Contextualizing Manning vs. Brees

Where will their upcoming matchup rank when history has it's say?

Sunday’s battle between Peyton Manning and Drew Brees is shaping up to be one of the greatest quarterback duels in Super Bowl history. It’s true that Manning-Favre would have been better historically, but this game isn’t too shabby and I don’t think it’ll disappoint. Manning is already being considered by many to be the greatest quarterback in NFL history and Brees has been moving up record lists at a rapid rate and isn’t showing any signs of slowing down anytime soon. I haven’t heard one media person yet say they don’t expect this game to be a barnburner.

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For the first time since 1992 (I think) both #1 seeds advanced to the Super Bowl and I truly believe this game will be something special. But with the instant classic still five days away, I thought that it would be an interesting (and fun) exercise to see where this quarterback matchup would rank amongst the other Super Bowls, many of which have also featured two great quarterbacks facing off against one another. Below I have ranked, in my opinion, the greatest matchups in the history of the Super Bowl. Just take note though that I didn’t take into account their actual performances in the game, just the greatness of the quarterbacks who were playing the game. I also didn’t actually place this Manning-Brees showdown into the list, because I think after they both retire the game might be looked at differently than it is right now and I have been afforded the luxury of looking at these games years, even decades, after they had been played, which gave me the requisite hindsight into their legacies and overall career resumes. So let’s take a look-see shall we?

10.Bob Griese vs. Fran Tarkenton (Super Bowl VIII). I know, Bob Griese? Well, he is in the Hall of Fame, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t for his career numbers and instead to his leadership and winning nature. But still, whenever you have two HOFers facing off in the biggest game of the year it is noteworthy. However, even though Griese’s Dolphins won the game, he didn’t do much to contribute, completing a mere six passes, on seven attempts though (which are the fewest attempts for any team in the SB), for 73 yards. Tarkenton outperformed him by a country mile, going 18/28 for 182 yards. He also rushed for 17 yards and a touchdown but did throw and interception. But his effort was for naught as the ‘Phins ran over the Vikings for 196 yards en route to their 24-7 victory.

Staubach participated in quite a few of the best quarterback pairings in Super Bowl history.

9. Roger Staubach vs. Bob Griese (Super Bowl VI). Here’s that Griese guy again, but in his first trip to the Super Bowl his teammates didn’t give him the lift they would in their future trips to the title game. Instead, his 12/23, 134 yards and a pick were exposed as glaring shortcomings in this game as he was outplayed by Staubach and his talented stable of backs and receivers. Staubach only threw for 119 yards, but two of his 12 completions went for touchdowns and his performance, which also included 18 rushing yards, was good enough to garner him the MVP trophy.

8. Bart Starr vs. Len Dawson (Super Bowl I). I don’t think this game gets nearly the amount of respect that it deserves. Not only did it signal a changing of the times as the NFL finally gave in and allowed their champion to play the best of the AFL, but it also featured two of the winningest quarterbacks ever and two HOFers facing off against one another. This game is remembered more for receiver Max McGee’s impressive drunken performance than it is for the battle between Starr and Dawson, but Bart was definitely the “star” of the show (cheesy I know), and he collected the MVP award to show for it. But Starr and Dawson had remarkably similar statistics as they both threw for one TD and one interception, but Starr had the edge in yards, 250 to 211. But it was Starr who lifted the trophy that would later be named after his coach in this game as the Packers routed the Chiefs 35-10, establishing the NFL as the superior league. But Dawson would get his redemption three years later in Super Bowl IV.

Kelly suffered nothing but frustration in his battles with Aikman.

7. Troy Aikman vs. Jim Kelly (Super Bowl XXVII and XXVIII). What looked to be two great duels between two guys who would eventually take residence in Canton turned out to be two terrible clunkers with the Cowboys outscoring the Bills a combined 82-30. The Cowboys brutalized the Bills and Aikman basically undressed Kelly in two of the biggest letdowns in the history of the SB. Aikman won the MVP award in their first meeting and threw for a combined 480 yards, 4 TDs and only 1 pick in both games while Kelly’s put together two putrid performances, not even making it to halftime in the first game, going for 342 yards and three interceptions without a TD as it became clear that Scott Norwood blew their only legitimate shot at a title in their first appearance.

6. Terry Bradshaw vs. Fran Tarkenton (Super Bowl IX). So much for a quarterback battle, huh? It’s a shame really that these two quarterbacks met when they did too because it could have been epic. But Bradshaw wasn’t yet in his prime and was still riding the elite “Steel Curtain” defense and Tarkenton simply wasn’t a match for that vaunted Pittsburgh defense. It was actually the Steelers running game that carried the day for the Steelers in their first visit to the Super Bowl as Bradshaw was threw only 14 passes, completing nine, and compiled a meager 93 yards, but did have a TD. Tarkenton, on the other hand, attempted 12 more throws than Bradshaw but completed only two more than his Steelers counterpart, and only accumulated 102 yards with three miserable interceptions and even worse, the Steelers mitigated his scrambling skills and he didn’t gain a yard on the ground. What looks like it could have been special in hindsight was in fact a defensive struggle between two feared defenses (the Vikings “Purple People Eaters” were no slouches) and the final score, 16-6, was indicative of this.

Bradshaw took part in his fair share of big games, a few of which were historic quarterback matchups.

5. Terry Bradshaw vs. Roger Staubach (Super Bowl X and XIII). There was a mighty big difference between the two meetings of these two HOFers. In the first meeting Bradshaw was assisted from spectacular plays by his receivers as he completed only nine passes but piled up an impressive 209 yards on them. Lynn Swann was the MVP because he shredded the Cowboys secondary for big play after big play, punctuating his performance with a 64-yard TD in the fourth quarter and lifting the Steelers to a 21-17 victory. By the time they met again three years later, Bradshaw had become the centerpiece of the Steelers’ dynasty and proved it by throwing for 318 yards and four TDs and winning the first of his two Super Bowl MVP awards in their 35-31 win. Staubach was very consistent in both of his performances but neither was good enough to win against the Steelers juggernaut. He threw for a combined 432 yards, five TDs and four interceptions in the two games but was continually outplayed by the bald man on the other sideline. It was a good thing he got his Super Bowl MVP award before the Steelers dynasty officially began their dominance.

4. Tom Brady vs. Kurt Warner (Super Bowl XXXVI). Though a little premature, both of these guys should be enshrined in Canton when they are eligible (for my take on Warner go here), and both are two of the best big-game quarterbacks the game has ever seen. Brady’s Patriots edged out Warner’s favored Rams, but Warner definitely outplayed Brady on this day even though his two interceptions proved to be costly. His 365 yards are the third most in Super Bowl history, but even with all of those yards he only managed to throw one touchdown with the aforementioned two picks. Brady was still coming into his own having just taken over for Drew Bledsoe earlier that season, but was effective in managing the game and didn’t cause any turnovers, which turned out to be critical in a game that went down to the wire and the foot of Adam Vinatieri. He did however steal the MVP award, which should have gone to the very effective Antowain Smith.

Montana was at his best in the biggest of games.

3. Joe Montana vs. Dan Marino (Super Bowl XIX). Titans of their generation, the Montana-Marino pairing had all the makings of what could have been the greatest matchup in the history of the sport’s biggest game. It probably would have too had Marino’s Dolphins had actually won the game. But Marino’s lack of a ring drops this game down two notches. The game itself also didn’t live up to the hype as Montana’s 49ers jumped all over the Marino and his Dolphins and crushed them from the beginning, rolling to a 38-16 victory. But even though the Dolphins never really had a chance, Marino still put forth quite an effort, tossing for 318 yards and a TD, but did throw two interceptions which could have been chalked up to inexperience as he was in only his second season. Then again, his ’84 season was one of the greatest in NFL history, so that excuse probably doesn’t hold any weight. But it was Montana’s day as he earned the MVP award with a stellar 24/35 effort for 331 yards and 3 TDs, tacking on an extra 59 yards on the ground. The real shame in it all was that it would not only be Marino’s first trip to the big game, it would also be his last, tainting what could have been the greatest career in NFL history.

2. John Elway vs. Brett Favre (Super Bowl XXXII). This game looks better than it did a few years ago since Favre has gone on to break virtually every meaningful passing record in the books. But these two guys stack up with the best who ever did it and the game itself didn’t disappoint. But what was surprising was that Favre far outplayed Elway in a losing effort. Favre threw for 252 yards and three TDs and had arguably a better game than he did the year before when the Packers won the Super Bowl. But he did throw an interception and in a game decided by one score that mistake proved costly. Elway and the Broncos won the game but it wasn’t because of Elway’s aerial performance. He barely completed 50% of his passes and compiled a paltry 123 yards through the air and an interception with nary a touchdown. But he did rush for a touchdown and had the signature play of the game, and his career, as he dove for a first down late in the game and completed a full 360 that would later be dubbed the “helicopter spin.” It was a gritty game from one of the greatest to ever take a snap, but t was ultimately Terell Davis who carried the Broncos to the win and gathered the MVP trophy to boot with 157 yards and three TDs.

In a hell of a battle with Favre in which he got outplayed, Elway showed grit and provided the signature moment of his career in winning his first title.

1.    Joe Montana vs. John Elway (Super Bowl XXIV). Quite possibly the two best quarterbacks to ever play the game, Elway and Montana represent the best matchup between quarterbacks in Super Bowl history. Or, at least going into the game and on paper they were. Too bad the game wasn’t even close and further cemented Montana’s legacy while further frustrating Elway and his devotees as he failed once again in his third attempt to win a ring. The 55-10 drubbing the 49ers laid on the Broncos makes it seem silly that I would put this matchup first, but these two guys place in history is virtually unparalleled and then names Montana and Elway carry considerable clout. But while Montana was magical with 297 yards and five TDs, Elway struggled with 108 yards and two interceptions and failing to complete even 40% of his passes and finishing with a dismal 19.4 rating. So while the game didn’t live up to the billing I’m giving it, seeing quarterbacks of Elway and Montana’s stature on the same field playing for the game’s ultimate prize may never be seen ever again.

Just remember, this wasn’t indicative of the actual battles that emerged on gameday, just the two guys who led their teams onto the game’s biggest stage. That’s why it’s hard to argue with Montana and Elway holding down the top spot and why games that pit Warner against Steve McNair or last year’s duel between Ben Roethlisberger and Warner weren’t included. But if you disagree, let me know either in the comments section or email me at Brandon@27pitches.com and we can continue the conversation. Oh, and if I was to wager a guess as to where this game will fall when it’s all said and done and both have hung it up, I’d say it would fit nicely in between Bradshaw-Staubach and Brady-Warner.