#360view: Manning-Brady duel remains something to savour

Jay Asser 07:18 23/01/2016
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  • Classic rivalry: Brady and Manning.

    The Tom Brady-Peyton Manning rivalry has become as one-sided as ever, but the 17th chapter of the saga shouldn’t be taken for granted, especially since an epilogue isn’t far off.

    Two of the best quarterbacks of all-time and certainly the two best of their generation will square off at Mile High on Sunday in the AFC Championship Game with a Super Bowl berth hanging in the balance. As much as the narrative dictates a ‘Brady versus Manning’ headline, the outcome is probably the least dependent on their collective play as it has ever been.

    Even at the height of their rivalry, factors such as defence, home-field and weather among other things often played just as big a role in the final result as the field generals’ performance. But with the wide discrepancy between the two at the moment, it’s difficult to imagine Manning rising to the challenge and turning the contest into a duel between him and Brady.

    The truth is that this edition of the matchup, with these grand stakes, looked as if it would never happen again.

    On one side, the 38-year-old Brady hasn’t let age deter him in the final stretch of his 16-year career. Not only is he an MVP candidate with 4,770 passing yards and an NFL-leading 36 touchdowns, but he once again led the New England Patriots to a 12-4 mark and his 10th AFC title game.

    It has been arguably the toughest task of Brady’s career, with the four-time Super Bowl winner juggling an ever-changing offence missing key cogs throughout the season, all of which came on the heels of incredible personal scrutiny from the ‘Deflategate’ scandal.

    The 39-year-old Manning, meanwhile, has had to come to grips with his mortality as Father Time and a multitude of injuries have robbed him of his abilities. His arm strength has been in decline for years now, but the current version of Manning is more reliant than ever on his guile, intelligence and decision-making.

    As otherworldly as those traits are, they still couldn’t keep Manning from throwing 17 interceptions – second most in the league – and posting a passer rating of 67.9, the worst among all quarterbacks with at least 200 attempts this season.

    The reason Manning is in position to reach his fourth Super Bowl is mostly thanks to the Denver Broncos defence, which has been the very best in the league. If Denver do knock off the reigning champions and deny Brady a chance at a fifth ring, the most conceivable scenario involves their pass rush disrupting the Patriots’ offensive rhythm, not Manning emerging victorious in a shootout. As fun as it would be to see duelling masterpieces orchestrated on Sunday, we’re more likely to get moments of brilliance from the two quarterbacks rather than an entire game’s worth.

    But for those fortunate enough to witness the rivalry throughout its run, those moments will be more than enough to savour. For better or worse, legacies can still be shaped. Brady can put the nail in the coffin of ‘best quarterback ever’ if he wins an unprecedented fifth title, whereas Manning can add his second in his most tumultuous season in what may be his final opportunity.

    The debate will always rage of which one is better, but for the here and now, we get two of the best to ever do it on the same field together for maybe the final time.

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