Manning vs. Brady

Slimdust

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When they're done playing, their résumés complete, and Tom Brady has a fistful of championships and Peyton Manning owns every major NFL passing record and maybe a couple of titles himself, the two of them are going to be considered the best quarterbacks ever. We debate who's the better contemporary QB, and a decade from now, we're sure to be discussing which is history's best.

Peyton Manning
Quarterback
Indianapolis Colts

Profile
2006 SEASON STATISTICS
Att Comp Yds TD Int Rat
245 163 1916 15 2 107.9

For many, Manning already is in the conversation. And Brady finally seems to be getting the widespread appreciation for the major role he's played in the Patriots dynasty.

How cool is that we get to see them shoot it out Sunday night when Manning takes his unbeaten Colts to Gillette Stadium to face Brady's once-beaten Patriots?

It'll be the quarterbacks' eighth meeting, and it never gets old. Sade told us to "cherish the day." Football fans should cherish nights like Sunday. It's not quite the same as Magic versus Larry or Russell versus Chamberlain, but it's as close as football gets, I guess.

Tom Brady
Quarterback
New England Patriots

Profile
2006 SEASON STATISTICS
Att Comp Yds TD Int Rat
232 135 1505 14 4 92.2

Should the Patriots go on to win a dozen games this year, Brady, 29, will find himself almost halfway to John Elway's record of 148 victories (regular season) as a starter (Brady has 64 wins right now). Brady threw for an average of about 3,800 yards and 26 touchdowns from 2002 to 2005. Should he manage to keep up that pace for another half dozen seasons, he'll have 300 touchdown passes and 45,000 yards or so, enough to put him well into the top 10 in both categories. If he and the Patriots keep rolling along like they're going, Brady will have the wins and the individual numbers. His spot in the Hall of Fame has long been reserved.

As for Manning, well, there's no use projecting because who knows where he's going to leave Dan Marino's or Brett Favre's records when he's finished. He might do to passing marks what Jerry Rice did to receiving records, which is put them out of reach.

The current G.O.A.T.? Most people seem to favor Joe Montana. Lot of folks like Elway. Some Marino. John Unitas still gets love when talk turns to the greatest of all time. One certainly can make an argument for all those guys. People who've had this conversation with me know I like to argue that Favre is the best ever. I think I've argued enough to where I actually completely believe it. Doesn't matter.

It won't even be close by the end of Brady's and Manning's careers. It'll be those two and everyone else.

Realize you're watching history in the making Sunday night.

What's really cool about the Brady-Manning rivalry (is it OK to call it that when Brady's Patriots have won six of seven matchups?) is how they've come to be linked. Brady's first start, Sept. 30, 2001, was against Manning and the Colts.

Ever since Brady started winning Super Bowls, beating Manning twice along the way, fans have enjoyed answering the question "Which would you rather have?" You know what? I'm not going there anymore. Not playing that game. You guys have at it. From here on out, I'm just going to appreciate them both.

I admit I used to be a Brady guy just because he'd won titles and always -- up until last year, that is -- got the better of Manning head to head. I tell you I can't decide now. They're both unbelievable. I couldn't pick one over the other without second-guessing the decision. And you really couldn't go wrong either way.

And they come from such different places. Manning's the Golden Boy, his dad was a really good quarterback, his younger brother looks to be on his way to being a great quarterback himself. The Mannings are the first family of football. It's as if Manning were bred or created in a lab somewhere. He's just so perfect. Greatness from him was predicted early on. As a teenager growing up in New Orleans, he quarterbacked the scout team for the Saints.

Brady, on the other hand, has more of the self-made-man thing going for him. Whereas Manning was the first overall selection in his draft, Brady famously lasted until pick No. 199. A third-stringer his rookie season, he got his shot his second year because of injury. He doesn't put up the ridiculous numbers Manning does -- probably could, but that isn't how the Patriots play -- but more often than not has the edge over his opponents where it counts.

Brady has a rags-to-riches appeal to him. Manning is more royalty.

But they're really more similar than they are different. You have to start with how tough they are. Including playoffs, Manning has started 144 consecutive games, Brady 96. They're both so studious, so dedicated and so meticulous when it comes to their preparation that they're almost always in total command. There hasn't been a smarter quarterback than either of these two. They're like coaches, only without the titles. In their unique ways, they're both great leaders.

Really the only difference is that Manning's team hasn't won a championship. Not yet, at least. Manning's the two-time regular-season Most Valuable Player, Brady a two-time Super Bowl MVP.

Brady has earned a reputation as being clutch in the big game. Manning, fairly or not, has earned a rep as being a choker in big games. That's what I used to use to break the tie.

But I'm off getting on Manning for not yet winning a title and for his 3-6 playoff record vs. Brady's 10-1 mark. If Manning were never to win a title -- and I believe he eventually will; he's only 30 -- it doesn't make him any less of a quarterback or inferior to any of the QBs who have. Anyway, I think that criticism tends to die down once a player retires. Does anybody hold it against Marino or Jim Kelly or Warren Moon that their teams didn't win a Super Bowl? I'm of the opinion now that championships don't define individuals in team sports. Too many other people, other variables are involved in who wins it all and who doesn't.

Manning will get his ring one day, just as I believe Brady will add a regular-season MVP award to his Super Bowl trophies sooner or later. And if neither does either, it doesn't change anything.

I'm just glad I've had the privilege of watching both careers from the beginning and all but one of their meetings, even if only a couple have been so much as competitive. It seems as if every Colts-Patriots matchup is more anticipated than the last. With this one, we have them both coming off performances among the best of their careers, Brady at Minnesota and Manning at Denver. Combined, they passed for 717 yards and seven touchdowns while completing 61 of 82 attempts against two of the league's top defenses.

Think they might have just been warming up?

Both guys seem to get it done no matter what, or rather, no matter who. Manning is doing his thing without Edgerrin James. And how's this for being on top of your game: Manning has thrown only two interceptions this year and 32 the past 3½ years compared with 121 touchdown passes. Sick. Brady only lost both of his starting wide receivers, yet he just keeps racking up wins.

I think most of you would agree that when you're talking today's quarterbacks, it's Brady, Manning (or Manning, Brady if you prefer) and everyone else. It's just a matter of time, and a little more résumé padding, before we think of the position's history in the same way.

Michael Smith is a senior writer at ESPN.com.

Slimdust

I thought he made some good ponts. :up:

mikedudelang

Bottom line is winning...which is why:

Brady over Manning
Aikman over Young
Montana over Marino

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

agreed with mikedudelang winning matters. But to win you need a TEAM. Would the Cowboys have won those Super Bowls if Emmitt Smith or Michael Irvin weren't around or what about the hogmollies? I think David Carr has proved that just talent doesn't win. Both The Chiefs and the Broncos have stellar lines... how have they been doing the past couple of years. To me when it all boils down I think Manning is the better quarterback. I think Tom Brady was more or less put in a system where his talents could flourish. Now I'm not saying Tom Brady has no talent. I'm saying his talents went into the right system. Whereas I think Manning is smart enough to be able to work any system

Slimdust

yeah. I think If Tom Brady was on the colts and Manning was with the pats, Manning would of won 3 superbowls maybe even 4.

Think about it...

Jayman

Super Moderator

Good first post Slim, although I disagree with the above statement. Tom Brady has the ability to read his recievers, he has a "gift". Manning, on the other hand, has a group of talented recievers.

The difference between Brady and Manning is that Peyton couldn't produce a winning team as easily as Tom could with the group of new recievers he has. Brady didn't even know the majority of his WR 9 months ago, and he makes them look like gold now.

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Blitzkrieg

Administrator

I think the winning argument is bullshit. It's a team game. The problem with Manning is not that he hasn't won, but the fact that he hasn't played well in the playoffs.

If Manning had actually played well and the team still lost, he'd have more of an argument of being Tom Brady.

Right now Manning is A-Rod. He's by far the best regular season QB and it's a fact that if the Colts don't have Manning they are an awful team. That's how good Peyton is, but he needs to step up in the postseason and make the same kinds of throws in the big games that he makes in week 8.

BTW, Young was always better then Aikman and Young even has a championship himself including a Super Bowl MVP where he threw for 6 TD passes.

Young > Aikman.

Danny Diamond

Founder/Admin

WRONG !!!!!


Brady hasn't had a Marvin Harrison type. Brady hasnt had a Edgerrin James type. Reggie Wayne....

Brady isn't a system QB guys. He is just that damn good.

Why is it that Bledsoe had the same exact team as Brady in 01. When Bledsoe went down they were 1-3. Brady comes in and wins all but one game his rookie year.

Granted the Defense of the Patriots is much better than Mannings, I will concede that. I just don't think you can flip flop those two and you would have seen the same results.

There is that intangable that makes great players who they are.

I have seen all these games that the two have gone head to head.

Peyton Manning reminds me so much of Dan Marino its not even funny.

Also, Its partly Mannings fault that he is on shitty defensive teams. He takes up something like 20% of their cap space. Brady makes substantially less money than Manning. He did it so the Pats could afford him some weapons.

Am I rambling?

Its late.

Bottom Line for Sunday Night.

The Colts are on pace to have the 5th worst Rushing Defense in the history of the NFL. The Pats have two fresh, strong RB's in Dillon and Maroney.

You know what that means? The Pats will pass effectively while they try so desperately to stop a run that isn't coming.

Pats win HUGE on Sunday and get you all to recognize that they are still a Superbowl contender.


Manning coughs up 3 picks.

Mark it down.

Happens every time he comes to town.

32 degress, windy as hell and some extremely jacked up fans. That place is a ZOO during night games.


37 Pats.
17 Colts.

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

Concede it? I hope so haha.. The defenses are entirely different, but still.. I already posted what I think in an above post so there you have it.

I'll be tuned in on Sunday night no doubt.. No bigger game than this.

Killswitch

I see people saying Brady is better than Manning anyday only becuase has hasn't chocked in the playoffs and has 3 super bowls to add onto it. But when I watch both men play on sundays I see how can critics or people say that? Well I know why, it's only becuase 1. They are a bandwagon fan of Brady and the Pats or 2. They dont like to disagree with the crowd. Well people should stick up to what is wrong becuase I do beleive when a qb makes history year in and year out by throwing touchdowns or just throwing pass's and bring his team to the playoffs he must be something special. I do also see this is the year we determin who is better becuase Manning doesn't have a running back to bail himout like he used to. Plus Patriots one each playoff game not becuase of brady but becuase of someone else. If the Manning was to win a superbowl I would bet on him having to have a career game. This stats are better than bradys every year only difference is pats win the superbowl.

One last thing is Manning reminds me of a player like Brett Farve he might not win the superbowls like other qbs do but he is much more solid then them. He does much more on the feild than most of them do. I would take a player like farve/manning over brady anyday.