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 While both have already secured places in the Pro Football Hall
of Fame their recent form suggests they have plenty of fight left.
The way they are plyaing, the duo could very well face each other in
an AFC playoff battle in January.
Both have reached key milestones this season as Brady topped 50,000
career passing yards, putting him sixth on the all-time list, while
Manning broke Brett Favre's record of 508 career touchdown passes.
Questions early in the season about whether Brady was fading have
quietened in recent weeks as he has thrown 12 touchdowns in his last
three games while Manning has 22 touchdowns and 2,134 yards in his
team's seven games this season.
The Patriots (6-2) are in charge of the AFC East with a while Denver
(6-1) head the AFC West.
For New England head coach Bill Belichick, facing Manning has been a
regular challenge, given the Patriots frequently faced Manning's
former team, the Indianapolis Colts, and he has no doubt where he
would rank the quarterback.
"Peyton does a great job of getting the ball to the weakest point of
the defense, whatever defense happens to be. He's great. Obviously
he's a great quarterback – best quarterback I've coached against. He
does a tremendous job," said Belichick.
"He's just good at everything. I see no weaknesses in his game."
For Brady, 37, what stands out about Manning's play is his ability
to deliver top-class performances on a regular basis.
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"Every week, it's so consistent – you just count on a great
performance from him every week. I think that's something that I
have a lot of respect for. It’s not an easy thing to do," said
Brady, who holds a 10-5 edge in head-to-head meetings with Manning.
"There are a lot of people who have played that don’t do it on a
consistent basis ... I understand what it takes, and it’s not just a
daily commitment -- it's a life commitment."
Manning, 38, who has defied many predictions that his career was
over after a neck injury forced him to miss the entire 2011 season,
says Brady's resilience has been a notable feature of his career.
"Certainly, I think a quarterback's job first and foremost is to be
out there," Manning said during a conference call on Wednesday. "One
of his real strengths is always answering the bell."
(Reporting by Simon Evans in Miami; Editing by Frank Pingue)
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