CHANDLER, Ariz. — A lot of people might say Eli Manning finally has "arrived" during the New York Giants' mind-bending playoff run to Super Bowl XLII.

But perhaps ripened is a better word. Matured, even.

"I don't know that you ever really feel you've arrived," said Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman. "I won three Super Bowls, and I still went through periods where I felt I was having to prove myself."

That probably will always be a part of Manning's life, given the position he plays and the New York microscope under which he plays it. For now, win or lose this historic game against the undefeated New England Patriots, suffice to say he is a changed man since the regular season. He has grown from the quarterback that struggled with the big turnover and the low completion percentage during the season.

It has been noticeable, though he and his coaches hate to admit anything beyond obvious statistical evidence. With Manning completing 62.4 percent of his passes in the playoffs with four touchdowns and no turnovers, there has been little cause for criticism. Though he claimed his confidence in himself never wavered during the year, even after that four-interception disaster against Minnesota, he looks now to have a renewed vigor right down to the way he moves and speaks.

Take the Giants' arrival news conference, for instance. Manning had rarely sounded more direct, more assertive, or more confident than he did in front of the packs that crowded his podium Monday night. On the field, in wins over No. 1-seeded Dallas and No. 2-seeded Green Bay, achieved in diametrically opposite climates, he played with his feet firmly under him.

Rare were the back-footed heaves and lofts into impossible coverage that marred earlier performances.

"We've had all those games, except for New England, and that's where it started for him," said Aikman, now an analyst for Fox TV. "He'd been pretty up and down throughout the year. The big thing is, with this three-game stretch in the playoffs, he hasn't made the really poor throw that results in a turnover, and it's a good thing because these games are tight.

"And he's been much more accurate throwing the football. I've been impressed with his ball placement and keeping it out of harm's way. But not being so cautious that he's not giving himself opportunities to make plays down the field. That's real balance, and that's what I've seen."

Several things have contributed to his current success. According to quarterbacks coach Chris Palmer, the return of Plaxico Burress to practice and the flourishing of rookies Kevin Boss and Steve Smith are some of the biggest. He's getting solid protection, too. And when the protection breaks down, he is moving better inside and outside of the pocket to buy himself time.

The rise of the running game behind Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw hasn't hurt, either.

"It's still a team game," Palmer said.

Most of all, though, Manning's level-headedness during the bad times, when the radio talk show lines lit up like a supernova, has ushered him into the good times.

Yet, he still has the same basic attitude.

"I deal with criticism and praise the same way," Manning said. "I ignore it."

Aikman said that facet has finally served him well.

"He's been unbelievable in the way he's handled things," Aikman said. "He's one guy on that team you don't ever have to question what this game means to him. And yet, he finds himself being criticized and scrutinized more than any other player in the organization. But right now, I've got to believe he's playing with as much confidence as he's ever had."

If anything, he could stand a little more efficiency when in close to the opponent's goal line. But Manning has come a long way since the regular season when, even in some comeback wins against Chicago and Buffalo, he looked anything but exceptional.

His surge in the playoffs have his teammates joining him in lockstep now. He is leading effectively, and outsiders have noticed the change.

"We played them (in Week 2) and we thought they were done," Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre said. "A lot of that comeback is due to the way Eli's played and the way they've handled adversity."

NOTES

Super Bowl: Mike Carey, in his 18th season as an NFL official, will head Sunday's officiating crew, becoming the first black referee at a Super Bowl.

Pro Bowl: Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson withdrew from the Pro Bowl because of a sprained knee yesterday, paving the way for Ravens running back Willis McGahee to receive his first appearance in the game. In his first season with Baltimore, McGahee finished eighth in the NFL with 1,207 yards rushing on a career-high 294 carries.

Redskins: Washington club officials are scheduled to formally interview Steve Mariucci, 52, for their vacant head coaching position this week, league sources told The Washington Post. Mariucci, who worked with executive vice president for football operations Vinny Cerrato in San Francisco, has told associates he is interested in returning to coaching after two years as TV analyst.

49ers: San Francisco made Ted Tollner its quarterbacks coach yesterday. Tollner's new title also includes a designation as "assistant to the head coach," Mike Nolan.

Rams: St. Louis signed Al Saunders to a three-year contract as offensive coordinator yesterday.