Kerry J. Byrne calls Manning vs. Brady the best QB rivalry in NFL history.
... Manning and Brady meet far more often than most great QB rivalries -- and they meet in Big Games of Big Consequence.
The sheer statistical dominance of each quarterback adds yet another layer to the rivalry. Both Brady and Manning are among the all-time leaders in every major career and single-season passing record.
And here's the best part for football fans: it seems these aging gunslingers are not quite ready to hand over their badges to the NFL's young guns.
Instead, both quarterbacks head into their Week 5 showdown at the top of their game: Denver and New England boast the league's best offenses right now when we measure them relative to the quality of the defenses each team has faced.
... Brady and Manning, by the way, enter their Week 5 showdown virtually neck and neck in their individual statistical showdown this season:
Brady: 101 of 154, 65.6 percent, 1,227 yards, 8.0 YPA, 7 TD, 1 INT, 102.4 rating
Manning: 99 of 153, 64.7 percent, 1,162 yards, 7.6 YPA, 8 TD, 3 INT, 96.9 rating
We don't know who will have the advantage on Sunday. But we do know this: whoever does gain that advantage on Sunday will gain the inside track on the 2012 playoff race.
Jim Donaldson says that even though they have it all, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning just can't walk away.
Tom Brady and Peyton Manning don’t have to play football. They do because they love to.
Years ago, they earned their places in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But they still want to play for as many years as they possibly can.
At an age when they understandably could be thinking about retirement — Brady turned 35 in August, Manning was 36 last March — they’re thinking only about their next game, which happens to be against each other, on Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium.
TEAM TALK
- Patriots-Broncos Wednesday Injury Report.
- Patriots re-sign LB Bobby Carpenter, add TE Alex Silvestro to the practice squad; Release two.
- Tom Brady named AFC Offensive Player of the Week.
- Press Conference: Tom Brady - Bill Belichick.
- Conference Calls with the Denver media: Tom Brady - Bill Belichick.
- Patriots Today - Players expect a loud crowd Sunday. (2.27 min. video)
- Patriots Today - New uniform, same Manning. (3.27 min. video)
- Patriots Today - Belichick brings plays of the week. (5.13 min. video)
- Patriots Today - Mankins returns to practice. (1.39 min. video)
- Locker Room Uncut - Players talk Broncos. (3.24 min. video)
LOCAL LINKS
- Jeff Howe asserts every ounce of success that QBs Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have achieved stems from their work behind the scenes.
- Tom E. Curran talks Brady-Manning XIII and the hype machine.
- Shalise Manza Young notes the Patriots need their red zone success to continue against Denver.
- Mike Petraglia says Bill Belichick believes the Broncos are 95% different with Peyton Manning under center.
- Christopher Price explains why the Patriots defense will be watching a lot of Colts tape as well as Broncos film to prep for Sunday.
- Paul Kenyon reports the Patriots secondary knows it will have its hands full Sunday.
- Luke Hughes notes Devin McCourty has been using Tom Brady as preparation for facing an equally prepared and precise Peyton Manning.
- Karen Guregian catches up with Rodney Harrison, who really likes how Brandon Spikes is setting a hard-hitting tone.
- Field Yates notes Rob Gronkowski says that as an offensive player, he is worried about the Denver Broncos' defense -- not Peyton Manning.
- Mark Farinella learns that with Brandon Lloyd, it's all about the timing and being in sync with his quarterback.
- Mike Petraglia notes Brandon Lloyd credits Champ Bailey for teaching him the importance of 'finishing the play'.
- Christopher Price tells us Rob Gronkowski will be playing against his brother Chris, a Denver fullback, on Sunday.
- Mike Rodak notes Logan Mankins and Dont'a Hightower returned to practice, but five players did not.
- Field Yates recaps how Chandler Jones is compared with Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul in a Scouts Inc. "Rookie Watch" Insider piece.
- Tom E. Curran reports on the AFC East at the quarter pole.
- Mike Reiss updates Tom Brady and the shotgun tracker through Week 4.
- Mike Reiss breaks down the penalties for the season, noting the real referees produced only one flag on NE and a better pace of game.
- Mike Reiss serves up some notable soundbites from Broncos' John Fox and Peyton Manning.
- Zuri Berry reports from practice as the Patriots prepare for Denver. (2.06 min. video)
- Jeff Howe Patriots Notebook: Sebastian Vollmer is credited with making the Bills' $100 million dollar man Mario Williams disappear; Aaron Hernandez looked like he was moving better yesterday; Gregory, Hoomanawanui, Bolden, Hightower and Mankins (calf) were new additions to the injury report; Bills DT Kyle Williams is questioning his $15K fine for roughing the Brady on Sunday, when he grabbed the back of Brady's leg.
NATIONAL NEWS
- James Walker (EPSN) Patriots not doubting Manning's arm.
- NFL Live (ESPN) Broncos-Pats preview. (2.26 min. video)
- NFL Total Access (NFL.com) How will Bill Belichick defend Peyton Manning? (1.09 min. video)
- Hub Arkush (Pro Football Weekly) Brady vs. Manning: Who will perform better? (2.43 min. video)
- Doug Farrar (Yahoo! Sports) Interview: Wes Welker on snap counts, Tom Brady, and why the NFL wears pink.
- Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Kyle Williams fined $15,000 for low hit on Tom Brady.
- Gil Brandt (NFL.com) Alfred Morris, Brian Hartline lead NFL's early-season surprises. Ridley and Bolden catch his eye too.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFL cleans up during "premiere week"
- Clifton Brown (Sporting News) NFL Week 5: Offense intended.
- Chris Burke (SI) Second read: Patriots find a running game, more Week 4 observations.
- Jim Trotter (SI) Awards watch: Week 4. Chandler Jones looking good at defensive ROY.
- Michael Silver (Yahoo! Sports) Winless Saints lead group of biggest disappointments in first quarter of NFL season.
- Mike Freeman (CBS Sports) Ten-point stance: In plain language, nice quarterbacks finish last.
- Brian Billick (Fox Sports) Old-fashioned football a challenge.
VIEW FROM DENVER
- Mike Klis (Denver Post) Peyton Manning, Bill Belichick meeting again as AFC rivals with a twist.
- Mark Kiszla (Denver Post) Denver Broncos can battle Tom Brady much better now.
- Gray Caldwell (DenverBroncos.com) They meet again.
- Mark Kiszla (Denver Post) Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, despite age, at top of NFL quarterbacks.
- Jeff Legwold (Denver Post) Broncos-Patriots game Sunday to feature some of NFL's brightest minds.
- Tyler Everett (DenverBroncos.com) Embracing the challenge.
- Eric Decker (DenverBroncos.com) Blog: Big game this week.
- Mike Klis (Denver Post) Peyton Manning said Tom Brady was there for him through injury.
- Chris Hall (DenverBroncos.com) Back to Gillette. (2.32 min. video)
- Jeff Legwold (Denver Post) Broncos vs. Patriots also serves as the Gronkowski Bowl.