Brady vs. Manning

[Bloodline666]

Bernard Manning?

No, it's not Bernard. And it's not Olivia, Archie, Cooper, or Eli, either (by the way, I hate Eli Manning, by virtue of being a fan of a rival team). It's Peyton.

As for the Manning Clan, there's only one quarterback I'm aware of that nobody in that family can beat, and it's not Tom Brady. It's Tony Romo, who at this point and time is a perfect 3-0 against the Manning Clan (that MNF loss to the Giants is not on Romo; it's on Bledsuck, since he's the one who threw that interception in the red zone at the end of the first half that cost the Cowboys that game; said interception also ended his career).

[The Captain]

Honestly, all of this stuff gets blown out of proportion so much. If the Pats have been cheating all this time, how come they haven't won every Super Bowl? And if we're so obsessed with cheating, why don't NFL players get the stigma of cheating that baseball players do? Shawn Merriman can still go to the Pro Bowl after testing positive, for instance?

As a New Yorker, I have no love for the Pats, but I don't think they're running up the score. I think it's a combo of a great team and some bad competition. The Pats haven't really played anyone of merit other than Dallas yet, so frankly, I'd expect them to be winning by the margins they are. The test is this week against a team that can probably keep up with them. Plus, they have lost leads in the past, such as last year in the Playoffs against the Colts, so I think they're very wary of it.

So much of Brady versus Manning comes down to personal preference. Brady is more GQ cool, Manning more good-old-boy. Both are great, hands down and could be Top 5 when they hang up their helmets. I prefer Brady slighty over Manning, but there is no wrong answer. Ironically, I prefer Dungy of the two coaches, so it's tough to really pick.

I expect the Pats to win because Harrison still isn't 100% so the Pats can double or triple cover Wayne and Clark, which in turn makes them have to run with Addai. With Seymour back, I think the Pats run D is very stout, but I think, finally, the Pats will finally have to sweat out a game and not win by such a crazy score.


Take care all.

[Bloodline666]

Honestly, all of this stuff gets blown out of proportion so much. If the Pats have been cheating all this time, how come they haven't won every Super Bowl? And if we're so obsessed with cheating, why don't NFL players get the stigma of cheating that baseball players do? Shawn Merriman can still go to the Pro Bowl after testing positive, for instance?

As a New Yorker, I have no love for the Pats, but I don't think they're running up the score. I think it's a combo of a great team and some bad competition. The Pats haven't really played anyone of merit other than Dallas yet, so frankly, I'd expect them to be winning by the margins they are. The test is this week against a team that can probably keep up with them. Plus, they have lost leads in the past, such as last year in the Playoffs against the Colts, so I think they're very wary of it.

So much of Brady versus Manning comes down to personal preference. Brady is more GQ cool, Manning more good-old-boy. Both are great, hands down and could be Top 5 when they hang up their helmets. I prefer Brady slighty over Manning, but there is no wrong answer. Ironically, I prefer Dungy of the two coaches, so it's tough to really pick.

I expect the Pats to win because Harrison still isn't 100% so the Pats can double or triple cover Wayne and Clark, which in turn makes them have to run with Addai. With Seymour back, I think the Pats run D is very stout, but I think, finally, the Pats will finally have to sweat out a game and not win by such a crazy score.


Take care all.

Also note that the Colts have played a tougher schedule thus far than the Patriots, and have still managed to be unbeaten. Not to mention the fact that the Colts play in a surprisingly tougher division than the Pats (in fact, it could be said that the AFC South is arguably the toughest division in the NFL right now, a division historically owned by the Colts ever since its creation in 2002 as a result of divisional realignment). Pats? Their division is by far weaker. Quarterback controversies/carousels with the Jets and Buffalos (as I call the Bills), and a seemingly endless injury list with the Dolphins (despite statements and signs pointing otherwise, the Dolphins need Ricky Williams reinstated much more badly than ever, despite the controversy it will create).

As for Shawne Merriman, the league and the NFLPA has already addressed that issue during the off-season as a direct result of him making the Pro Bowl despite testing positive for steroids; any violation of the steroids/performance-enhancing drug policy results in that player automatically losing eligibility for the Pro Bowl for that year. Rodney Harrison already falls under that category. Last time I checked the Pro Bowl ballot on the league's website, his name was NOT on the ballot.

In unrelated news, the supposedly-lowly Detroit Lions are half way to fulfilling QB Jon Kitna's guarantee of 10 wins this season; the Kitna Meter (as ESPN calls the Lions' win column) is at 5 after 7 games played.

[El Bandito]

You guys realize the more you and media makes Spygate a bigger deal, the more it just pisses off Belichick and the Patriots which in turn makes them play with more passion right? I mean, you're just throwing gasoline into the giant wildfire that is their play on the field right now (no offense San Diegoans).

Also, any mention of "running up the score" while talking about the NFL is ridiculous. These aren't students. These are grown men getting paid millions of dollars to play. If you're getting embarrassed, do something about it! The fact they continue to play aggressive offense late in games gives the opposing defense a chance to redeem some of their pride with a sack or an INT. If they're just going to half-heartedly run the ball every down, then they might as well just end the game right there and give the Pats the win. No need to waste anymore time playing a game that doesn't matter anymore.

As for the topic question, I'll give the slight edge to Manning, but Brady with weapons is absolutely terrifying.

[Bloodline666]

As far as "doing something about it" is concerned...I'm not sure an entire defensive unit will be able to do something about the Pats running up the score, but I am certain there will be an individual defensive player on a team that's on the Pats' remaining schedule, and for that matter, one who has seen enough of this, and when his team takes on the Pats this season, he certainly WILL do something about it on the field. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that this act of "doing something about it" will result in that player being fined, and possibly suspended, because I have heard through the grapevine that there is a huge bounty on Tom Brady's ACL because of all the controversies involving the Pats this season.

[El Bandito]

As far as "doing something about it" is concerned...I'm not sure an entire defensive unit will be able to do something about the Pats running up the score

Um, isn't that the entire point of having a defense? To keep the other team from getting points? They could knock down those passes or even get pressure on Brady.

[Bloodline666]

As far as "doing something about it" is concerned...I'm not sure an entire defensive unit will be able to do something about the Pats running up the score

Um, isn't that the entire point of having a defense? To keep the other team from getting points? They could knock down those passes or even get pressure on Brady.

The whole point I was trying to make is, there is a defensive player on the Pats remaining schedule (the obvious suspects are Ray Lewis and Joey Porter) who is fed up with all the Pats running up the score, spygate, headset communications violations, etc., and wants to put a stop to at least the running up of the score by taking his frustrations out on Tom Brady, and will probably do so even if it means a late hit, cheap shot to the knees (a la Carson Palmer)...whatever it is. Whether this whole thing was instigated by fans upset over the Pats' controversies (which is most likely the case), or is an actual bounty, I don't know. But I will say this; if the Steelers were capable of retaliating against the Bengals' defilement of the Terrible Towel by hitting Carson Palmer at the knee, tearing his ACL and his MCL in the process, then I'm fairly certain any team left on the Pats' remaining schedule will retaliate against spygate, the running up of the score, the headset communcations violations, etc. by doing the same thing to Tom Brady.

[eestlinc]

Tom Brady never blamed a bad performance on his offensive line, or got into a public argument with his place kicker.

[Bloodline666]

Tom Brady never blamed a bad performance on his offensive line, or got into a public argument with his place kicker.

There's a reason Peyton Manning called Vanderjagt a "liquored up, idiot kicker."

Because Vanderjagt WAS a "liquored up, idiot kicker." I know, myself, because last year when he was with the Cowboys, he couldn't make a damn field goal even if his life depended on it, so the Tuna cut him. Make the damn field goal, and you don't get called a "liquored up, idiot kicker", simple as that. By the way, the idiot kicker was last seen a few weeks ago trying out for the Saints. He missed the cut, and is STILL looking for work in football.

Meanwhile, there's a reason Brady never publicly criticized his kicker; because his kicker was one of the best in the game. Guess where that kicker is now? On the OTHER side!

[Del Murder]

Manning is the better QB but I think the Patriots will win.

[eestlinc]

Whether or not Vanderjagt is an idiot is beside the point. It's unprofessional and immature to fight with teammates publicly in the media. being right doesn't make it smart.

Also, Tom Brady never had to overcome early-career playoff failures.

[Del Murder]

Brady wins more, but that's because the Patriots have been a better run franchise.

[eestlinc]

Brady managed to pull this one out with the help of Randy Moss.

[Del Murder]

Stupid Moss. Stupid stupid Moss.

[Bloodline666]

This game proves that while the Pats are still undefeated, they are not invincible, contrary to the picture the media's been painting about them.

This game also shows that they are very much stoppable; they were held to 24 points, which should make the game manageable for the other team. It also shows that they are possibly beatable; if Indy hadn't choked at the end, they would've pulled this one off.

So what's their probability of going undefeated? It's almost a certain shot. The rest of their remaining schedule is pretty damn easy, with the exception of a few games, since they're in a pretty weak division.

Two games that could possibly be tough for NE: vs. Baltimore and @ Pittsburgh.

One game that will DEFINITELY be tough for NE: @ New York. They already played the Jets at Giants Stadium already this year (first game of the season), so that narrows down which team it is; Giants (funny, they begin AND end their season at Giants Stadium). It's no secret that Osi Umenyiora and Michael Strahan both have a nose for the quarterback. The Giants' secondary can cause problems for receivers, as well.

In fact, the only game left OUTSIDE their division that should be easy is vs. Philadelphia. This game will definitely make the Eagles pay for letting Donte Stallworth get away. Also consider the fact that the Eagles last night pretty much got murdered by division rival Dallas Cowboys last night! If the Cowboys, who suffered their sole loss of the season at the hands of the Pats, embarrased the Eagles IN THEIR OWN BACK YARD, then that should speak volumes about the Eagles' chances against New England in the rematch of Super Bowl XXXIX.