this season as they replace Kevin Gilbride, who retired last season, with first-time offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo. The change will have an impact on Manning, who will need to learn a new offense while trying to bounce back from last season's nightmare.

Manning and the Giants have their first chance to get the bad taste of 2013 out of their mouths against the Buffalo Bills in the 2014 Hall of Fame Game. Don't expect him to play a lot on Sunday, as the Giants and Bills both play five preseason games. He should get a couple of series before he calls it a night, though things could change if head coach Tom Coughlin doesn't like what he sees early in the game.

The game will air on NBC, and coverage starts at 7 p.m., following a taped version of Wrestlemania 30.

Other players from Mississippi in the game are John Jerry and Trumaine McBride for the Giants, both out of Ole Miss, and Anthony Dixon for Buffalo out of Mississippi State.