by Matthew Emma

Created on: July 28, 2009   Last Updated: July 31, 2009

Being asked to choose the better quarterback between Indianapolis Colts star Peyton Manning and New England Patriots star Tom Brady is like being asked to choose a dream date among a movie star and a supermodel. Both athletes are champions, leaders and have had Hall of Fame careers.

Manning is a three-time National Football League (NFL) Most Valuable Player (MVP), a nine-time Pro-Bowl selection, has won a Super Bowl MVP, thrown for 4,000 yards in consecutive seasons more than any other quarterback in the history of the NFL and has the second highest passer rating in league history.

Not to be outdone, Brady has won an NFL MVP, won three Super Bowls, won two Super Bowl MVPs, set an NFL record for most touchdown passes in a season (50) and is currently the fourth highest rated passer in league history.

It is very difficult to quantify which player is better, but if I had to pick one for a team I was starting, I'd go with Brady for a short list of specific reasons.

Brady is less likely to make mistakes. Manning, for all of his laser, rocket arm strength and play making ability, throws more than his fair share of interceptions. The Colts operate in a quick strike, score fast offense prompting Manning to, at times, get trigger happy and toss throws that end up in the arms of opposing defensive players. Brady, although he does throw down field, is a bit more content to methodically drive the ball down field with a Joe Montana-like precision that makes him a bit less prone to turnovers.

Brady has a better history of performing well in the clutch. Brady doesn't always put up the gaudy statistics Manning does, but has a history of coming through in the post-season. This isn't to say Manning has been bad. The problem with Manning is that he is a perfectionist who has a tendency to try and win games by himself, especially when the in-game results aren't proceeding according to plan. At times, this causes manning to get frustrated and make poor decisions that don't only result in interceptions, but also poor throws, leading to short drives. Brady never panics. He lets the game come to him.

For the bulk of his career, Brady has played alongside a less talented offensive unit. Okay, I know in very recent years, the Patriots gained the services of wide receiver Randy Moss. However, prior to that, the Pats have had offensive players who wouldn't be household names to NFL fans, let alone the general population. During Manning's career, he had running back Edgerrin James in his prime, as well as the services of wide receiver Marvin Harrison, who, could be considered one of the better pass catchers of the last decade.

Again, choosing between Manning and Brady is an extremely difficult task. As I stated earlier, you cannot go wrong with either quarterback. They are both superstars who will be enshrined in the Pro-Football Hall of Fame when their careers are finished. That said, I think Brady takes a slight edge and would be my choice if I were given the task of starting a new franchise tomorrow.

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