The debate has been going on since the early 2000’s, and doesn’t look like it’s going to be decided any time soon.
Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady
The No. 1 overall pick vs. the 199th overall pick
The Sheriff vs. Tom Terrific
These two quarterbacks are constant names that come up when discussing the best quarterbacks, ever!
However, with both Brady and Manning entering their 14th and 16th seasons respectively, the clock is running for each of these future Hall of Famers to add another Lombardi trophy, or two, to their long list of accomplishments.
Both the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots are well aware of this ticking clock for their Legendary QB’s, but approach the issue in completely different ways.
Take this past off-season and draft for example. The Denver Broncos came one game shy of achieving their season long goal in 2013: hoisting the Lombardi trophy in February. Everything that the Broncos did after the Super Bowl was with this phrase in mind: Win now. They went out and signed one of the best safeties playing today in T.J. Ward. They added more weapons to an already scary defensive line, by grabbing future Hall of Fame defensive end DeMarcus Ware.
Denver lost WR Eric Decker, one of Peyton Manning’s favorite targets, but signed WR Emmanuel Sanders, a guy who can play the same role and fill that gap that Decker left. Denver also had some issues at the center position, so they grabbed a solid center in Will Montgomery. Not to mention, Denver was able to add insult to injury, by signing away former Patriots CB Aqib Talib, one of their AFC rivals’ most crucial players. Don’t think Talib was that crucial? Check the 2013 AFC championship game between the Pats and the Broncos, and see what Denver WR Demaryius Thomas does when guarded by Talib, and what Thomas does after Talib sits out the remainder of the game with a rib injury.
Denver also drafted OSU CB Bradley Roby in round 1 of the 2014 NFL Draft and Indiana WR Cody Latimer in round 2. These guys are two extremely talented young players who have the potential to make huge immediate impacts for the Broncos.
Will Denver have to deal with some serious cap space issues in years to come?
Of course!
But to John Elway and all the rest of the Denver Broncos front office, that doesn’t hold much weight as of now. All they are focused on is getting back to the big dance and getting the W, no matter what it takes.
The clock is winding down, so the Broncos are doing what they can to make the time they have left be as successful as it can be.
New England’s method, is quiet the opposite. If the Patriots were to be assigned a phrase just as the Broncos were, it would be something like ‘Preparation, piece by piece.’ Aside from signing CB Darrelle Revis to a pricey one year deal, the Pats didn’t make too many big, sexy offseason moves. They were able to resign WR Julian Edelman, extend DT Vince Wilfork’s contract for a few more years and sign backup TE Michael Hoomanawanui to a two year deal.
Not as exciting as those folks up in Denver, Huh?
In Free Agency, New England grabbed WR Brandon Lafell, CB Brandon Browner (who won’t be able to play for a quarter of the regular season due to PED violations) and aging DE Will Smith. Of course Revis was a huge signing for the Pats, but the former All-Pro cornerback came off a 2013 season in Tampa Bay with much to be desired. (2 INT’s, 1.0 Sacks, and 50 tackles in 2o13)
Even in the 2014 NFL Draft, New England seemed to follow this same model of conservative team building. The Pats’ two first picks were Florida’s Dominique Easley in round one, a DT who has tore his ACL in both of his knees, and Eastern Illinois QB Jimmy Garoppolo in round 3. Many questioned New England taking a QB so high, especially when backup QB Ryan Mallet, was drafted just three years earlier and the Patriots still had many other bigger needs to address (TE, S, interior OL etc.)
New England knows that Brady, despite being Tom Brady, isn’t going to be around forever. So instead of just pooling all of their money and resources into ‘winning now’, the Patriots are instead playing more conservative in order to prepare for the day in which Brady does decide to hang it all up.
I have nothing but respect for both of these NFL legends, I just find in interesting how both of these guys’ front offices and coaches are molding their teams around their aging QB’s.
Let me know what you think in the comments down below, and who you think is more likely to win a Super Bowl next, Brady or Manning, and why.
Hit me up at @gavroydavis on twitter for all things NFL related!!! I might even try to talk some NBA, who knows, I guess you will just have to find out!
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