Broncos' Peyton Manning Looking for All-Time Passing Touchdowns Record

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning needs just three touchdown passes in Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers to surpass Brett Favre's all-time record of 508 touchdown passes.

Sitting at 506 through the first 245 games of his career, Manning has thrown 15 touchdowns through five games this season, after setting the single-season record of 55 touchdown passes last year.

Given that he's averaging better than three touchdowns per game since the beginning of last season, Manning will surprise nobody if he ties and then breaks Favre's record this week.

Manning has three or more touchdown passes in four of his five games this season, after hitting the mark 11 times in 16 tries last year. Since joining the Broncos before the 2012 campaign, Manning has thrown three or more touchdown passes in 24 of his 37 regular-season appearances, averaging 2.89 scoring strikes per game in a Denver uniform.

Of course, things may not come as easy as usual for Manning this Sunday, as the 49ers have limited opposing quarterbacks to nine touchdown passes in seven games while recording seven interceptions. San Francisco also ranks second in the league in pass defense, having allowed a meager 207.3 yards per game.

With the exception of a four-touchdown performance by Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler in Week 2, the 49ers have shut down opposing signal-callers, just as they did the past three seasons. Led by inside linebacker Patrick Willis, the 49ers have consistently boasted an elite defense since the beginning of 2011, and this season they've overcome suspensions and a slew of injuries—including one to Willis, whose status for Sunday's game against Denver is in doubt because of a toe injury.

Of course, even if he falls short of the record come Sunday, Manning will likely just break it the following week, when the Broncos face the San Diego Chargers.