Twilight series: Brady, Manning pick up where they left off…in opposite directions
COMMENTARY
The debate has long been over, the rivalry far too one-sided over the bulk of its lifespan to realistically mention both men in the same breath.
Sunday only cemented it though.
The New England Patriots and Denver Broncos may both be 1-0 in the infancy stages of the NFL’s 2015 season, but respective quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning couldn’t have had more different debuts.
In his team’s 28-21 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night, Brady found Rob Gronkowski for three touchdown passes, as well as fellow tight end Scott Chandler for one more, as the recently-vindicated quarterback went out and posted a 143.8 rating in the season’s first week. Only rookie Marcus Mariota had a higher QB rating (158.3), and his was merely perfect in the Tennessee Titans’ demolition of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
Meanwhile, only Blake Bortles (54.5) and Joe Flacco (38.2), Peyton’s opponent in Week 1, had worse ratings this week than the one-time Broncos superstar (59.9) managed against the Baltimore Ravens. Manning managed only 175 yards passing in the Broncos’ 19-13 win, tossing an interception along the way. It was Denver defensive back and old friend Aqib Talib who scored the lone touchdown on the day for the Broncos, who reveled in the fortune that Flacco was twice as horrendous as their declining general behind center.
While Brady proved, once again, that he’s still at the top of his game at age 38, Manning delivered more weight to those concerned that the 39-year-old’s Hall of Fame career has reached its conclusion.
For the Broncos, Sunday was a continuation of the last time we saw Manning on a national stage, Denver’s 24-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in last season’s playoffs, a game in which Manning was a mere 26-for-46, displaying a throwing arm that looked as if it had been sucked of its muscle seemingly overnight. It was much the same way in the first game of this season, despite what Jim Nantz may have otherwise breathlessly tried to tell you about Gary Kubiak’s brilliant offense during CBS’ broadcast.
It’s easy to overreact to everything that happens in Week 1 of the NFL (The AFC East is undefeated for the first time eva, thus is the best division in football.) and nobody is burying the Broncos’ chances to make a run at the Super Bowl. The Ravens lost Terrell Suggs for the season Sunday, and nobody is exactly negating them either (Though, Flacco could have something to say about that with any more performances like he had in his season debut).
Likewise, it’s easy to forget that the Patriots were Week 1 losers at Miami last season, and had multiple questions surrounding them after a blowout loss in Kansas City three weeks later, including the stability of Brady’s starting job. Mariota will be the No. 1 pickup in your fantasy league this week, but one game doesn’t exactly reverse the fortunes of a team that finished 2-14 a season ago.
So, not to cause a rush to judgement, but the first week returns did have a handful of definitives, especially when you understand the history of such matters. Among these truths; two-and-a-half months before they’re scheduled to face off, perhaps for the final time, the Brady-Manning rivalry is dead.
Officially.
Two seasons removed from his last Super Bowl appearance, an embarrassing loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Manning likely has to face the reality that he may not get to another one, let alone have his hand fitted for a second ring. Sunday was the first time that the Broncos had failed to score a touchdown during Manning’s time in Denver, but after the game, the quarterback still termed his performance as “fair.’’
Fair?
This was like watching a game to determine the more incompetent quarterback, a title Flacco won, just barely. There was hardly anything “fair’’ about either performance.
Oh, and if you needed a reminder, it’s now four Super Bowls for Brady to Manning’s one. They’ll meet in November, and for the first time in a long time, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be a big deal.
Always great theater, these showdowns. But as far as cementing the legacy of these two going up against one another over the years? Over.
“If you need a catchy headline for your little article or whatever it is you might be doing, we’re trying to get better every single week,’’ an agitated Manning said on Sunday. “What’s another cliché I can think of? We’re chipping away.’’
Here’s another one: Put out to pasture.
The defending Super Bowl MVP is still chipping away room in his trophy case. Manning has clearly reached the twilight of his career.
Brady-Manning is no longer a dispute. It’s merely a grasp at reality.
2015 Patriots Schedule
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