Manning-Brady feels different this time around

Just under two months ago, when the C.J. Anderson was busting around the edge to finish off a Patriots-beating drive and comeback, lead by Brock Osweiler, you would have been hard-pressed to find a person who could’ve predicted the top storyline heading into the AFC Championship being the Brady-Manning rivalry. Yet, here we are, just a few days away from Brady-Manning XVII.

On Wednesday afternoon, Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak talked about the incredible QB rivalry.

“First off, it’s a credit to both of them because you don’t have the rivalry that they’ve had if you don’t last as long as both of them have lasted, he said. “They’ve both been so successful. They’re two Hall of Fame football players, two Hall of Fame people. They’re leaders on their football team.

“It’s pretty special,” added Kubiak. “For me, it’s always been kind of outside looking in. I’ve played against them many, many times, but this is my first time to be a part of them going against each other. They’re special people. They’re two good football teams.”

This version of the rivalry has an under-covered aspect to it, though. You see, for the first time, Peyton didn’t exactly “lead” his team into this position. Between Brock Osweiler starting over a third of the games and the entire team, really, riding the defense to this point, Manning, unlike Brady, has almost been willed to this point by the rest of his squad.

Manning would probably be the first to admit that he hasn’t been himself this season, and he was willing to admit he’s thought about this being his final ride. But, all of the sudden, one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time is getting hit with the “game manager” tag and, oddly, he’s easily the worst quarterback, as far as this year goes, still standing in the playoffs.

Kubiak talked about that term, “game manager.”

“I think it’s a compliment,” he said of the not-so-sought-after tag. “As a quarterback, you wouldn’t be in that position if you couldn’t make plays and if you couldn’t do the things that you need to do to win, but you do have to manage the football team. You have to understand situations. You have to, hopefully, get your guys in the best possible situations on game day to be successful.

“There are certain games that get to a certain point where managing the football game the right way is the key to win,” Kubiak added. “It’s using the clock or simple things such as that. I don’t know. Anytime somebody is considered a darn good game manager, I think that’s a compliment to them.”

It’s an odd situation with Brady now, clearly, a better quarterback than Manning, but it also adds a little bit extra to the potential dream finish to Manning’s career, the chance for the wounded protagonist to take down his “arch nemesis” on his final ride, on the biggest stage, with everything on the line. If Peyton is going to win this edition of the showdown, though, there’s a good chance he has to be more than a “game manager,” channel some of that Manning-magic of old.

All the better for the story.