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ESPN: Brady second-best starting QB in the NFL 08.31.10 at 10:02 am ET
By Christopher Price
brady_manning_ap

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. (AP)

ESPN’s John Clayton of ESPN has ranked the NFL’s starting quarterbacks and has the Patriots’ Tom Brady at No. 2 overall, trailing only his contemporary Peyton Manning of the Colts.

Of Brady — one of 14 quarterbacks Clayton included in the “Elite” Division, Clayton said, “I resisted the urge to put Drew Brees ahead of him, but Brady, with three Super Bowl rings, is still the master. The knee injury slowed him a little in 2009 (4,398 yards, 28 TD passes), but I expect his numbers to be much better this season.”

(If you’re curious, here’s what he had to say about Manning: “At 34, Manning doesn’t show any signs of slowing. He sets the agenda for modern NFL quarterbacks with the no-huddle and three-receiver offenses and generates 12-win seasons as easily as he completes passes. Under Manning, the Colts have won 12 or more games for seven consecutive seasons.”)

Brees, Ben Roethlisberger and Brett Favre round out the Top 5. As for the rest of the AFC East, you have to go a long ways down the list before you see either the Jets’ Mark Sanchez (No. 23 overall), the Dolphins’ Chad Henne (No. 25) or the Bills’ Trent Edwards, all of who were placed in the Hit-Or-Miss Division by Clayton.

Read More: Patriots, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Print  |  Bark It Up!  |  Digg It
  • Goatman

    Can’t see how that’s possible based on the last 2 seasons that he’s PLAYED. Brees is better.

    Let the attacks begin, but being popular doesn’t mean its not the truth.

  • Cosh

    Clayton got the top 3 right but putting Favre and Pig Ben ahead of Aaron Rodgers to me is a big miss. Pig Ben probably has recorded the two worst Super Bowl performances for a QB and was lucky his team bailed him out twice.

  • Belichick

    I would definitely put Brady ahead of Brees, it’s not even close in my opinion

  • Booger

    And where has it gotten them? I’ll take the #2 QB and win 3 superbowls over te #1 guy with 1 and a ton of personal records.

  • BradyLady

    Uhm…Tom Brady should be #1. Three Superbowls to Manning’s one…you do the math.

  • luckyg

    manning plays in a dome under controlled conditions and in at times a soft division-so of course he generates 12 win seasons like candy-he’s only won the big one once not three times like brady.

  • Devil Brady Bunny

    Hands down Brady is #1.

  • robert j

    Liars may figures but, figures don’t lie! TOM BRADY has 3 rings to Manning’s 1 AND I BELIEVE RANDY & TOM

    SET THE RECORD BOOKS ON FIRE IN 2007!!!!! CASE CLOSE ON WHO THE GREATEST THUS FAR. I will say Manning does some funny commercial he’s definitely no. 1 at that.

  • pedro

    Funny you say manning plays in a soft division, afc east isn’t necessarily a powerhouse division. Who has ever challenged the pats for the division??? Only now are the jets considered a threat to take the division. Another point is like to point out Is look at how cassell did with the patriots offense, that to me somewhat discredits Brady’s greatness especially seeing how cassell is doing in KC so to me manning in my opinion is the best doesn’t matter how many rings you got. If you go by rings then Trent dilfer is better then Marino. Sounds kinda stupid don’t it???

  • pedro

    Plus last time I heard football is a team sport. I didnt see Brady out there making tackles on defense, catching balls, kicking field goals or returning kicks. To much is made about rings.

  • rrrlas

    Brady is a good QB and has more SB wins than Manning, but for consistency and a guaranteed 12 win season, I would take Manning every day of the week regardless of how many SB’s he has won or lost.

  • K1ng

    lmao…Funny really …

    Especially at the SB 44 he chokes and intercepted.

    and only one SB Ring…please,that was against fuckin Rex Grossman.Rex is a fuckin joke.

    Choke Manning has been choking at the big games in all his career.Dont believe me then watch all his games.He chokes thats the fuckin problem.Even in 44,he has no reason to choke and yet he did.thats fuckin pathetic.

    Brady is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than Manning.Hands down.

    Brady is soo fuckin cool in under pressure,its like the more pressure hes in the more BEASTLy he plays,very reminiscent of Joe Montana.All the records this guy has,hands down Brady is the Best QB in the NFL.And he’ll be the Greatest Ever.

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