Tom Brady and Peyton Manning piloted the best NFL rivalry of the twenty first century with traditional battles between the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts (adopted by the Denver Broncos).
These two quarterbacks mixed for 14 Tremendous Bowl appearances and 9 championships. The eventual successful quarterbacks beat one another within the AFC Championship Recreation in 4 of these 14 appearances. Brady and Manning led legendary battles that sparked must-see TV. In truth, they’re certainly one of simply two quarterback pairings because the NFL merger to play eight instances in a five-year stretch, per CBS Sports activities.
Right here’s the outcomes of that stretch from 2003-2007:
– 2003 Week 13: Patriots 38, Colts 34
– 2003 AFC Championship: Patriots 24, Colts 14
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– 2004 Week 1: Patriots 27, Colts 24
– 2004 AFC Divisional: Patriots 20, Colts 3
– 2005 Week 9: Colts 40, Patriots 21
– 2006 Week 6: Colts 27, Patriots 20
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– 2006 AFC Championship: Colts 38, Patriots 34
– 2007 Week 9: Patriots 24, Colts 20
The opposite duo is a contemporary rivalry that, sure Patriots followers, has matched the hype. Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen take the sector in opposition to each other for the eighth time in 5 seasons Sunday. The groups meet on the identical area in Orchard Park the place Kansas Metropolis earned the primary highway playoff win of Mahomes’ profession to spoil Allen and the Payments’ title desires (once more).
Right here is the matchup from the memorable stretch between the fashionable AFC titans (no, not the Tennessee ones).
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– 2020 Week 6: Chiefs 26, Payments 17
– 2020 AFC Championship: Chiefs 38, Payments 24
– 2021 Week 5: Payments 38, Chiefs 20
– 2021 AFC Divisional: Chiefs 42, Payments 36 (OT)
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– 2022 Week 6: Payments 24, Chiefs 20
– 2023 Week 13: Payments 20, Chiefs 17
– 2023 AFC Divisional Spherical: Chiefs 27, Payments 24
– 2024 Week 11: Sunday 11/17 at 4:25 p.m. ET
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Like Brady and Manning, the rivalry usually reveals all the following: Elite quarterback play, loads of drama and a battle to the ultimate whistle. The playoff matchups outlined their respective postseasons and paved the pathway to championships.
Mahomes took the function of Brady to date, successful three Tremendous Bowl titles earlier than turning 30 and beating Allen, because the Patriots did with Manning, a number of instances alongside the best way. Mahomes even alluded to similarities with the Brady-Manning rivalry after final 12 months’s playoff win over Allen.
Typically instances with kneejerk comparisons to soccer greatness, the pattern dimension can’t meet the extent. This situation is an exception. Mahomes and Allen mixed for a number of on the spot classics, one quarterback backed them up with championships and constantly supplied the sport of the week once they took the sector.
The Patriots and Colts are perpetually linked for his or her quarterback matchup, as are the Broncos when Manning led them to a pair of AFC titles over New England. Now, Kansas Metropolis and Buffalo maintain the same legacy from the final word clashes of Mahomes and Allen.
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