Brady or Manning?

The two championship games this weekend will feature perhaps the three best quarterbacks in the league - Drew Brees, Tom Brady, and Peyton Manning. Brees needs some more All-Pro or Super Bowl years to be mentioned in the same breath as the other two, however.

Colin Cowherd was asked today if, knowing what he knows now, if he had a generic NFL team would he draft Brady or Manning? Cowherd would go with Brady, although he and Mel Kiper agreed that if Manning wins just one Super Bowl, he'd vault ahead of Brady.

Callers argued for one or the other, usually by denigrating the other. I think each quarterback has been blessed/lucky, although their own ability also made their teammates lucky to have played with them.

Peyton Manning has had the following advantages:
a) Offensive continuity - The line-up changes little year by year, and offensive coordinator Tom Moore's been there throughout his career.
b) Exceptionally talented players around him, particularly Marvin Harrison but also Edgerrin James for several years, Reggie Wayne, etc.
c) good head coaches and organization that gets the team into the play-offs.

Chief disadvantage: Shaky defenses that get exposed, particularly vulnerable to run in the play-offs, preventing play-off success. Coaches perceived as doing a poor job in big games. Manning perceived as too predictable and pressing in the play-offs.

Tom Brady has had these advantages:
a) Best game-planning and game-day head coach in Bill Belichek
b) Good defenses that keeps the Patriots alive in tough games, and good special teams that win games.
c) Excellent team ownership and management

Chief disadvantage: a revolving-door offense that prevents stability and rhythm; perception of being a "system" guy who wouldn't succeed nearly as well under other coaches.

So who would you take? It's interesting, because if the question is who I'd take for a whole season it would be Manning, but for one game it would be Brady. I believe Manning is physically capable of making more big and small plays to win more games over the long haul, but Brady has been calmer and played better in big-game situations. When choosing between two basketball players, you'd be inclined to choose the bigger one, even if you'd rather give the ball to the smaller one for the last shot.

And in any case, first things first. You have to get to the play-offs, and then anything can happen. Therefore, I'd take the guy more likely to lead and average, generic team to the play-offs, and that would be Manning.

We might get a better idea five or eight years from now, if both Manning and Brady have to deal with new coaches, new teammates, new schemes, and new management. While Brady deserves a lot of credit, his having won three Super Bowls to Manning's none doesn't prove he's better, that he's the guy to draft. Dan Marino didn't win any Super Bowls, and most consider him a greater quarterback than Troy Aikman.