Tom Brady vs. Eli Manning: Who Do You Want for 2-Minute Drill?

On some level and based on what we've witnessed throughout each of there careers, does it really matter whether you have Tom Brady or Eli Manning under center with two minutes to play?

Yes, because everyone has different preferences, and some in general may not be a fan of one or the other.

That being said, with Brady and Manning meeting for a second time in Super Bowl history, this is only the third time a quarterback rematch has occurred. The first was Pittsburgh's Terry Bradshaw against Roger Staubach of Dallas in the 1970s and the second was Buffalo's Jim Kelly versus the Cowboys' Troy Aikman.

Between both quarterback rematches, Bradshaw bested Staubach twice as did Aikman to Kelly. Therefore, maybe that history will sway some toward choosing Manning over Brady?

In any event, here's to building a case for each quarterback and allowing the fans to decide who they want running the two-minute drill.

Tom Brady

For starters, Brady has three Super Bowls to his name and two of those years he was the game's MVP. In addition, Brady has been voted the NFL MVP twice and currently holds a 16-5 career playoff record (he began 10-0).

Against the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI, Brady methodically moved New England downfield with the clock winding down. Perhaps his poise can be defined by one play that setup the game-winning field goal.

If you watch closely as Brady spikes to ball to stop the clock, he did so perfectly that the ball bounced straight up and back into his hand. I say this because normally we see quarterbacks wind up and slam the ball down, whereas Brady did it in a fashion that basically said, "I've got this under control and I'm gonna be here again."

And we did see Brady back in the similar position two years later.

Versus the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVII, Brady led another game-winning drive that set up another field goal. In the video, there's a third-down conversion play that Ray Lewis talks about and why that's what makes Brady so great.

What it basically is, is knowing every strength and weakness of your opponent, the look they're giving you and how to adjust to the strength or exploit that weakness.

Brady knows this better than anyone in the league and he's proven that every year in the NFL. Take his 4th-and-goal touchdown versus Baltimore in the AFC Championship Game. So simple, but at the same time, hard to pull off.

With all the complexities that occur throughout the course of a game, a straight-up QB sneak is all it took. All in all, it's Brady's football IQ that really makes him a great player.

Eli Manning

He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, the younger brother of a legend (Peyton Manning) and the son of one of the NFL's best players during his era (Archie Manning).

So, it's safe to say that Manning has dealt not only with his fair share of criticism but also straight-up pressure. Coming from a football family like his and with older brother Peyton also being a No. 1 draft pick, the level of expectations in pro football were almost insurmountable.

However, it's the simple fact that Manning has had more skepticism throughout his career despite the success, and that alone is enough to drive someone's motivation.

The great thing about Manning, though, is that he's been able to consistently play well not only with an extreme amount of pressure, but also in a major market area. Adding to it, the Giants had not had a significant amount of success before him.

Yes, Kerry Collins led them to the Super Bowl where they got crushed and another postseason appearance in 2002, but it was nothing compared to the standards that New York's professional sports teams are held.

In 2005 Manning became the full-time starter and hasn't looked back. Every year that he's been under center for Big Blue they've never had a losing season, including four straight postseason appearances from 2005 to 2008 and one of the best Super Bowl runs in 2007.

There, a dramatic win over Brett Favre in Green Bay and then over Brady in Super Bowl XLII. The pass to receiver David Tyree is arguably the single greatest play in Super Bowl history.

Manning is not mobile, but he's elusive. He's great at feeling the rush, knowing when to release the ball at the last second and simply goes all out.

Against San Francisco in the NFC Championship, he was hit 12 times and sacked six. Still, Manning didn't throw a pick and he kept his team in position to win.

Also, earlier in 2011 Manning outplayed Brady in New England. He finished with another game-winning drive against the Patriots, which is incidentally New England's last loss of the season.

A  Super Bowl rematch only seems right, doesn't it?

John Rozum on Twitter.