Brady vs. Manning: The 15th Round

The greatest fights in history go the distance like Ali - Frazier, Gatti - Ward and Holyfield - Bowe. Come Sunday, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning face off the for the 15th time. Could this be the final round? As the two quarterbacks get up there in age and competition gets tougher in the parity minded NFL, this very well could be the last meeting for these two football heavyweights.

A Super Bowl appearance and legacies are on the line.

With the 15th round just days away, let's run down the previous 14 rounds of this epic rivalry.

ROUND 1: September 30, 2001 - Patriots 44, Colts 13

In his first career start after replacing an injured Drew Bledsoe, Brady went just 13-of-23 for 168 yards and we thought, "who is this kid?" But, Brady recorded the only statistic that matters in the end: the win. 

ROUND 2: October 21, 2001 - Patriots 38, Colts 17

Brady throws three touchdown passes, including a 91-yarder to David Patten - a player Brady would look to again in the Super Bowl shocker over the Rams. Manning had 335 passing yards, but just one TD.

ROUND 3: November 30, 2003 - Patriots 38, Colts 34

Manning won the stat battle with four touchdowns, but the Pats won the game when Willie McGinest stuffed the Colts game-winning drive on fourth-and-goal at the two. Brady finished the day 26-of-35 for 236 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

ROUND 4: January 18, 2004 - 2003 AFC Championship Game - Patriots 24, Colts 14

The Colts and Pats battled it out at Gillette with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. Manning threw four interceptions and TB12 led the Patriots to their second Super Bowl in three years.

ROUND 5: September 9, 2004 - Patriots 27, Colts 24

The defending champs kicked off the 2004 season against Manning and the Colts. Nothing changed as Manning was picked off twice and Brady threw for 335 yards and three TDs.

ROUND 6: January 16, 2005 - 2004 AFC Divisional Round - Patriots 20, Colts 3

Brady and his bunch blew things open in the second half as Brady threw a touchdown pass and ran in another. Manning didn't have a touchdown in the snow, but he did throw a pick. The Patriots went on to repeat with a win over the Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX.

ROUND 7: November 7, 2005 - Colts 40, Patriots 21

Manning and Brady go toe-to-toe for a combined 586 and six touchdown passes. However, Manning got the monkey off his back with his first win over Brady in seven tries.

ROUND 8: November 5, 2006 - Colts 27, Patriots 20

Manning gets the better of Brady as Tom Terrific threw four interceptions while Peyton threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns.

ROUND 9: January 1, 2007 - 2006 AFC Championship Game - Colts 38, Patriots 34

This one hurt. A lot. The Pats blew a 21-6 halftime lead and Brady was picked off in the final seconds. Manning throws for 349 yards and a touchdown while former Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri would boot three field goals. Manning would go on to win his only Super Bowl.

ROUND 10: November 4, 2007 - Patriots 24, Colts 20

The Patriots rally in the fourth quarter and Brady breaks Manning's NFL record with his ninth game in a row with at least three touchdown passes. The Patriots finish the season 16-0, but lose to the New York David Tyree's in the Super Bowl. 

ROUND 11: November 15, 2009 - Colts 35, Patriots 34

Belichick goes for it on fourth-and-two and Manning throws his fourth touchdown pass four plays later. Enough said.

ROUND 12: November 21, 2010 - Patriots 31, Colts 28

Manning gets the stats, but again, Brady gets the "W" when Peyton is picked off with 37 seconds to go.

ROUND 13: October 7, 2012 - Patriots 31, Broncos 21

In their first meeting with Manning as a Bronco, Brady leads four scoring drives of at least 80 yards. Manning does throw for 337 yards and three touchdowns, but the comeback falls short. Again.

ROUND 14: November 24, 2013 - Patriots 34, Broncos 31 OT

Brady brings the Pats back from a 24-0 halftime deficit with three second half touchdowns to grab the win in overtime after old friend Wes Welker muffs a punt leading to a game winning Patriots field goal. Manning finishes the game with an un-Manning-like 150 yards passing.

ROUND 15: 2013 AFC Championship Game - ????


 @TheGuruGS