Tom Brady and Peyton Manning will go down in NFL history as two of the best quarterbacks to ever grace a football field. With a few years remaining in each of their respective careers, both players have the chance to be regarded as the greatest ever. However, neither guy is getting any younger: Brady will enter the 2014 season at age 37, and Manning at age 38. The clocking is ticking for both of these players to prove that he is hands-down the greatest quarterback of all time.
Both Brady and Manning had phenomenal, but very different, seasons in 2013. Brady was able to have one of his best years as a pro despite throwing to a group of inexperienced receivers, with a virtually nonexistent tight end corps. After dealing with some early-season communication issues among his young wideouts, Brady worked his usual magic and the Patriots were only one game away from reaching the Super Bowl.
Meanwhile, Peyton Manning had the best statistical season for a passer in league history. His 55 touchdown passes and 5,477 yards broke single-season records, and he reached his third Super Bowl. While he had a shaky performance in the big game, Manning’s MVP 2013 season will be remembered as one of the best ever. At times, the Denver offense seemed unstoppable.
The football universe was treated to not one, but two matchups between these legends. The first meeting, on November 24th in frigid New England, proved to be one of the most exciting football games in recent memory. Tom Brady further grew his legacy by pulling the Patriots back from a 24-0 halftime deficit, the largest comeback in franchise history, and stunning the Broncos 34-31 in overtime.
These AFC powerhouses faced off for a second time in the AFC Championship in Denver. This time, it was Manning’s turn to display his stardom, masterfully leading the Broncos offense on several long touchdown drives that crippled the Pats. Manning was just about flawless in this game. With the victory, he earned a chance to distance himself from Brady by winning Super Bowl XLVIII.
But, the Broncos lost. Manning struggled throughout the game, and threw two costly interceptions that led to points for Seattle. Where does that leave the Brady-Manning debate as we look ahead to 2014?
At first glance, it would seem that Manning surpassed Brady. After all, it was Manning who earned the MVP trophy (his fifth—Brady has only two), and it was Manning who reached the Super Bowl by defeating Brady.
This would certainly be true if the Broncos had been victorious on February 2nd. But because Denver imploded so dramatically, and because Manning didn’t do much to stop the bleeding, Manning’s dream season of 2013 now compares to Brady’s 2007 season: an MVP award, and numerous passing records broken, but no ring.
With the loss, Manning’s career postseason record is now 11-12. Compare that to Brady’s 18-8 record. Both guys have lost two Super Bowls, but Brady has won two more. The Manning side of the debate probably gained more momentum in 2013, but the Brady side grew substantially as well. Heading into 2014, Brady is arguably a shave ahead of Manning in this race because of his ability to consistently turn a good team into a great team.
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