Just stop it.
Don't waste another breath talking about Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning. Or worrying whether Manning can "out-duel" Brady and "pull one out" against the Patriots.
Not because it's a played-out and obvious story line.
But because there is no Brady vs. Manning.
Because there is no Manning.
Not anymore.
That Brady fella? On Saturday he sure looked a lot -- no, he looked exactly -- like the quarterback we've been watching for the past 15 years in all his avocado ice-cream agelessness.
New England Patriots
And then there's the other guy. Who, outside of that trademark 16x9 forehead and the name stitched on the back of his jersey, looked nothing like any version of Peyton Manning that's ever existed in space and time.
And for the love of Charlie Casserly, stop telling me Manning looked good on Sunday against Pittsburgh. He wasn't totally awful, which by his embarrassingly low present-day standards means he was okay. And, yes, there were drops. But against a porous Pittsburgh pass defense, Manning and the Broncos mustered only 12 points before the Steelers fumbled the game away. Even on that winning touchdown drive (Denver's first TD in its last 24 possessions) Manning threw for only seven yards on plays where he didn't first lie down on the turf and take a nap. (Sorry, I refuse to count the 31-yarder. Everyone gave up on the play because they thought he was sacked, or dead, or whatever.)
Whereas Brady, by his own admission, did not have his best game against Kansas City. He missed some throws. Left a few points on the field. And his one-arm-hug game needs some work. But he also made plays with his arm and his legs, both in and -- surprisingly -- out of the pocket.
But forget last weekend. And please stop thinking about Manning as if he has any relation to the guy who threw 55 touchdown passes two seasons ago. The present version of Manning (stretching back to latter stages of last season) has not just been bad, or not like his old self. By most measures, he's been The Worst Quarterback In Football.
He started nine games in 2015 and threw nine touchdown passes (only one in Denver) and 17 interceptions. The only other quarterback who attempted more than 300 passes and was also in the red was Nick Foles (7 TD, 10 INT)
Stretch out Manning's numbers over the course of a 16-game season and you have this . . .
YARDS: 3,875 (16th in NFL and third-fewest of his career)
TOUCHDOWN PASSES: 16 (25th in NFL and fewest of his career)
INTERCEPTIONS: 30 (1st in NFL -- by a mile -- and most of his career)
COMPLETION PERCENTAGE: 59.9 (27th in NFL and worst since his rookie year)
There's no other quarterback in football whose numbers are anywhere near this wretched and was allowed to play a full 16 games (which, incidentally, Manning was not). And keep in mind Manning had the benefit of a strong running game and two all-world receivers in Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders.
As for Brady, he wasn't just good this year. Before Julian Edelman broke his foot, Rob Gronkowski smashed his knee and our pets' heads started falling off, the best quarterback who's ever lived was on pace for the most prolific, most efficient season of his Hall of Fame career.
Brady's numbers prior to Edelman's injury, averaged out over 16 games, would look like this . . .
YARDS: 5,410 (1st in NFL, third-best in NFL history, and the most of Brady's career)
TOUCHDOWN PASSES: 43 (1st in NFL, second-most of his career)
INTERCEPTIONS: 5 (fewest in NFL for any QB attempting at least 300 passes, and second-fewest of his career)
COMPLETION PERCENTAGE: 67.8 (5th in NFL, second-highest of his career)
Are we still talking about Brady vs. Manning?
Let's say this matchup was Brady and the Patriots on the road against a good defensive team quarterbacked by Brian Hoyer. Or Blaine Gabbert. Or Josh McCown. Or Teddy Bridgewater. Would you be worried?
Because, essentially. that's what this is.
And don't tell me what separates Manning from those guys is his brain. That he checks out of bad plays at the line. That he's a great play-caller. He does and he is. But he didn't just acquire his football smarts last weekend. He's had them his whole career. They didn't bail him out during the entirety of this sucky season, and they won't on Sunday.
Peyton Manning's had a glorious Hall of Fame career. The 50-TD seasons. The two AFC Championship Game victories over Brady and the Patriots. Leading two teams to the Super Bowl.
But that Peyton Manning is no more.
The guy who'll be wearing No. 18 on Sunday in Denver? I wouldn't worry about him.