Tom Brady–Peyton Manning XVII may be the selling point of this weekend’s game, but if there’s one matchup that’ll mean almost nothing on Sunday, that’s it. For as much as I’d love to see Manning pull a spin move on Sebastian Volmer and sack Brady, I highly doubt that’s going to happen.
While it may sound blasphemous, particularly in this quarterback-driven day and age, Peyton Manning may not be one of the five most important Broncos in this game. And in reality, that’s just the way Denver should want it. This game needs to revolve around the run game and the defense; that’s the only way the Broncos are going to be able to keep Tom Brady off the field.
And if Manning were to end up becoming a major factor in the outcome, it’ll likely be because he helped lead the Broncos to a loss, not a win.
Now, I’m not trying to be negative; I’m trying to be realistic. The same was said about the Broncos Super Bowl runs back in ’97 and ’98, where John Elway finished with under 200 yards passing in four of seven postseason games, and look where that got them.
If the Broncos are going to win, it’s not going to be because of Peyton Manning; it’s going to be because of these three guys:
Von Miller
The last time Von Miller faced the Patriots, he grabbed a sack, two quarterback hits and two quarterback hurries; he needs to be much, much better than that this Sunday.
And that’s not to say Von’s performance was bad — it wasn’t — but the Denver Broncos need Miller to be the All-World Superstar we know he can be.
I’ve got a feeling that Wade Phillips is going to rely heavily on his front four to get pressure on Brady, leaving the rest to help out in coverage, and while that makes sense, it’s dangerous. For every millisecond Brady is gifted, there’s more of an opportunity for the defense to get burned, and they will get burned — this is Tom Brady we’re talking about.
Denver absolutely has to get to Tom Brady. They need to knock him down, they need to bang him up and they need to make him cringe every time he feels a breeze coming around the outside. If not, they’ll lose, plain and simple.
Since the New York Giants crafted the blueprint back in 2007, there’s only been one way to slow down Brady, and that’s by giving him a face-to-face meeting with the turf.
For the Broncos, that all starts with Von Miller. If there was ever a time to have the game of his career, this is it. Plus, thanks to Butterfinger, he can celebrate all he wants!
