Brady vs. Manning: Top 5 Games in NFL History

Tom Brady and the New England Patriots showed they were the AFC’s Super Bowl favorite after defeating Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos handily 43-21.  This was the sixteenth meeting between Brady and Manning. With the win Brady now has an 11-5 record in the head to head match-up.

Despite this seemingly large variance, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning quite possibly have the greatest quarterback rivalry in NFL history.  Some of the greatest games of all-time have been played between the two future Hall of Famers.

Presented here are five of the greatest games ever between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.  

5)  November 5^th 2006 – Colts 27 Patriots 20

The 7-0 Indianapolis Colts visited the 6-1 New England Patriots as the underdog at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.  With a game-time temperature of forty degrees, many expected Tom Brady and the Patriots to take care of business.

They didn’t.

Tom Brady threw a season high 4 interceptions and no touchdown passes as the Patriots never led the contest.  Despite the disparity, New England trailed just 17-14 at the half.

Trailing 24-17 in the third quarter, the Patriots drove down to the Colts 18 yard line but the Indianapolis defense held.  Patriots’ kicker Stephen Gostkowski then missed a 36 yard field goal.

In the game’s final minutes, the Colts missed on a field goal attempt to seal the game.  Tom Brady then led the Patriots to the Colts 39 yard line with a fresh set of downs and a potential game-tying score.  Instead Colts linebacker Cato June intercepted Brady and sealed the game.

Peyton Manning ran out the clock and on the Colts final possession.  For the day, Peyton Manning passed for 326 yards and 2 touchdown passes.  Brady hit on 20 of 35 passes for 201 yards and 4 interceptions.

4)  November 24^th 2013 – Patriots 34 Broncos 31

The 9-1 Broncos went into frigid New England to face the 7-3 Patriots.  With temperatures at twenty degrees and wind chills reaching six, The Broncos featured a run-heavy offense building a seemingly insurmountable 24-0 lead at halftime.

Tom Brady finally got the Patriots on the board with a 5 yard touchdown pass to Julian Edelman and the comeback ensued.  The Broncos fumbled on their next possession and Patriots capitalized with another touchdown. After a Broncos punt, the Patriots again drove down the field.

The third quarter ended with Tom Brady connecting with Rob Gronkowski from 6 yards out to bring the Patriots within 24-21. Peyton Manning threw an interception in the opening moments of the fourth quarter and three plays later Brady hit Julian Edelman again for the go ahead touchdown.

The Broncos went three-and-out on their next possession and the Patriots converted a field goal on the ensuing drive. Five straight scoring drives and 31 unanswered points gave New England a 31-24 lead.

Peyton Manning was not discouraged however.  He led the Broncos back to a game tying score hitting Demaryius Thomas for an 11 yard touchdown to even the score 31-31. The Broncos and Patriots traded possessions in overtime until Tony Carter of the Broncos muffed a punt return and the Patriots recovered at Denver’s 13 yard line.

The Patriots kicked a field goal giving them the improbable 34-31 victory. Tom Brady completed 34 of 50 passes for 344 yards and 3 touchdowns while Peyton Manning went 19 of 36 for 150 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception.

3)  November 21^st 2010 – Patriots 31 Colts 28

The 7-2 Patriots faced off at home against the 6-3 Colts.  Peyton Manning was intercepted on the Colts first possession and Tom Brady converted the turnover into a 22 yard touchdown strike to Wes Welker. The Patriots jumped out to a 14-0 lead and increased it to 31-14 with ten minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Once again Peyton Manning was not discouraged. The Colts scored quickly on a Manning touchdown pass to Blair White.  The Patriots would then go three-and-out.  Manning again drove the Colts down the field hitting Blair White again from 18 yards out decreasing the Patriots lead to 31-28. The Patriots again went three-and-out and were forced to punt.

With less than one minute remaining, Manning drove the Colts down to the New England 24 yard line.  Needing just a field goal to tie, the Colts comeback was thwarted when Manning was intercepted in the end zone with seconds remaining.

Peyton Manning finished the game 38 of 52 for 396 yards, 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions.  Tom Brady was efficient completing 19 of 25 passes for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns.

2)  November 15^th 2009 – Colts 35 Patriots 34

The Colts, undefeated at 8-0 faced the 6-2 Patriots at home with the world watching.  Tom Brady was back after missing the entire 2008 season with a knee injury so the matchup was much anticipated and had potential playoff implications.

True to form, the Patriots jumped out of the gates taking a 24-7 lead.  A 20 yard touchdown pass from Peyton Manning to Reggie Wayne got the Colts within 24-14 by halftime.  After a scoreless third quarter, Tom Brady hooked up with Randy Moss for the second time in the end-zone lifting New England to a seemingly comfortable 31-14 lead in the final quarter.

The Colts answered with a Peyton Manning to Pierre Garcon touchdown pass of 29 yards to bring Indianapolis within 10 points.  The Patriots however extended their lead to 34-21 with just over four minutes remaining. Manning led the Colts back fueled by a 31 yard pass interference penalty on Patriots defensive back Darius Butler.  Joseph Addai ran the ball in from 4 yards out and the Colts were within 34-28.

In the biggest head-scratching move of Patriots head coach Bill Bellichick’s career, New England decided to go for a first down on fourth-and-two at their own 28 yard line.  The Colts held and took over with two minutes left. Manning used up clock and completed the game winning touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne with just sixteen seconds left.  The extra-point was good giving the Colts the 35-34 win.

Tom Brady finished the game completing 29 of 42 passes for 375 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception.  Peyton Manning completed 28 of 44 for 327 yards, 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.

1)  January 21^st 2007 – Colts 38 Patriots 34 (AFC Championship Game)

After defeating the Colts in the playoffs in 2004 and 2005, the Patriots entered this one favored by four points despite playing in Indianapolis.  In the first half it appeared they should have been favored by much more.

New England jumped out to a 21-3 lead highlighted by a Peyton Manning interception returned 39 yards for a Patriots touchdown by Asante Samuel.  The Colts salvaged a field goal but still trailed 21-6 at halftime.

Undeterred, the Colts stormed back to tie the game at 21 with four minutes remaining in the third quarter.  A see-saw scoring battle progressed as the Patriots and Colts traded touchdowns and then field goals. With the score tied 31-31 and five minutes left, the Patriots went ahead on a 43 yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal.

With the game on the line and the ball in his hands Peyton Manning methodically led the Colts on an 80 yard hair-raising drive that included a near fumble by Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne. With one minute left on the clock, running back Joseph Addai plowed in from 3 yards to give the Colts a 38-34 lead.

Tom Brady moved the Patriots on their final drive into Colts territory but was intercepted with 24 seconds left. The Colts win vaulted them into the Super Bowl.  Peyton Manning went 27 of 47 for 349 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception.  Tom Brady countered completing 21 of 34 for 232 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception.