Eli Manning's career has been defined by his ability to make big plays late in big games. So, it should come as no surprise to hear that when he was given a chance to respond to Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who took a shot at Manning (among many other quarterbacks) during a recent interview with GQ's Clay Skipper, Manning waited and waited and waited until the absolute last second to respond with a mild-mannered, but slickly executed burn.

Responding to Ramsey, who indicated that Manning's success was simply the product of Odell Beckham Jr., Manning at first resisted saying anything at all except "No comment." But then, under his breath, Manning couldn't resist taking one little shot at Ramsey.

It's worth noting that compared to what Ramsey had to say about other quarterbacks like Josh Allen and Joe Flacco, his criticism of Manning was significantly tamer. Ramsey called Allen "trash" and said that Flacco "sucks." All Ramsey said about Manning is that Beckham makes him better than he actually is.

"Eli [Manning]... It's not really Eli," Ramsey told GQ. "I think it's Odell [Beckham, Jr.]. I won't say Eli's good, I'll say Odell's good. And their connection is good."

As Giants fans will certainly point out, Manning actually won two Super Bowls without Beckham. And really, those two Super Bowls are the reason Manning will likely become a Hall of Famer. So, Manning created his legacy entirely without the help of Beckham. He had the help of a great Giants defense that managed to hit and harass Tom Brady, but what Super Bowl-winning quarterback hasn't gotten help along the way?

With that being said, it's not at all unfair to suggest that Manning benefits greatly from the presence of Beckham, a top-three receiver in all of football. At this stage in his career, Manning is nothing more than an average to a slightly above average quarterback. But a generational talent like Beckham, who can turn a 7-yard slant into a 50-yard touchdown, has the ability to boost Manning's final stat line and quite frankly, has done exactly that since entering the NFL in 2014. That doesn't mean Manning is the only quarterback benefiting from elite receiver play. It just means that Manning has never been a dominant, take-over-the-game-by-himself type of quarterback -- unless it's in the final minutes of a Super Bowl against the Patriots.

Manning's Hall of Fame resume won't include statistics like passer rating, yards per attempt, or completion percentage. Instead, his Hall of Fame case rests entirely on his Super Bowl success and his longevity. Manning's greatness isn't necessarily about the way he plays quarterback on a game-by-game basis. His greatness was in his ability to make clutch plays when the Giants needed them most, and in his ability to stay healthy and consistent over the years. And that has value. He might not be as talented of a quarterback as someone like Aaron Rodgers, but he certainly made the most of his talent.

But Ramsey's criticism of Manning isn't entirely wrong. Nobody would call Manning, 37, a great quarterback right now. He is a bit of a product of his supporting cast. In that regard, Manning isn't unlike a lot of other quarterbacks not named Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and Drew Brees. He needs help. After a 3-13 season, the Giants certainly tried to get Manning the help he needs by drafting Saquon Barkley and Will Hernandez, and signing Nate Solder in free agency.

Manning and the revamped Giants offense will open up their season against ... the Jaguars in Week 1. So, if Manning doesn't know who Ramsey is, he will in less than a month.