By David Li, bostonese.com
Boston, Jan. 15, 2014, — With the NFL championship Sunday coming up on Jan. 19 in Denver, Colorado, many New England Patriots fans are very confident about the AFC title game Sunday afternoon. It will be a rematch of Patriots and Broncos this season, and the 15th time the top two NFL quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning will face off.
In the regular season game two months ago in Foxboro, Mass., Patriots came back from 24-0 half time deficit to win in overtime 34-31 (photo credit: Patriots Facebook page)
In each of the four Super Bowl championship seasons (2001, 2003, 2004 and 2006) between Brady and Manning, they had to defeat the other guy twice. In seasons (2007, 2009 and 2011) Brady or Manning reached Super Bowl but didn’t defeat the other guy twice (Manning was out for the 2011 season due to a neck injury), his team would lose in the Super Bowl.
If this pattern holds true, a win by Brady and Patriots this Sunday would mean a fourth Super Bowl championship for Brady. A win by Manning and the Broncos would mean the first Super Bowl championship for Russell Wilson or Colin Kaepernick.
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Why won’t the Pats fans be confident about their team? They saw the team fighting through all the injuries over the regular season, and the running game suddenly became the strength of the offense. This would mean longer time of possession and thus keep the record-breaking Broncos’ offense off the field.
John Elway, hall-of-fame quarterback for Broncos, won two Super Bowls at end of his NFL career only when a great running back Terrell Davis was also playing for the team. Mr. Elway is the architect who brought Manning from Indianapolis to Denver.
LeGarrette Blount and Stevan Ridley are probably the best running backs Brady has played with in his 14 year Patriots career. Patriots fans have reasons to believe that there may be a couple more Super Bowl championships on the way before Brady hangs it up.
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The media has called the past twelve years as the golden age of NFL. The rivalry of Brady Vs. Manning certainly played a key part. Brady is the winning-est quarterback in NFL history, and Manning holds many statistical records. Let’s take a look back the previous 14 contests of these two great quarterbacks.
It Starts with Six Straight Victories for Brady
Sept. 30, 2001, Brady 1-0 Manning
This game was Brady’s first NFL start. Brady leads the Patriots to a 44-13 lopsided win, and didn’t record a touchdown pass or interception. Manning was intercepted three times. For Brady, it started all too easy.
Oct. 21, 2001, Brady 2-0 Manning
In this second meeting of the 2001 season, Brady’s three touchdown passes helped Patriots to another easy win over Colts: 38-17. At end of the season, Brady and the Patriots took home their first Super Bowl trophy.
Nov. 30, 2003, Brady 3-0 Manning
After a year without facing Manning and missing playoffs, Brady found his new favorite target Deion Branch. Patriots held off Manning and Colts, for a 38-34 close win, despite of four touchdown passes by Manning. 2003 was the second championship year for Patriots.
Jan. 18, 2004, Brady 4-0 Manning
In this AFC Championship game, Manning was intercepted four times. The defense led by corner back Ty Law proved to be too interpretive for Colts’ passing game in wintry Gillette Stadium. 2003 was the second championship year for Patriots.
Sept. 9, 2004, Brady 5-0 Manning
In this early season game, Patriots beat Colts again. Manning was intercepted only once. Maybe, he started to turning things around?
Jan. 16, 2005, Brady 6-0 Manning
The stingy defense of the Patriots and the freezing New England Weather overwhelmed Colts in this January playoff game. Manning and Colts only managed to score three points. Patriots moved on to win their third Super Bowl Championship in four years.
Brady and Maning Split the Last Eight Contests
Nov. 7, 2005, Brady 6-1 Manning
Manning and Colts ended the six-game losing streak against Brady and Patriots, 40-21. Manning tossed three touchdown passes.
Nov. 5, 2006, Brady 6-2 Manning
In this game, Brady was intercepted four times, and Manning and Colts beat Patriots second year in a row.
Jan. 21, 2007, Brady 6-3 Manning
In this AFC Championship game at Colts’ home dorm, Manning led his team came back from 18 point first half deficit to defeat Brady and Patriots, 38-34. Manning won his only Super Bowl Championship two weeks later,
Nov. 4, 2007, Brady 7-3 Manning
2007 was the undefeated regular season for the Patriots. Brady, Kevin Faulk and the Patriots beat Colts 24-20 on their way to 16-0.
Nov. 15, 2009, Brady 7-4 Manning
This is the famous fourth-and-two-at-28-yard-line game. Coach Belichick was so worried about his team’s defense, and decided to go for the fourth down with Pats leading 34-28 and 2 minutes remaining. Manning and Colts took over at Patriots’ 29-yard line after the failed fourth down try, and won the game 35-34.
Nov. 21, 2010, Brady 8-4 Manning
Patriots took the lead early in the week 11 game. The Colts’ fourth-quarter rally ended when Manning was intercepted by James Sanders with less than a minute remaining. Brady and Patriots held on to a 31-28 victory.
Oct. 7, 2012, Brady 9-4 Manning
This is Manning’s first year with Broncos, Brady and Patriots rushed to a 31-7 lead. The Broncos’ two late touchdowns were not sufficient to overcome.
Nov. 22, 2013, Brady 10-4 Manning
This is one of the most unforgettable regular season NFL games. Manning and Broncos took 24-0 half time lead in this prime-time, cold and windy Sunday night game. Brady led a dramatic second-half comeback, and the score was tied at 31 when the regulation ended. Patriots won the game after Broncos’ punt returner made a huge mistake and let Patriots recover the ball in its backyard. Stephen Gostkowski’s field goal completed Patriots’ historical come-from-behind victory.