The Best of The Best (Part 1)

Posted by Sean Doyle, November 21. 2010.

"I really enjoyed your Sprint commercial.."

The two greatest quarterbacks in the history of the NFL (yes, I said it) Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are facing off right now on the old tiffany network. It has become an annual tradition this Brady-Manning Bowl and is often the most hyped regular season game of the year. It is a time of great mirth (yes, I said it) for the armchair analyst and devoted stat head alike. Who is the best? Or rather, the best of the best ? (With all due deference to the great Eric Roberts)

Numbers alone don't tell this story. (Just an aside - How many shite sports columns have opened with that worn dead cliche line?) If we were to go on numbers alone (another cliche gem) you'd have to give it to Archie Manning's boy. Peyton's career stats are as follows: 382 TDs, 52,791 passing yards, 64.8% completion rate, and 95.1 passer rating over 13 seasons (all as starter). Brady's career looks like this: 242 TDs, 33,020 passing yards, and a 93.7 passer rating in 11 seasons (9 as starter).

But the postseason is where reputations are made (just ask Jim Kelly and Dan Marino). If we were to look only at the second season, than Brady trumps Manning. Brady has 4 Superbowl appearances and 3 Championships. Manning has 2 Superbowl appearances and 1 Championship. Though their career postseason stats are eerily similar (Brady: 28 TDs and 15 INTs, Manning: 28 TDs and 19 INTs) over the last decade, their has been no better big game quarterback (cliche hat trick!) than Tom Brady.

Speaking of big games. Brady bagged the the biggest game out there...

To be continued...