Brady

by Anthony Maynard

Created on: April 14, 2008   Last Updated: August 13, 2011

The quarterback position is arguably the most complicated position to play in all of sports. So many different intangibles go into creating a solid NFL signal caller. Given a number of different game-time scenarios, an argument can be made for either Tom Brady of the New England Patriots or Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts as the best of the NFL's elite. Every fan has a different perspective; every observer a different quality they consider the most important.

From the championship perspective, Brady has to be your top man. His three Super Bowl rings are unmatched by any other starting quarterback in the NFL. In point of fact, Manning's recent championship, played out on a soggy field, pales in comparison to the drama and the fanfare of Brady's championships. They are both Super Bowl champions and MVPs; however, Brady clearly has an edge here. He's seen the promised land far more frequently than Manning.

There's also a school of thought that says it's the "it factor". I don't believe I have a better example of the "it" factor than Joe Montana, the legendary 49ers QB who Brady is frequently compared to. "It" is not a physical characteristic, and can't be measured by a stopwatch, tape or scale. "It" is something you feel in the fourth quarter, 1:38 left to go, ball on the 32-yard line, and they've got to go 68 yards for a touchdown to win. Problem being, they have "him", and he's got "it". When Montana had the ball at the end of the game, the time on the clock was never enough. You knew before the drive started that the likely outcome would be Montana leading the team down the field for the win.

Furthermore, it seemed like nobody could do anything to stop it. I've seen both Brady and Manning exhibit this form of "it". However, if this is the measurement stick, then I have to again give the edge to Brady. In my opinion, Peyton Manning is capable of doing "it", but Brady has "it", and there's a difference. It seems to come naturally for Brady, and prior to this past year's offensive explosion, Brady had to do it far more frequently.

The scouts' perspective probably comprises the rest of the judges out there. Many believe in a certain "type" of quarterback. For them, an individual's height, arm strength, speed, and drill times are the determining factors. Manning will take this category in most honest assessments. He is physically stronger than Brady. That's evident when he tosses the ball down the field with a defender on him. Much like Eli's game saver in the Super Bowl, the ball tends to still have a decent spiral, and arrive in a position where the receiver can make a big play. It's almost effortless. However, the football doesn't just happen to arrive at the perfect spot. That's a reflection of the physical strength and technique incorporated in Manning's game. Brady has proven to be rather durable during his years as a starter, but his durability does not equate to the physical attributes seen in Manning.

At this point in the article Brady has a 2-to-1 lead. I could go on and on from point to point and we may end up with a tie, or one player having a one or two point lead. I don't think that really tells the story, though. If Brady were down 3 to nothing at this point, he is perhaps still the better quarterback, and here's why. Peyton Manning came into the league as the #1 overall pick in the draft. Some would say that put a tremendous amount of pressure on him, and it may well have. It also did something else - it put him in the best position possible to succeed. He was given every opportunity, and his already having a good work ethic only amplified his potential. A team was built around him. A series of high round draft picks were used specifically to provide him with weaponry. The Colts for many years would live and die by their offensive unit.

Manning and Brady's stories couldn't be more different. A sixth-round draft pick at the bottom of the depth chart, the result of an endorsement from a trusted scout, Brady had to come in and fight for everything he has. The concentrated tutelage and the repetitions in practice did not have his name on them. The Patriots did not draft high round offensive weapons for Brady. Tom has played with some of the most patched together wide receiver corps in the league. He simply makes them the best that they can be. He gets the most production out of each and every player he's playing with. And that ability, the power to succeed above and beyond expectations with an inferior hand, that is what makes the difference in the two. Manning has one ring and has played with two or three possible Hall of Fame offensive players. Brady won three Super Bowl rings with skill position players most people outside of New England can't name. That to me makes him the better quarterback. Period.

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