Would you rather see Manning or Brady in this year’s Superbowl?

Bobby Martinez – Sports Writer

NEW HAVEN — Just for one game and one game only, you have the choice of choosing Tom Brady or Peyton Manning heading into the Superbowl. Who would you pick?

This NFL season has lived up to a lot of hype surrounding Manning and also the surprise of the Patriots as a team despite numerous distractions. Manning has the weapons that are literally helping him destroys defenses. But the way he is doing it has blown many away and some might agree he is playing his best football of his career.

This offseason, the Denver Broncos blessed Manning with the addition of Wes Welker. Welker chose the Broncos over the Patriots signing a two year deal worth $12 million dollars with $150,000 in incentives if he catches over 90 passes; talk about a bargain. Welker left the Patriots with stats that were amazing; 741 receptions, 8,145 receiving yards, alongside 41 touchdowns.

But Welker isn’t the only player catching passes for Manning. Manning has Eric Decker who has strong hands and also is a good one on one receiver. Also, Demaryius Thomas has evolved over the years as an elite receiver, but Manning is placed as one of the greatest to ever play the quarterback position. Manning helped the Indianapolis Colts win a Super Bowl with a defense that was not good at all.

The way Manning controls the offense pre snap with numerous reads on a defense which throws defenses off is impeccable. He’s a general on and off the field and his mindset for perfection has showed numerous times when players drop open passes or run wrong routes. He isn’t shy to make it known to your face you messed up.

His drop backs after a snap and his read on the defensive backs with a release of a ball that has been clocked at 60 mph, is too fast for any defense to stop majority of the time. But what makes Manning one of a kind is his preparation for every game.

Continuously Manning is in the lab studying teams’ defenses and also perfecting his wrongs in which he rarely does. The recipe for his success is simple; Manning was always healthy despite sitting out one season due to neck surgery. Manning does have 49 game winning drives which is second best behind Dan Marino with 51.

And then we have Tom Brady from the New England Patriots. Brady took over the franchise in 2001 and ever since never looked back. Yes, Bill Belichick is probably one of the greatest coaches to ever coach football. But Brady has built his empire alone as far as putting that work on the field.

Brady appeared in five Super Bowls, winning three of five due to two losses to Manning’s little brother Eli Manning. But what separates Brady from Manning is the talent that is surrounding him each year. Yes, Matt Cassel did go 11-5 with the same Patriots team that was run by Brady.

But what makes Brady a much different quarterback is the way he develops his receivers. The Patriots have a system in which many teams believe but none show results. The next man has to be ready at all times. For example, Deion Branch won Super Bowl XXXVIII MVP and it looked like he was a dominant receiver.

Branch then went to Seattle to play for the Seahawks and wasn’t the same. The talent was there after playing with Brady, but wasn’t the same ever since he left the Patriots. Brady works with anyone and helps them develop into better players just like he did with Wes Welker.

But with the game on the line with the chance of winning a Super Bowl, would Brady be the choice with a resume of 38 game winning drives, five Super Bowl appearances and two MVPs? Or would you choose Manning who shattered pretty much every passing record, Super Bowl champion and a four time MVP?