The Difference Between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady

Peyton Manning is the golden boy favorite son of UT football fans. Its difficult for fans to read and listen to the criticism of Manning. However, some of it well deserved while some of it is not. While he has earned 6 pro bowl berths during his NFL career, his teams are 3-6 in post season with zero championships. His comparative peer is Tom Brady. Brady has far fewer pro bowl berths but has 3 Super Bowl rings to show for his efforts. Now. football is not an individual game and does take a team effort. That is part of what separates Manning and Brady. Heres how I see the two comparatively speaking.

Manning is the better physical talent...theres no doubt about that. He has the better grasp of whats going on in the game and on the field. He is basically the Offensive Coordinator. He is as good as anyone who has ever played the position. However, it does often seem that the game to Manning is all about Manning and the heck with anyone else. If he makes a great play or good call, he will take some credit for it. When others make a mistake he will chastise them for it as he did yesterday. If he makes mistake, he rarely owns up to the mistakes made.

Brady plays within the team concept and makes the plays he is asked to make. He shares the successes and the failures equally. He will own up to his mistakes.

Both QBs do their share of correcting their team mates on the field. Thats part of communications. However, Manning too often makes full scale productions out of others mistakes with body language and facial expressions that are detrimental to the team attitude and concept. It is said that many of the Colts players do not like the PM they see on the field. That said, it is likely that the players just don't want to follow Manning on the field, they reluctantly have to.

Brady on the other hand is more of team leader. He is calm, cool, and collected on the field. His team mates seem to want to do anything for Brady and gladly follow his leadership.

In summary, Manning is the better talent, but he lacks the leadership ability that Brady exudes. That is why Brady has 3 Super Bowl rings and Manning has none. UT fans don't like hearing this about the program's greatest QB and favorite son, but it is the hard reality.

The best way to compare the two QBs is to ask the the following questions:
1. If Manning was QB of the Pats would he have been successfull in leading his teams to the same number of championships?
2. If Brady was the QB on the Indy teams that have failed would he have made the difference?

I have no doubt that if Manning were QB of the Pats the last 4 years he would have as many championships as Brady. The Pats won those games without having to put all the emphasis on their passing game, played great defense and in the championship years the Pats had a solid running game not to mention great coaching on both sides of the ball. Add in that the Pats have the best clutch FG kicker possibly in NFL history. How did the Indy kicker help the Colts this weekend?
I also have no doubt Brady would have been hard pressed to do any better had he been the Colts QB. No way Brady does any better against the Steelers Sunday.
Why didn't the Pats beat Denver this weekend if Brady is so dominate? The Pats lost because they were simply not the better team, Brady or not. Way too much emphasis, blame or accolades is given to the QBs because winning SBs is a total team effort. Manning didn't choke any more than Brady this weekend, their teams lost.

I agree. Brady has clearly been on the better team the last several years. I dont think anyone can argue that. There isnt a QB in the league who could have performed against the steelers yesterday as poor as their Oline played. 22-38 for 290 yards is pretty solid statistically especially with the constant pressure.

I think another way to put it....if Colts had Belicheck instead of Dungy, what would their record be?

Soxcat, you make some good points but I still see Manning as a guy that is just sorry when it comes to credit/responsibility issues. He jumps around like a flaming tart on the field, yelling at the ref, pleading his case in a fashion unbecoming of a champion. He thinks nothing of passing the buck when they are handed a tough loss and he is always eager to hog credit when things go well. I am a person that really believes that attitude is everything. Attitude is something that the New England organization takes very seriously. I think Manning is too much of an individualist to make it in New England. I hate role reversal hypotheticals anyways because they are never more than speculation and conjecture. I agree in large with FightinTitan that Manning has better physical skills but Brady has better leadership and sense of cool and composure.

Would he?

Manning has a runningback named Edgerrin James who has led the NFL in rushing a few times. You think that the Colts did not have a running game to fall back on?

Please name a QB who played in the Super Bowl, outside of Kurt Warner, who was surrrounded by more talent than Manning? There isn't one.

The Colts defense has shown up in the NFL playoffs the past few seasons. It has been the Colts offense that has not shown up in the playoffs, largelyu because Manning, who is the essentially the offensive coordinator, takes everything onto himself and makes some poor decisions.

So you think that Mike Vanderjagt is chopped liver. He is just the most acccurate anmd best kicker in the NFL today. Even Mr. Money, Adam Vineteri missed a key field goal this weekend.

Even the best leaders don't win every game. Every player has their good games anmd their bad games. Manning just seems to lay an egg in the playoffs. Brady has 3, count them, one...two...three Super Bowl rings in his possession. Manning has zero despite having a great ground game, better physical attributes. It comes down to leadership. Manning has little and Brady has tons. Thats the difference in succcess and failure.

why was Brady crying about losing the game to denver? He made comments like they gave the game to them. How about they made you do things differently which caused you to mess up

Oh come on man, you completely ignore the fact that Brady has had a legendary defense on the other side of the ball for every single superbowl he won. He has won nothing by himself.

Peyton Manning : "I confess; he did it."

Tell me that flies in New England.

How about..."Shut Belichick...I'm going for it!"

Manning has issues...that's what I take from this.

The Manning apologists are out in full force.