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Without Tom Brady, New England Patriots are Proving Former Vol Peyton Manning was Always Better

By Caleb Calhoun

Sep 27, 2014; Athens, GA, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning shown talking to fans on the sidelines during the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Georgia Bulldogs during the first half at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 27, 2014; Athens, GA, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning shown talking to fans on the sidelines during the game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Georgia Bulldogs during the first half at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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Without Tom Brady, the New England Patriots have proven that former Tennessee Vols quarterback Peyton Manning was always the better football player.

Throughout his career, teams that Peyton Manning played on went 6-16 in games that he didn’t take the majority of snaps or finish. Meanwhile, since Tom Brady became the starter for the New England Patriots in 2001, Bill Belichick’s teams have gone 14-5 in games he didn’t take the majority of snaps in or finish.

By the way, that includes a playoff win and spans three different eras. The Pats won the AFC Championship game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2001 when Brady got hurt and Drew Bledsoe came back in. Then, they went 10-5 with Matt Cassel as the starter in 2008.

And in 2016, they are 2-0 without Brady. By the way, until Jimmy Garoppolo got hurt, the Patriots were putting up a 24-3 lead over the Miami Dolphins. And Jacoby Brissett extended it to 31-3 before they sat on the lead too early.

Meanwhile, less than two years after Peyton Manning took the Indianapolis Colts to the Super Bowl in 2009, they fell to 2-14, worst in the NFL.

Sure, he had lots of help on last year’s team that went 4-2 without him. But he won the Super Bowl last year, so he did exactly what he was supposed to do.

The point is, the Patriots already proved that Brady has always had more help than Manning had at least during his time in Indianapolis.

Now, in three different eras, they have proven they are almost as good without Brady as they are with him. So the question when judging quarterbacks is how well do you elevate your team?

Brady elevates a playoff team to a Super Bowl contender.

Manning elevates the worst team in the NFL to a Super Bowl contender.

Brady has consistently enjoyed one of the top defenses in the NFL. Manning has enjoyed an elite defense twice (2005 and 2007).

Sure, Brady has four rings to Manning’s two. Well, Trent Dilfer has one ring to Dan Marino’s zero. Brady has enjoyed defenses on the level of what Dilfer had with the Ravens for his entire career.

You can point out that Manning had Dallas Clark, Jeff Saturday, Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison, and Edgerrin James.

Please answer what one of those players did on a team where Manning wasn’t the quarterback. Nothing.

We can’t say that about the Pats, who keep winning no matter who their quarterback is.

End of discussion. Manning is better than Brady. And if you look at the numbers, it’s really not even close.

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