Go, Titletown!: How Tom Brady matches up against Andrew Luck

  • Subscribe to our RSS feed.
  • Twitter
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Facebook
  • Digg

Monday, 25 November 2013

Saving the best for last: Tom Brady and Peyton Manning put on thriller as both their careers come to a close

Posted on 18:00 by RAJA BABU

It was cold, almost Siberian cold. The air was uneasy, jolting around and carrying anything with it as if the wind itself was like a powerful arm flicking away anything that tried to test its power. However, amidst these single digit temperatures and strong winds, a glowing metropolis of its own casts a bright tower of light into the sky above Foxborough Massachusetts. This piece of infrastructure, known throughout its days as any number of different names is the economic center of nearly every piece of Massachusetts land south of it’s capital and yet it is not even the biggest cash cow that calls Gillette Stadium home. 

On Sunday night, one man who has played his best in the cold was at it again, facing off against the only human being who can statistically match his skillful prows.  

14 times now these two have faced off, 14 games all of which have their own unique stories. In Brady vs. Manning 1 the theme was this. An already recognized starter in Peyton Manning coming to town prepared to face a man who was making just his first start of his career following Drew Beldsoe's near lethal injury suffered against the Jets that opened the door for his backup. To that point, Tom Brady had thrown just 13 career passes as an NFL quarterback while Peyton Manning had already racked up back to back 4,000 yard passing seasons as well as making 2 Pro Bowl teams and yet by the end of the night it was Brady who led his team to victory and won the first game in one of the most storied individual rivalries in NFL history. 

4 years later in meeting number 3, Brady was shining once again hurling 3 TD's and 335 passing yards on his way to a 27-24 win that improved his career win loss record against Manning to a stellar 3-0. By that point, there was no doubt how skilled this 4th year stud from New England was. The 3 Super Bowl rings symbolized all that necessitated recognition. Before long, Tom Brady was 7-0 against Manning and his always contending Colts. Furthermore, while Peyton spent his time polishing his MVP awards, Tom Brady was a more weekly kind of guy racking up the wins and of course, winning 3 Super Bowls in 4 seasons.   

However in the 2006 Conference Championship that pitted Mr. postseason: Brady against Mr. MVP: Manning, the tables turned. In Peyton's lone successful postseason run, the Colt star stormed past the Patriots and halted Brady's bid for his 4th Lombardi Trophy.  

"I said a little prayer there on that last drive," Manning said of his game winning touchdown drive that propelled the 38-34 last second win. "I don't know if you're supposed to pray or not in those kinds of situations, but I did." 

Prayer answered. 

From that day onward, Manning and Brady were pitted against each other on a near annual basis.as for football fans removed from the bias of the fabled rivalry there truly was no answer to the question was answered every single time prior to such a game. Who is the better quarterback? Tom or Peyton? 

This was the legacy that led these two champions through New England victories in 2007, 2010, 2011 and then 2012 as well as a change of scenery for Manning and yet, the essence of each of these games stayed true to those that came before them.

This was the legacy that led those two champions down the path to greatness and while the two were both reaching into their upper 30's we braved the cold and watched what might go down as the last great meeting between two of the best. It did not disappoint. 

After 4 first quarter fumbles, one of which might have effectively ended Stephan Ridley's career as a Patriot, New England stumbled into the half facing their largest deficit of the season. It was 24-0 Denver, and Manning had thrown just 1 TD pass. The first half of the Week 11 edition of Sunday Night Football, was one of gifts by the Patriots and luck by the Broncos. Manning was never good in this game fighting the stinging cold and rarely even attempting a pass. In the end it was the passing game that for the first time this season actually cost Denver the game.  

Brady and the Patriots came out of the gates in the second half fuming. They charged up the field to score just 3:39 into the quarter and then quickly followed up with back to back quick drives that in the blink of an eye erased and even topped what Denver did in the first half. New England scored 21 points in the 3rd quarter and then even took the lead as they continued their torrent pace early in the 4th quarter. 

As the game fell late into overtime it became clear that while Tom Brady was the reason the game was tied it was his 61 year old best friend who was the reason they won it. 

"The wind, it was a strong wind," Bill Belichick said in an explanation for why he deferred the ball after winning the coin toss prior to OT. "We just had to keep them out of the end zone, obviously. I just felt like the wind would be an advantage if we could keep them out of the end zone on that first drive. We were able to do that. The wind was significant in the game, it was definitely significant."  

New England did keep Denver out of the end-zone in that first drive but after they went 3 and out on the next drive, Ryan Allen came on to punt. Once again the Broncos played the role of Santa Claus via their delivery of a mighty gift that in the end, gave the Patriots the win. 

Following a booming punt, nothing seemed to go awry until the ball was literally feet from the ground. Manning who watched his teammate Tony Carter inadvertently poke the falling ball with the tip of his fingers seemed broken while the Patriots pounced on the muffed punt that gave them back the ball at the Denver 13 yard line. 

From there, the game was all but won, Stephan Goskowski kicked the game winning chip shot field goal bing-bang-boom, game salvaged. 

Whatever you call it, the beginning of the end of this great rivalry gave us the greatest win the rivalry has ever seen. It was not perfect, there were fumbles, there were interceptions and there were badly thrown balls but in the end none of that matters. Why? Because as has been repeated throughout the sports world
"they don't ask how, they ask how many" and when you look into the numbers, the 60,000 passing yards of Peyton Manning shows that he wins on the luster of his game while Tom Brady just wins period.  

You tell me who it better. Tom? Yeah, that sounds right. 
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to Facebook
Posted in Bill Belichick, Patriots, Patriots Recap, Stephan Gostkowski, Stephan Ridley, Tom Brady | No comments
Newer Post Older Post Home
View mobile version

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Popular Posts

  • Mookie Betts called up by Red Sox: Stunning prospect is good but Sox are in danger of rushing him
    This is Mookie Betts. He is 21 years old, weighs 156 pounds and is just about 5 feet 9 inches tall. He plays outfield had has spent the 2 an...
  • Jermaine Jones signs with New England Revolution: World Cup alum huge boost for Revs midfield
    32 year old German/American midfielder, Jermaine Jones signed a deal with the New England Revolution earlier this week that bought out his s...
  • Red Sox sellout streak come to a close
    The streak that never was. For 820 fraudulent games (post season and regular season) ,  baseballs most beloved ballpark, was "sold out....
  • The popularity problem: why America's youth's lack of interest in baseball will come back to hurt the MLB
    October 9th, 2012: Seattle based rapper Macklemore releases  a song deviating from his theme of intense controversial topics and turning to ...
  • No Room for error: behind the drama of being an NFL kicker AND a look at Stephan Gostkowski
    You can't play football unless you can bench press a linebacker and take a bone breaking hit without, you know, breaking bones. But ther...
  • Jon Lester, Johnny Gomes traded to Oakland: Sox get Yoenis Cespedes in return...Lackey to Cardinals as well
    It was been a story line that was long ago written. Early Thursday morning, Jon Lester was traded out of Boston because of the Red Sox' ...
  • Former Sox burnout Jake Peavy playing well since trade to San Fransisco
    Former Red Sox pitcher, Cy Young Award Winner and 2 time World Series champion, Jake Peavy, has endured a rather up and down last few years....
  • Bostonians watch Ottawa Shooting tribute and recognize their new unity in acknowledgment
    October 25th, 2014 Dakota Antelman There exists a bond between those who whiteness terror. It is not a happy bond; but it is a necessary, hu...
  • David Pastrnak to remain with Bruins past 9th game milestone
    (Photo by Elise Amendola/AP) by Dakota Antelman Bruins general manager, Peter Chiarelli, announced Thursday that rookie forward David Pastrn...
  • Practice squad experiments Charley Hughlett, Xavier Grimble released
    November 28, 2014 by Dakota Antelman After last week’s running back shakeups, the Patriots worked out several roster moves with their practi...

Categories

  • #Burythebird
  • 2013 in 8 Days
  • 2013 MLB All Star Game
  • 2013 Super Bowl
  • Aaron Dobson
  • Aaron Hernandez
  • Adam McQuaid
  • AJ Pierzynski
  • Alex Khokhlachev
  • Allen Craig
  • Andrew Ference
  • Anthony Camara
  • Anton Khudobin
  • Aquib Talib
  • BC Eagles
  • Ben Cherrington
  • Bill Belichick
  • Biogenesis scandal
  • Blackhawks
  • Blake Swiheart
  • Bob Kraft
  • Brad Marchand
  • Brandon Boulden
  • Brandon Browner
  • Brandon LaFell
  • Brandon LeFell
  • Brian Tyms
  • Bruins
  • Bruins preview
  • Bruins recap
  • Bruins season preview
  • Bryan Stork
  • Carl Soderberg
  • Chad Johnson
  • Chandler Jones
  • Charley Hughlett
  • Charlie Jacobs
  • Chris Kelly
  • Christian Vasquez
  • Claude Jullian
  • Clay Buchholz
  • Craig Breslow
  • Craig Cunningham
  • Dan Butler
  • Dan Connolly
  • Danial Nava
  • Danial Pallie
  • Danny Aiken
  • Danny Amendola
  • Darrelle Revis
  • David Krejci
  • David Ortiz
  • David Pastrnak
  • David Ross
  • David Warsofky
  • Dennis Sidenberg
  • Derrick Gordon
  • Devin McCourty
  • Domonique Easley
  • Dont'e Hightower
  • Dougie Hamilton
  • Dustin Pedroia
  • Frozen Fenway
  • Game notes
  • Grady Seismore
  • Gregory Campbell
  • Hanley Ramirez
  • Jacoby Ellsbury
  • Jake Peavy
  • James White
  • Jarome Iginla
  • Jaromir Jagr
  • Jason Collins
  • Jermaine Jones
  • Jimmy Garrapolo
  • Joe Kelly
  • John Farrell
  • John Henry
  • John Lackey
  • Johnney Gomes
  • Johnny Boychuck
  • Johnny Gomes
  • Jon Lester
  • Jonas Gray
  • Jordan Caron
  • Julian Edelman
  • Jullian Edelman
  • Justin Masterson
  • Kenbrell Thompkins
  • Kevin Miller
  • Koji Uehara
  • Kyle Arrington
  • LeGarret Blount
  • LeGarrett Blount
  • Linus Arnesson
  • Loui Eriksson
  • Malcom Subban
  • Matt Bartowski
  • Matt Fraser
  • Matt Reis
  • Matthew Slater
  • Mayor Menino
  • Michael Sam
  • Mike Napoli
  • Milan Lucic
  • Mookie Betts
  • Nate Solder
  • Nathan Horton
  • NCAA
  • NECBL
  • New England Revolution
  • NFL Power Rankings
  • NHL draft
  • NHL Power Rankings
  • Nik Wallenda
  • Niklas Svedberg
  • Off-Season 2013
  • One Year Later
  • Pablo Sandoval
  • Patrice Bergeon
  • Patrice Bergeron
  • Patrick Chung
  • Patriots
  • Patriots Preview
  • Patriots Recap
  • Peter Chiarelli
  • Pro Bowl
  • Red S
  • Red Sox
  • Red Sox recap
  • Rick Porcello
  • Riley Smith
  • Rob Gronkowski
  • Rob Nincovich
  • Ruby De La Rosa
  • Rusney Castillo
  • Ryan Allen
  • Ryan Dempster
  • Ryan Hanigan
  • Ryan Spooner
  • Sebastian Vollmer
  • Seth Griffith
  • Shane Vereen
  • Shane Victorino
  • Shawn Thornton
  • Sochi Olympics
  • Spring Training 2014
  • Statistics
  • Stephan Drew
  • Stephan Gostkowski
  • Stephan Ridley
  • Super Bowl 2014
  • The Marathon 1 year Anniversary
  • The Mount Rushmore of Boston Sports
  • TIm Tebow
  • Tim Thomas
  • Tim Wright
  • Tom Brady
  • Torey Krug
  • Tour De France
  • Trade roomers
  • Tuukka Rask
  • Tyler Seguin
  • Vince Wilfork
  • Wade Miley
  • Wes Welker
  • Will Middlebrooks
  • Winter Meetings
  • World Cup
  • World Cup recap
  • Xander Bogarts
  • Xavier Grimble
  • Yoenis Cespedes
  • Zach Trotman
  • Zdeno Chara

Blog Archive

  • ►  2015 (27)
    • ►  January (27)
  • ►  2014 (226)
    • ►  December (25)
    • ►  November (36)
    • ►  October (25)
    • ►  September (23)
    • ►  August (3)
    • ►  July (7)
    • ►  June (12)
    • ►  May (11)
    • ►  April (15)
    • ►  March (16)
    • ►  February (29)
    • ►  January (24)
  • ▼  2013 (247)
    • ►  December (34)
    • ▼  November (18)
      • The sounds from the rafters: A look at the dying a...
      • Bruins blown out by Redwings: Why this loss may se...
      • Fumbling Around: A look at how we stand on the sit...
      • The promise of ROW: Why the Bruins are still findi...
      • Saving the best for last: Tom Brady and Peyton Man...
      • NO I WANT TO WIN: A look back at when Bostonian co...
      • Tuukka Rask hates loosing: Bruins goalie goes beze...
      • Focus on the footwork: Why after intensive review ...
      • The Case for Andre Williams: Why the BC running ba...
      • To win the trade: How Seguin's 4 goal game, Phil K...
      • UPDATE on Stephan Stamkos injury: Lightning center...
      • Stephan Stamkos leaves game after grisly collision...
      • Bruins grab second straight win in rematch of Game...
      • The fault in our rosters: A look at how the recent...
      • Bruins get what they needed most in win over Panth...
      • Whats wrong with the Boston Bruins: A look at the ...
      • This is for you Boston: Part Two - The Fans
      • This is for you Boston: Part 1 - The Team
    • ►  October (13)
    • ►  September (28)
    • ►  August (47)
    • ►  July (43)
    • ►  June (36)
    • ►  May (13)
    • ►  April (12)
    • ►  March (3)
Powered by Blogger.

About Me

RAJA BABU
View my complete profile