If there is one game other than the Super Bowl that you must watch every NFL season it has to be when Tom Brady goes up against Peyton Manning.
Both players have numerous accolades, both have MVP awards, Super Bowl MVP awards and Super Bowls.
Both will be first ballot hall-of-famers and are considered two of the greatest to ever play the game.
Both are unique guys.
One was the first pick in the draft and revolutionised the quarterback position with his ability to read defences and change the play at the line of scrimmage.
The other slid to the sixth round in the draft and got his start due to an injury. He has always played with a chip on his shoulder and let everyone know they made a mistake passing on him.
Both these guys, despite being great friends, form possibly the greatest sporting rivalry of the modern era, trumping the likes of Federer and Nadal, Kobe and LeBron, Man United and Man City, Red Sox and Yankees, and the Ravens and the Steelers.
While these two are still in the league and continue to play against each other the debate will always rage on.
Who is the better quarterback?
When this question is raised, arguments between analysts, friends and fans often follow. Different stats, different arguments and different situations are brought up every single year.
Different scenarios and different hypotheticals are raised and make the mind speculate.
The crux of the debate is always the number of rings compared to personal numbers and accolades.
Your personal preference is probably determined by your value of Super Bowl titles and personal achievements.
Peyton has a record four MVP awards (soon to be five when you look at it) to Brady’s two. When you compare career passing rating and completion percentage Manning has the slight edge.
Peyton Manning’s playoff record is far from ideal, he has a 9-11 record with eight first game losses. For a four-time NFL MVP it is quite a poor record and one that will haunt his legacy.
Meanwhile, Brady has a record of 17-7, with the most playoff wins by any quarterback ever, an astonishing feat.
Most of the numbers stack heavily in Peyton’s favour but at the end of the day Brady has three Super Bowl Rings to Manning’s one.
When it comes to winning championships though, a number of factors are at play. Things like coaching, rosters and defence.
No disrespect to John Fox, Jim Caldwell, Tony Dungy and Jim Mora but they are no Bill Belicheck. His influence on Brady’s career and systems he built around him should never be overlooked. His roster building skills are extraordinary.
Belicheck is considered by some as the best coach since Lombardi.
Proof of Belicheck genius is in 2008 where Brady tore his ACL on opening weekend and was replaced by Matt Cassel, yes that guy who stinks in Minnesota and stunk in Kansas City.
Cassel led the team to an 11-5 record and had a career defining year, one that led to him receiving a bigger contract.
When you look at Brady and Manning’s head-to-head record (including playoffs), Brady has a winning record of nine wins to four.
According to Scott Kacsmar of Football Outsiders, Brady has had the better defence in 11 of the first 13 meetings between the pair.
When you look at turnovers in the head-to-head battles, Brady has the edge by throwing fewer interceptions (19 compared to 12) however fumbles by teammates have hurt Manning in key moments.
14 fumbles by Colts/Broncos players compared to just eight by Patriots players. Turnovers out of any of the quarterbacks control.
The NFL Network did a “Top 100 Greatest Players” series in 2010 and Manning finished eighth on the list, in the end won by Jerry Rice, and Brady finished 21st.
The panel that decided the list were former and current NFL coaches, players, executives and members of the media.
Judged on that and the other research conducted you would have to give the slight edge to Peyton Manning.
If Manning can create history and be the first quarterback ever to win a Super Bowl with two different teams and likely collect his fifth NFL MVP award along the way, he should move further ahead of Brady.
Many people will debate this for many hours and days but ultimately we should sit back and enjoy two of the greatest quarterbacks of all time battle it out once again.
Enjoy the spectacle that is Manning v Brady.
Josh Wye
Roar Pro
I like the way you think mushi
Josh Wye
Roar Pro
It's funny this game was hyped up about the quarterbacks and mostly defense and special teams that played the starring role. What a game. Have to feel for Denver with that botched punt. No QB had a role in that.
Josh Wye
Roar Pro
For me when I look at it the role of Bill Belicheck is huge. You look at Manning's numbers against Belicheck's defense compared to other defenses. It's quite a massive difference. That's why I give a slight edge to Peyton who currently is with his fifth head coach and Brady has had the master in his ear the whole way. Imagine if Manning had Belicheck. Crazy to think about the potential.
Josh Wye
Roar Pro
There was an article, I don't know who by, that compared Manning to LeBron and the similarities were amazing. Except Manning won a ring with his "Cleveland". If he wins with Denver it would be like LeBron winning with the heat.
Josh Wye
Roar Pro
Yep he sure does and he is not a Manning fan either.
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
I think you misunderstand that Manning always struggled as soon as he had to play outdoors in the cold. Unfortunately for him thats when the playoffs happen, and his record isn't very good at the business end of the season, even against poor QB's. Brady has always got better as the season progressed, while Manning just seems to come out of the gate strong, and then slowly fall back to the pack. Yeah Brady has a great coach, but it's a complex system he plays in. Brady is still producing this season, even when he arguably has his worst team he has ever had, and peaking once again at the business end of the season. I think that's what makes Brady better than Manning.
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
And now in the second half, BRady is answering Manning. Great game to watch.
mushi
Guest
What so because Manning didn't had to make up for not having the have the best coach of his generation building and assembling his roster and calling games he should be more harshly judged? Great stuff, I guess he trotted out at middle linebacker and called the plays there as well? Thank you for reminding me of a universal truth i often forget.
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
Well early on it's a points victory to Manning, which makes me happy as a Bengals fan. I need Indy and NE to lose. Then Bengals to beat Indy and we have the bonus of havign beat both so it means that we only have to be on the same amount of wins to get the second seed in the playoffs.
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
But because Manning has more control of the offense, he must also wear a lot of the blame for not succeeding in the playoffs. Manning for some reason just doesn't go to another level of play when it's required at the business end of the season, while Brady has shown time and time again that he can play whatever game he is required to. I think Manning is one of the best QB's ever, but there will always be a question mark over how good he truly was, like Marino.
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
He hates Romo so much.
mushi
Guest
I've never really understood the conventional wisdom that defence wins championships... and yet you rank QB's by their Superbowl rings and playoff wins. I'd think that coaches have more control over a game than a QB in most circumstances in the NFL so it just perplexes me the decision making to even compare playoff win totals. If forced to chose I'd take Peyton over Brady if forced to chose but it is so hard to force rank great players for all the "team mate /coach influences". Some of the reasons I'd take manning is obviously the numbers but more the coaching aspect, he's been given more freedom to make those decisions and has succeeded under a broader range of coaching "quality".
Bones506
Roar Guru
Great article. I guess there is a difference betweena great player and a great championship player. Brady is like Jordan in that he is that clutch player that delivers at the pointy end of the season. In fact - Jordan always delivered! I think of Manning like Lebron James v Kobe. Lebron was considered a better player but at one point (until he had won a championship) he was the greatest player to not have a championship ring.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
I figure if he's good enough for Gisele, he's good enough for me.
Josh Wye
Roar Pro
Haha, I was expecting at least one of these comments. Having a disturbing man crush on a guy that models uggs isn't so bad :p
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Brady by a mile. It's not even close, and not even a debate. The Golden Boy is streets ahead of Manning, who isn't even the most successful QB in his own family. The fact that I'm a Pats fan and have a disturbing man-crush on Brady is irrelevant! :)
Josh Wye
Roar Pro
Your comment before about Joe Flacco and Peyton Manning is a valid one even though you were kidding. But i always look at it this way, if someone like Trent Dilfer can have a Super Bowl ring and Dan Marino cant than Super Bowls rings are purely not an individual thing. As for that link, i have watched a lot of those N if Ls, at first they were entertaining but lately they have gotten very repetitive with Dameshek taking some cheap shots at some good players.
Matt
Guest
Joe Flacco????? same number of rings as payton i kid, i kid. as a fan i Hate both as they have dominated the NFL but you have to give it to manning, he just makes others look foolish. Like the colts. worst. move. ever!
Matt
Guest
http://www.nfl.com/videos/n-if-l/0ap2000000161778/N-if-L-What-if-the-Colts-had-drafted-Ryan-Leaf
Dominic Davies
Expert
On topic, I've always held Brady higher than Manning. The Super Bowl rings help, absolutely, but he's also won more playoff games than Montana. That's incredible.