Peyton Manning: God of football?

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And the love story continues…/ Associated Press

And the love story continues…/ Associated Press

Or is it Tom Brady? (EIC’s note: It is)

Author: Jhett Folk – Contributor

I cannot get enough of the numbers when it comes to sports. I find that the statistics of any given sport makes for great conversation pieces when discussing sports. The one topic that I believe embedded my true love affair with statistics came from the Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady debate of our generation.

Unfortunately, due to a clear lack of defensive help throughout his career and some unfortunate plays during the playoffs, Peyton Manning tends to find himself at the losing end of this discussion. As far as the analytics go, however, Peyton has had a far superior career as quarterback than Tom Brady. Peyton Manning holds the record for most MVP awards won in the NFL with five; this being two more than the next closest in Brett Favre, Johnny Unitas and Jim Brown, who all have three. For the record, Brady only has two MVP awards. His five MVPs likely came from his all-time leading touchdown number, which currently sits at 536 and counting. It was just last week that Tom finally threw his 400 and 401st touchdowns.

On the topic of touchdowns, Peyton Manning had and lost his single season touchdown record to Tom Brady when he held forty-nine touchdowns and Tom threw for fifty. Peyton, however, would not be denied his record; in 2013, he would go on to throw for an absolutely insane fifty-five touchdowns. Accompanying all of these touchdowns was his unprecedented and record-holding 5477 yards he threw that season. Peyton also holds the record for best ratio of touchdowns compared to interceptions thrown by a quarterback throughout a career, as he’s thrown 297 more touchdowns than he has interceptions. Peyton is narrowly edged out by 0.1 yard to Drew Brees for most yards averaged per game. This, of course, would lead to Peyton holding the record for most games in a career with an above one hundred QB rating, in which he’s 112. Average QB ratings aside, Peyton also has the record for most perfect passer ratings ever in a career with four, a feat that should be a far bigger deal than it seems to be. In order for this type of perfection to occur, accuracy is key. The accuracy necessary is shown by Peyton’s NFL history leading sixty-six games where he threw for over seventy percent completions. His completions led to a ton of yardage, as he holds the record for most three hundred plus yard games with eighty-four. Peyton holds the record for most ten-plus win seasons as well, as in fourteen of his eighteen illustrious seasons he’s posted this total or more. Eleven of those fourteen seasons, he was even able to eclipse twelve-plus wins, which again makes him the only QB to have ever achieved such a feat.

Without touching on the differences in the defenses that each of these QBs have had, all things considered, if you take away some absolutely clutch Adam Vinatieri field goals and the most ridiculous non-run call in NFL history, Tom Brady has just as many rings as Peyton. Call him a product of good fortune like I do, or continue to pray to your God, Tom, either way the numbers don’t lie.

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