Peyton vs. Brady for the fifteenth time? Check.
Was there any doubt in anybody’s mind that these wouldn’t be the two teams playing for the Lamar Hunt Trophy? Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are future Hall of Famers and make up the two parts of the NFL’s most entertaining rivalry. However, their current legacies are slightly different. If their careers were to end today, Manning would be remembered as the player who put up stats, and boy did he set those records. On the other hand, Brady would be remembered as the sixth round pick who overcame all the odds to win three Super bowls in four seasons. Right now, Tom Brady has the edge in Super bowl rings (3-1) and a much better postseason record (18-7 as opposed to 10-11).
However, that can change. The legacy of Peyton Manning will be changed if he finds a way to defeat Brady and Bill Belichick, the Patriots’ mastermind coach on Sunday. However, that won’t be all. For Manning to complete a revival on his playoff record, he needs to defeat the NFC Champion (Seattle or San Francisco) in New Jersey on February 2nd, 2014. If Manning is holding that Vince Lombardi trophy across the river from New York City three Sundays from now, he will be recognized as the greatest quarterback of this generation, and quite possibly ever. But he needs to start with one win.
Manning’s history with Tom Brady goes back to 2001, when Brady routed Manning 44-13 in his first career start. Manning, then on the Colts, played the Patriots in the playoffs in two consecutive seasons, 2003 and 2004. Brady got the best of Manning both times, and added his second and third Superbowl rings to his collection in later weeks.
The 2006 AFC Championship game got off to a terrible start for the Colts, when the Patriots took a 21-3 lead in the first half. However, the Colts stormed back, and defeated the Patriots 38-34. The Colts then won Manning’s only career Super bowl win against the Bears.
Peyton Manning’s career playoff record sits at a disappointingly low 10-11. With a win against the Patriots and a Superbowl win, he will be one game over .500. It’s not quite as good as Brady, but it’s respectable.
Manning then would have assured his 2013 season as the best season that any quarterback has ever had. Period. Manning set the record for passing touchdowns in a season, passing yards in a season, and will likely win the NFL MVP on February 1st, 2014.
Two Super bowl rings, five MVP awards, and an incalculable number of other awards, records, and honors. It all starts with one week, with one game against Bill Belichick and Tom Brady in Denver on Sunday. The title of best quarterback ever might even be on the line.
No pressure, Peyton.
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