Peyton Manning vs Tom Brady. The script is the same, although the cast of (supporting) characters are vastly different.
Two of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history square off in another head-to-head match-up that, quite frankly, nobody seems to get tired of.
Manning and Brady have a long history of games against one another with the latter owning a sparkling 10-4 record. That stat might be skewed a little bit because the two have split their last eight head-to-head meetings. But make no mistake, the stakes are as high as it’ll ever be for a Brady-Manning XV with the winner booking its ticket to New Jersey to represent the AFC in SuperBowl XLVIII.
It doesn’t get any bigger than this, which is why you can expect a whole lot of money being bet on both sides.
Vegas sportsbooks opened the line at -6.5 for Manning’s Denver Broncos and as expected, a rush of bettors put money down on the Brady’s New England Patriots. The line moved down to as low as -4 and -4.5 before settling down most recently at either -5 or -5.5.
Looking at the past history between the two teams, it’s easy to think that New England has all the requisite pieces to upset Denver at Mile High Stadium. After all, it was only in Week 12 when New England stormed back from a 24-0 halftime hole in Foxborough on its way to a dramatic 34-31 win in overtime. The result of that game should play a part in how bettors decide on who to take this weekend. On one hand, you have a Patriots team that has Brady, Bill Belichick, and arguably one of the most experienced postseason teams on its side. On the other hand, you have a Broncos team that just set a plethora of offensive records during the season, no more impressive than Manning throwing 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns, both single season records.
It’s also worth pointing out that the current line is the lowest number posted on Denver at home all year, a sign that sportsbooks are wary of New England’s chances of not only covering the spread, but winning the game outright on its way to yet another SuperBowl appearance.
It’s going to be a close game, that much we can tell you. That’s precisely why taking Brady and tacking +5.5 points on his arm is a little safer option than laying the same number on Manning. Either way, expect a barnburner of a game, something that’s par for the course whenever you see these two quarterbacks on the same field together.
