Peyton Manning, Drew Brees to Tangle In Offensive Showdown

The old saying that defense wins championships will not apply come Super Bowl XLIV.

Two of the best offenses this decade will square off in a big game shootout not seen since the end of the postseason event was created four decades ago.

Indianapolis Colts' quarterback Peyton Manning, arguably the greatest passer of this generation, if not in NFL history, will square off against New Orleans Saints' quarterback Drew Brees, maybe the least heralded signal-caller of this era.

Let’s just hope the scoreboard operators at Miami’s Sun Life Stadium have their fingers in shape to keep with all the points that will be putting up Super Bowl Sunday.

How good are these two quarterbacks? Manning, the NFL’s MVP, threw for 4,500 yards, 33 touchdowns and had a quarterback rating of 99.9. Oh, and Manning reached the 50,000 yard milestone during the regular season as well only adding to his already building legend. Only John Elway (51,475), Dan Marino (61,361), and Brett Favre (69,329) have more in league history.

Brees, who ranked No. 6 in passing, racked up 4,388 yards, 34 scores and a 109.6 quarterback rating, while leading the league’s No.1 offense for the second straight season.

Brees, a former San Diego Chargers quarterback, finished 2008 15 yards short of the NFL record for passing yards thrown in a single season set by Dan Marino in 1984. Brees completed the season with 5,069 yards.

While Manning and Brees share similarities when it comes to dazzling stats, both men's paths to success are vastly different.  Brees has never been viewed as the prototypical passer with the gaudy size or arm strength that NFL scouts drool over as evidenced by being drafted in the second-round of the 2001 NFL Draft out of Purdue.

Brees does not throw it through a brick wall, have the athletic ability of Vince Young or is charismatic like Favre. All he does is look over the defense and complete passes. And then he does it again. And then he does it again. Boring, but effective.

Manning, a pro quarterback seemingly bred that way from birth, being the son of his famous father Archie, works the offensive like someone stricken with an obsessive compulsive disorder. Arranging and re-arranging offensive lineman, running backs, and wide receivers at the line of scrimmage as if he needed to do it to make himself feel better.

Contrasting styles are what makes fights great. What makes music great. And certainly makes Super Bowls great. To see two accomplished athletes who are the best at their crafts competing in the biggest game on the planet is what makes sports fandom great. The last time in recent history we have gotten this close to this football euphoria is when Favre locked horns with Elway in a Super Bowl XXII classic. 

Saints, your 26th ranked pass defense would be wise to cook up a special concoction to slow Manning. Colts, your 18th ranked unit needs to bronco up in the worse way to halt Brees and the Saints.

As for the rest of us, we're thankful our defensive efforts won’t be required.