Brady vs. Manning: The Rivalry - Ranking the Games, Pt. 1

Tier 1 – The Unmemorable Games

15.) 2001 Week 6 - Patriots 38  @  Colts 17

Review: Who knows anything about this game, really. While it was slightly closer than the other game in 2001, it didn't have a special quality that one did. This was the last game these two teams played as divisional rivals, but it marked the beginning of some interesting trends that have defined most of the series. The Patriots jumped out to a 28-6 lead behind a composed performance from Brady, and fumbles by people not named Peyton Manning. Manning himself had a decent game, but they fell behind too much too early to do anything with this game.

Interestimg/Memorable Play: David Patten threw a TD in this game. He also ran for a TD. And of course he caught a TD. Yes, these things always seemed to happen against the Colts.

Interesting/Memorable Fact: Two of the first three drives by the Colts ended with blocked field goals. Another running trend in this matchup, just awful special teams performances by the Manning led teams.

14.) 2012 Week 5 - Broncos 21  @  Patriots 31

Review: In the first game of rivalry after Manning's move to Denver, the Patriots still did to Manning's team what they always did. They capitalized on non-Manning turnovers, and opened up a giant lead. The worst agressor was Demaryius Thomas, who fumbled down the field after a catch-and-run that put the Broncos inside the Patriots 20. The next worse was Willis McGahee dropping a 4th down pass near midfield, and then a McGahee fumble inside the red zone near the end of the game. The Broncos did mount somewhat of a comeback, but you can't recover from too many 31-7 deficits on the road.

Interesting/Memorable Play: With the Patriots leading just 17-7, they faced a 3rd and 17 in punt territory. The Patriots called an inside hand-off to Woodhead, which gained a perfect 19 yards. Yup, those things happen.

Interesting/Memorable Fact: This was the first time since the 2001 we just finished that Peyton Manning did not throw an interception in this matchup.

13.) 2005 Week 9 - Colts 40  @  Patriots 21

Review: Our first win by the Manning side was also the most forgettable win for the Manning side. Nothing was really all that great about this game, other than teh Colts continuing their initial run at perfection. Manning was mostly brilliant against a banged-up Patriots defense. This game was the only real case of the Manning side jumping out early when he was on the Colts. They ran up a 28-7 lead built mostly off the offense humming at all cylinders. The Colts scored on 7 of their 9 drives, including a nice little eff-you TD right at the end with Manning hitting a deep ball to Marvin Harrison. If you could draw up a Colts blowout, you would have Manning throw for 300 yards, Edge rush for 100 yards, and both Harrison and Wayne get 120+ yards on 9 catches each.

Interesting/Memorable Fact: This was the one time where it was Brady who was felled by his team despite a great game. He had his receiver fumble, Vinatieri miss a field goal, and was so far out of the game despite not throwing an incompletion in the first half.

Interesting/Memorable Fact 2: As this was the last year of MNF being on ABC, this was the only Monday Night game these two would play.

12.) 2001 Week 3 - Colts 13  @  Patriots 44

Review: This was the most lop-sided of the games between the two teams, so why is it so high up? Because this was the first start of Tom Brady’s career. And like in so many games early on in Brady’s career, the Patriots defense forced tons of turnovers, Brady got the benefit of an excellent running game (39 rushes for 177 yards), and Brady himself didn’t have to do much (13-23 for 168 yards). Manning was not good in the game, but this was at the height of the talent suck that was the Jim Mora Colts. The Patriots had no idea what they had in Brady in this game, or this season.

Interesting/Memorable Play: So, what was the first real play of the rivalry? A sack of Tom Brady by Brad Scioli for a 9-yard loss. The first series was a three-and-out. Actually both QBs started the game with three-and-outs.

Tier II – The Games that Should Have been Better

11.) 2004 AFC Divisional - Colts 3  @  Patriots 20

Review: In a game that made me reevaluate my belief that there was such thing as an unstoppable offense, the Patriots beat the Colts in a playoff game in a more “eff-you” way than the previous year. In the opposite of the previous season, Manning was one of the few Colts who played well, going 27-42 for 238 yards. What really turned the game was two dominating drives that went 86 and 92 yards by the Patriots to turn a 6-3 game in the 3^rd quarter to a 20-3 blowout. The key was a run game that went for 210 yards. The Patriots held the ball for 40 minutes and blanketed the Colts, limiting them to short gain after short gain when they didn’t have the ball. In reality, the best way to describe the game was the play where Tedy Bruschi just ripped the ball out of Dominic Rhodes’ hands. It was, arguably, the greatest day in the Patriots dynasty.

Interesting/Memorable Play 1: The turning point of the game may have been on the Colts first drive of the 2^nd half. Trailing just 6-3 at that point, the Colts had a 4^th and 1 on the Patriots 48, and Tony Dungy, still in his conservative phase, punted. The Patriots then immediately began their two brutal clock-killing TD drives.

Interesting/Memorable Moment: After the game, Tedy Bruschi let out what was the Patriots’ version of Bart Scott’s “Can’t Wait!” speech, telling the world, “If you want to change the rules, change them” and “that’s what we do, we win.” I still admire those Patriots because they weren’t robots. They talked quite a bit of smack.

10.) 2010 Week 11 - Colts 28  @  Patriots 31

Review: Every game from here on out was memorable for one reason or the other (including four absolute classic games at the top of the list). This was a very interesting facsimile of the game the year earlier (and much more memorable). Once again, the Patriots jumped out to a huge lead. The Patriots led 14-0, 21-7 and then 31-14. Brady was great in having to do nothing. The Colts defense was atrocious, and Manning was throwing to Jacob Tamme and Blair White (after Collie’s 2^nd concussion). The Colts then staged a furious rally based on Manning throwing two TDs to that same man Blair White. The Colts forced another punt, and then Manning was driving. One year after having a controversy-enabled comeback from 31-14 down, the Colts nearly did the exact same thing, this time on the road, with no 4^th and 2. It all ended abruptly, though, when the Colts, in field goal territory, turned it over when Manning’s arm was hit when throwing and James Sanders picked it off.

Interesting/Memorable Plays: This was the last game in the Colts/Patriots chapter of the rivalry. The last pass of that era was Manning getting picked. The last play by Brady was Brady throwing a terrible pass right to Colts linebacker Tyjuan Hagler’s face, but he couldn’t corral it. Nothing defined this part of the rivalry more than James Sanders making a great play to pick off Manning, and Hagler dropping a gimme pick on Brady.

Interesting/Memorable Play: This might be me reading too much into something, but I have never seen Bill Belichick so happy to win a regular season game. He was more ecstatic than ever. Had to be because he knew he dodged another ridiculous Manning comeback.

9.) 2013 AFC Championship Game - Patriots 16  @  Broncos 26

Review: Oh, how I would love to be a major homer and put this in the 'Good Games' category. Alas, I want to be kind of objective, so it sits here. I quite famously did not watch this game live, but have watched every play of it a few times since and you can basically boil down this game to two things. First, The Patriots had three points through three quarters against a defense that was missing five opening day starters (Miller, Vickerson, Woodyard, Moore, Harris), and that the Broncos offense averaged 60 yards a drive. Manning had his third brilliant AFC Title Game, with a beautifully controlled performance, going 30-41 for 400 yards. After Aqib Talib went out the Patriots never stopped the Broncos until the Broncos final drive of the game, which they knelt on the 12 yard line. Belichick had no real answer for Manning's offense apart from 'let Julius Thomas drop a TD and force a field goal'. Brady missed some open throws, but when you're throwing deep to guys Manning made famous a football lifetime ago (Austin Collie) you probably are out gunned.

Interesting/Memorable Play: The most infamous play from the game is Wes Welker's block on Aqib Talib. It was probably a split second too early, but to say John Fox sent Welker, who had just come back from a concussion a week prior, to intentionally slam into Talib is idiotic. And for Belichick, who's team does the exact same stuff, to call Welker out on it was pathetic.

Interesting/Memorable Fact: Through three quarters, the Broncos led 23-3 and had held the Patriots to under 200 yards of offense. Through three quarters in the divisional game, they led the Chargers 17-0, holding them under 200 yards. So, against two of the Top-6 offenses in the NFL, the Broncos cast-off defense held, in the first three quarters, to 3 total points. 

Tier III – The Good Games

8.) 2004 Week 1 - Colts 24  @  Patriots 27

Review: In the last time these two teams would play in September, the tradition of the defending Champion starting the season was initiated. The game itself was good game, with neither QB playing perfectly. Both were done in by the rest of their respective teams a bit. Manning threw a pick because Clark slipped near the goal-line. Edge James fumbled at the 1-yard line with Indy about to take a 31-27 lead late. Brady himself threw a pick. It was one of the few games where Brady definitely had the better day, throwing for 335 yards and 3 TDs against 256 and 2 for Manning. This game would come back to haunt the Colts as Vanderjagt’s missed field goal was the difference between the Colts playing that divisional round game loss to New England in Indianapolis and not Foxboro. It was the opposite of every early Patriots vs. Colts game, with the Colts run offense working spectacularly (200 yards), and the Patriots having to rely on Brady, but the one constant was untimely turnovers by the Colts. That cost them the game, and eventually the #2 seed.

Interesting/Memorable Play: Mike Vanderjagt missed a 47-yard game-tying field goal at the gun. 47 isn’t tough, but a huge McGinest sack cost the Colts 11-yards on that field goal the play before. Still, the idiot kicker did not help.

Interesting/Memorable Fact: This was the 2^nd of five straight meetings (and 7 of the first 9) in Foxboro. The Patriots did lose the last two, but a lot of the 10-5 overall record in favor of New England is simply location (Manning’s side is 3-3 at home; 2-7 in New England).

7.) 2003 AFC Championship Game - Colts 14  @  Patriots 24

Review: In weather that could only be described as a wintry mix so awful that it would have exceeded Bill Belichick’s most hopeful expectations (Colts' columnist Bob Kravitz called it Belichick's vision of Hell for Manning), the Patriots stopped a Colts offense that hadn’t punted in their first two playoff games. Peyton Manning had the worst day of his career. It actually didn’t start out too bad, as on their initial possession, the Colts drove the length of the field, but Manning threw an interception into the end zone. It was all downhill from there. In the 1^st half, Manning threw another pick, Marvin Harrison fumbled inside the Patriots 20, and on their 1^st punt of the playoffs, the snap flew over punter Hunter Smith’s head for a safety. Due to Brady (interception into the Colts end zone) and the Patriots’ inability to cash in these short fields for TDs, the Colts were only down 21-14 with 1:50 left when they started a drive. Four incompletions (including two obvious un-called defensive holding penalties) later it was all over, and the Patriots accomplished their finest defensive performance. Of course, like many things the Patriots have done since, there was a little wee controversy about what really was a decisive win.

Interesting/Memorable Fact: The fallout from the game tends to be spinned that Jim Irsay, Bill Polian and the Colts whined and got new rules added. That is mostly hogwash. Yes, Bill Polian (and only Bill Polian) complained, but there was no new rule. The NFL just told the officials to start enforcing the illegal contact rules that had been on the books since 1978. Also, the NFL admitted that they missed six illegal contact and defensive holding calls against the Patriots, including the 3^rd and 4^th down passes on that last failed drive when the Colts were down 21-14.

Interesting/Memorable Fact 2: This is the last AFC Championship Game to really feature adverse weather. There were a few flurries in the 2008 AFC Title Game in Pittsburgh, but there was no rain or snow in any of the games since. It really is amazing that in those days, when the Patriots needed bad weather, they always seemed to get snow or wintry mixes in the playoffs (Tuck Rule, ’03 & ’04 vs the Colts).

6.) 2006 Week 9 - Colts 27  @  Patriots 20

Review: This might be too high, but I am not exactly unbiased in ranking these games. This game was a big win for the Colts, allowing the rematch to be in Indianapolis and not New England. It was also big because it cemented their ability to beat New England. They dominated in 2005, but this was more important. This was winning without the clearly superior team. Brady had his worst day in the rivalry, throwing four picks and looking totally lost. Manning was brilliant. Against a very good Patriots pass defense and pass rush, Manning was harassed constantly, but threw some amazing passes on the run. It wasn’t Manning’s best game in the rivalry, but might have been his most impressive. The game’s real highlight wasn’t Manning though, it was Marvin. Never a guy to have big games against New England, Marvin Harrison abused the Patriots secondary to the tune of 8 catches for 145 yards and two TDs. The last TD was the ridiculous one, the play where he dove, tapped the ball up to himself, got both feet inbounds and then spiked the ball in Mike Vrabel’s face (the best part). John Madden had no idea how Marvin did that. No one did. Peyton didn’t even know how to respond. When it was over, the Colts won in a calm, comfortable manner.

Interesting/Memorable Play: This game was also notable for Adam Vinatieri’s return to New England. Of course, Vinatieri went 2-4 on field goals, including a huge miss late in the game that would have put the Colts up 30-20. Instead the Patriots took over with good field position in the last two-minutes. They could have drove for a tying TD, but Brady thew pick #4.

Interesting/Memorable Play 2: The most impactful play of the game came on the Colts first series. Quickly rushed, Manning sprinted out to his left and set his feet to launch a bomb right before being killed by Rosie Colvin. The pass was caught by Marvin Harrison way downfield, and he fought off Rodney Harrison on the play. Rodney broke his arm on that play, ending his season.