DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum The Great Debate - Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning - Your Opinion?

I've been arguing with a buddy of mine on who the better quarterback is. So I figured I'd bring this never-ending debate to the board, and see what everyone else thought.

The arguments for Brady are clear - 3 Super Bowls, two Super Bowl MVPs, an 8-4 record against Peyton Manning All-Time, etc. What I'm going to do is try to dis-credit the argument for Manning.

Argument #1 - Tom Brady is a "system Quarterback", look at what Matt Cassel did.

Yes, Matt Cassel took a team that was 16-0 the previous year, to a 11-5 record. Against the NFL's easiest schedule that year.

Nevermind the fact, that Matt Cassel might just be a pretty good QB. In his two season with the Kansas City Chiefs, he took them from 4-12 and last in the AFC West, to 10-6 and first in the AFC West, while throwing for 6,040 yards, 43 TDs, and 23 INT's in those two seasons.

Including being selected to the Pro-Bowl last season.


Argument #2 - Tom Brady has Bill Billicheck!

Peyton Manning spent 7 seasons with Tony Dungy. A coach that before Manning, had a record of 54-42, and only had one losing season, ever. His first - In Tampa Bay in 1996.

Bill Billicheck's record before Tom Brady? 41-55. One winning season. In Cleveland, in 1994. Compare that to going 110-34 with Tom Brady.


Argument #3, and this one is my favorite - Peyton Manning has MUCH better numbers than Tom Brady!

While this is true, Peyton Manning does have higher numbers, when it comes to bulk stats, he's also played 63 more games.

So what I did was break down the stats, per game ...

Peyton Manning - 263.6 yards, 1.9 TD's, and .95 INT's per game.

Tom Brady - 239.6 yards, 1.8 TD's, and .71 INT's per game.

So Peyton Manning averages 24 more yards, .1 more TD's, and the big one, .24 more INT's per game.

Peyton Manning's career TD:INT ratio is 2.02:1
Tom Brady's career TD:INT ratio is 2.53:1

Peyton Manning's career Passer Rating is 91.9
Tom Brady's career Passer Rating is 95.2

These are hardly "much better stats", especially considering that Peyton Manning played much of his career with 3 great receiving options in Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Dallas Clark.

Not to mention Peyton Manning had the 11th all time leading rusher in Edgerrin James for 8 seasons, and a 1,000 yard rusher 8 years total (James was 11 yards short in 2002), a luxary that Brady has had only had 3 times.

Tom Brady has only had a 1,000 yard rusher ONE time that he has NOT won the Super Bowl. Last season when Benjarvis Green-Ellis passed the 1,000 yard mark by EIGHT yards. The other two seasons, Brady won the Super Bowl (2001 and 2004)

Tom Brady had a "star" receiver ONE season his entire career, and put up this stat line ...

4,806 yards, 50 TD's, and 8 INT's.

Peyton Manning has never thrown for that many yards or TD's. And has never thrown less than 9 INT's in a season. (He did that once, and has been in double digit INT's every other year).

Manning has thrown 14 or more INT's 9 times in his career.

Tom Brady has only thrown 14 INT's (never any more) 3 times.

Manning is also much better protected. Being sacked an average of 1.11 times per game.

While Tom Brady is sacked an average of 1.68 times per game.

So my question is this ...

What is the argument for Manning, because I'm failing to see one.

Manning is the better QB Brady has always had a better team. They are both great.

The book is yet to be finished on either one. "Better"? I don't know that anyone will ever really know for sure. A QB is a product of his team to some extent and both of them have really benefited from great organizations. Their stats over the long haul have been amazing. Of course Brady has Super Bowl wins as his most important stat. Winning counts in the NFL.

If I could have either one for the Browns? I'd take Manning.

Manning has done more with less.

Brady is to Bledsoe as Young is to Montana. Tim Couch would have been in the HOF with either system.

Me too, Manning is the better individual player in my opinion, hands down.

The Colts have gotten where they are mostly because of Peyton Manning, and having hit on a few other draft picks to give him some help. When Peyton is gone, that team becomes average.

The Patriots are a better organization who built a great team, and then got put over the top when they got Tom Brady. They've sustained it because of good drafting and shrewd maneuvers. Without Brady, they're still one of the better teams in the league.

To me that is the difference.

That is true. You won't get an argument as to who has the better defense.

However, the OFFENSIVE numbers are very similar. And Tom Brady hasn't even had a quarter of the weapons that Peyton Manning has had to work with, his entire career.

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Tom Brady hasn't even had a quarter of the weapons that Peyton Manning has had to work with, his entire career.

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I am not going to look it up and make a list but I am pretty sure you are wrong on this.

Manning - Pick #1
Brandy - Pick #199

Manning was groomed to be an NFL qb since childhood, Brady could just as easily been a insurance salesman. Now who's doing more with less here?

Manning - 1 ring
Brady - 3 rings

When it's all said and done it's all about championships.

I will say that Manning bests Brandy is one important aspect, he does better commercials and makes a lot more money because of it. Of course Brady married better as she makes more than he does too. So maybe this one is a wash.

Oh well, back to spelling class.

It's Brady hands down. He had one year where he had 50 TD's and 8 INT's. Let me repeat that. 50 TD's and 8 INT's. That is ridiculous. Then last year he had 36 TD's and only 4 INT's. Not as ridiculous, but still ridiculous.

If Brady had come directly into the league and started his first game he would be on pace to equal all of Manning's numbers (he also got his knee blowned up and missed a season).

Manning is still a great player. But he has had great weapons around him his whole career. Marvin Harrison, Edgerrin James, and Reggie Wayne are all borderline hall of famers. Brady has only had Moss as a player like that.

Then you remember that Brady has three rings, Manning has one. And Brady has the 18-1 season.

Although I think Brady is better, they are both two of the top five QB's of all time.

Tom Brady was best QB in 2010 hehehe

At least we never bust each others chops around here.

I'll take the guy who isn't the king of one and done in the playofffs

You're right. He did have Randy Moss for 2 seasons. I was thinking only 1, then the Cassel year, then the next he was traded. I was off.

But still, the monster year in 2007. Then 4398 yards, 28 TD's, and 13 INT's the other year he had Moss, and coming off a major injury.

I'm just saying, give Tom Brady the weapons Peyton Manning had his ENTIRE career, and this isn't even a debate.

I love this debate, because I think they are both great. I prefer Manning, but I think Brady is the better leader. For the Browns? I'd take Brady, strictly for the leadership. If I had an established team with other leaders? I'd take Manning.

My reasoning for Manning... Basically, what I see with my eyes. When you watch Manning, I am amazed at the number of precision-perfect throws he makes between coverages, just over the head of a defender, etc. He throws a 15 yard flag route better than anyone I've ever seen.

I know he throws picks, but he has dealt with a lot of injuries to his WRs over the last few years. His method requires perfect timing and people to be exactly where he wants them. That's hard to get with a different set of WRs every week.

I also I think you're underestimating the defense as a factor. Manning is counted on many more times to either bring his team back from behind or to pull of that last minute drive to win. Not to mention, he's not on the field as much as Brady, because his defense couldn't stop me running the ball...

Brady is accurate, spreads the ball around and is a great leader. But, for my money, Manning is the better QB. But, it's splitting hairs...

Ok, but if you switch them around with Bill as Mannings coach you could say that Manning was hands down the better QB. I think Brady is great as well and think it is splitting hairs but think that Tom would not have been successful with many other teams coming out of college but Manning was ready from the word go. Just look at the level of talent on each team when each became a starter. I know here comes the well Manning had this guy or that guy but were the Colts Super Bowl ready? Manning on the Patriots from the start with the team that Parcells had in place when Bill Boy took over would have been unbelieveable. Don't get me wrong cause Brady is a great QB but think Manning gets him by a hair.

Gotta say Manning is better...

Tough call.
Both guys have the ability to turn average receivers into weapons. Manning had betters RBs early in his career, but he also had "Murderin'" Marv Harrison... although one wonders if Peyton made Harrison look better than he was.

Either guy could play on my team (of course), but if I had to choose one I'd pick Brady, though it'd be close.
Brady has put together at least two game-winning drives in Super Bowls, so you could say he's performed better in SBs than Manning has (also, he's won three to Manning's one).

This is my take on the Manning/happy feet thing...

What some people call Manning's "happy feet" is simply him keeping his feet moving so the moment he sees the throw he can set his feet quickly and properly for a pass in any direction.

Very unlike a Derek Anderson whose slow-footed, lumbering steps often left him out of a position in which he could quickly set his feet to make a good throw.

Happy feet is when a quarterback is skiddish in the pocket, fearing the rush, and is setting himself up to dash away from the pressure if needed.

Like Anderson, since the foot movements are not for the purpose of anticipating setting his feet for the pass, happy feet QB's often find themselves without time to quickly set up for the throw because they've had their mind on something else altogether, the pressure.

So let me get this straight.

Manning is better than Brady because Brady had the better defense?

Even though Manning has been surrounded by 1st rounders and future hall of famers on offense. You know, the side of the ball he plays on.

I'll take Brady over a guy that does this.

Yeah I'll take the guy who won 3 rings over the king of one and done 7/11 times in the playoffs.

Awesome example BTW. Bradys INT cam early in the game and Manning choked once again towards the end

Brad Johnson and Trent Dilfer have won Super Bowls as well, does that make them as good of a QB as Manning? Since he's only won 1.

So Manning is better than Brady because he has better stats?

The only possible reason people can say Manning is better is because of stats or that they don't like Brady.

Be careful when using stats because that opens a huge can of worms.

No it has nothing to do with stats.

If you were to ask me which QB in the NFL I would want if I was down a score with 1 min left. I wouldn't hesitate to say Peyton. Peyton directs that offense better than any QB I've ever seen. Granted, I'm not as old as some of the guys on here. I don't really remember the Montana years in SF or anybody before that.

With Brady I can't get past what Matt Cassel did when Brady went down a few years back. Cassel hadn't started a game since High School. He sat behind Palmer and Leinart at USC. He threw for 3700 yards 21 tds and 11 ints and lead that team to a 11-5 record.

Don't get me wrong, Brady is a GREAT QB. I just don't think he's better than Peyton. I don't care how many SBs the Patriots have won with Brady at QB.

A year after throwing 16 tds and 16 ints