Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning: The Complete Playoff History
By Jason McIntyre
Peyton Manning vs Tom Brady Part V is set for Sunday at 3:05 pm on CBS. Jim Nantz and Phil Simms are giddy. It might be the highest-rated non-Super Bowl game in NFL history. Let’s look back at Brady and Manning’s previous four playoff meetings:
PATRIOTS 24, COLTS 14, January 18, 2004
New England was favored by 3.5 at home, and grabbed a 15-0 halftime lead in coasting to victory. Peyton Manning – who dropped to 0-4 vs Tom Brady with this loss – was abysmal: 23-of-47 for 234 yards, and he was intercepted four times and sacked four times. Ty Law collected three of the interceptions. The Colts first half was a nightmare: Interception on the first drive, interception on the 1st play of the 2nd drive, their punter was dropped for a safety, then Marvin Harrison fumbled.
Brady was a bit sharper – 22-of-37 for 237 yards with a TD and a pick – but he was throwing to Troy Brown, David Givens and Deion Branch, not Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne.
PATRIOTS 20, COLTS 3, January 16, 2005
Peyton Manning fell to 0-6 vs Tom Brady and the Patriots covered 3.5 with another postseason romp. Tom Brady threw a TD pass to David Givens in the 3rd quarter, then rushed for a TD in the 4th quarter to lock it up as the Patriots won in the snow. Peyton was a serviceable 27-of-42 for 238 yards, but went 3-and-out on three of Indy’s first four drives. . He was intercepted on the last drive of the game.
Brady game-managed his way to the win – 18-of-27 for 144 yards – but it was really the ground game of Corey Dillon (23 rushes, 144 yards) and the inability of the Colts to run (15 carries, 46 yards) in the inclement weather.
COLTS 38, PATRIOTS 34, January 21, 2007
To this point, the signature win of Peyton Manning’s career. The Patriots jumped to a 21-6 lead on the road – Peyton Manning threw a pick-six to Asante Samuel – and it looked like another Manning gag. But down 34-31 with 2:20 left, Manning came through, finally. He hit Reggie Wayne twice and Bryant Fletcher once to move the ball deep into New England territory, and then Joseph Addai scored the game-winner. (The Colts covered -3.)
Tom Brady was driving the Patriots to try and take the lead, but Marlin Jackson made this memorable interception to secure the win.
Brady: 21-of-34, 232 yards, one TD, one INT.
Manning: 27-of-47, 349 yards, one TD, one INT.
BRONCOS 26, PATRIOTS 16, January 19, 2014
In his second year with the Broncos, Peyton Manning and the favored Broncos coasted to victory and a trip to the Super Bowl. On an afternoon temperatures topped 60, Manning had one of his best postseason showings: 32-of-43 for 400 yards and two touchdowns. He wasn’t sacked and didn’t turn the ball over. The Broncos ran up 507 yards of total offense.
Tom Brady was good, but not great, though it should be noted Rob Gronkowski did not play due to injury.
Overall series: Brady 11, Manning 5. Head-to-head in the playoffs: 2-2.
If you want to go back to their first meeting, it happened over 14 years ago.
SEPTEMBER 30, 2001
Patriots 44, Colts 13
It was Tom Brady’s 1st full season. It was Peyton Manning’s 4th. The Colts were favored by 11.5 and got curb-stomped. The Patriots jumped to a 20-0 halftime lead and it was over. The Colts started the game going 3-and-out, punt, punt, 3-and-out, interception, 3-and-out. The second half was no better: Fumble, interception, 3-and-out.
Tom Brady’s skill position players? RB Antowain Smith (22 rushes, 94 yards, 2 TDs), WR Troy Brown, TEs Rod Rutledge and Jermaine Wiggins. Brady: 13-of-23, 168 yards. Manning: 20-of-34, 196 yards, one TD, three interceptions.