Raiders beat Broncos in 1st game after Brown’s release

OAKLAND, Calif. — Derek Carr threw a touchdown pass on the opening drive of the season, rookie Josh Jacobs ran for two scores and the Oakland Raiders responded to a tumultuous week surrounding former receiver Antonio Brown by beating the Denver Broncos 24-16 on Monday night.

The Raiders (1-0) took out all the frustration over the drama surrounding Brown with a convincing win over the AFC West rival Broncos (0-1). The offensive line cleared holes for Jacobs and protected Carr, and the defense harassed Joe Flacco into three sacks and kept Denver out of the end zone until 2:15 remained in the game.


The win spoiled the Denver debuts for Flacco and coach Vic Fangio and ended the NFL’s longest opening weekend winning streak at seven games.

The final scheduled home opener at the Coliseum before the Raiders planned move to Las Vegas next season began with derisive chants from the boisterous fans toward Brown. Those only grew louder after each successful pass play as both the fans and Raiders players seemed relieved to have the monthlong saga over Brown in the past.

He arrived with optimism following a trade from Pittsburgh in March. But a bizarre foot injury, fight with the NFL over his helmet, skipped practices, multiple fines, a run-in with general manager Mike Mayock and odd social media posts ultimately led to the decision to release the game’s most prolific receiver two days before the opener.

Brown agreed to a deal with New England just hours after being granted his wish to be released by Oakland on Saturday and the Raiders wasted little time proving they had moved on.


They took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards in 10 plays. Carr completed all five passes to four receivers, capped by an 8-yard TD to Tyrell Williams.

Oakland added another score in the second quarter when Jacobs capped a 95-yard drive with a 2-yard run to make it 14-0. Jacobs scored again in the fourth quarter, becoming the first Raider to run for two TDs in his debut.

BY THE NUMBERS

Carr completed 22 of 26 passes for 259 yards and wasn’t sacked once after going down 51 times last year. … Jacobs had 23 carries for 85 yards and a 28-yard reception. … Wiliams had six catches for 105 yards, including a game-sealing 10-yard catch on third down after the two-minute warning. … Flacco was 21 for 31 for 268 yards with a 1-yard TD pass to Emmanuel Sanders in Sanders’ first game back from a ruptured Achilles’ tendon.

UNDER PRESSURE


After recording an NFL-low 13 sacks last year following the trade of Khalil Mack, the Raiders got off to a much better start this year with the pass rush, sacking Flacco three times. Benson Mayowa had two sacks, becoming the first Oakland player to record more than one in a game since Mack had two against Denver on Dec. 17, 2017. Rookie Clelin Ferrell also had one.

MISSED CHANCE

Denver’s comeback attempt fell short in part because the Broncos had to settle for field goals on three red zone trips in the second half. A pair of third-down sacks by Mayowa and Ferrell stalled two drives and DaeSean Hamilton dropped a potential TD in the end zone.

INJURIES

Broncos: RT Ja’Wuan James left the game in the first half with a knee injury. … WR Tim Patrick left in the second half with a hand injury.

Raiders: CB Gareon Conley was taken off the field strapped to a stretcher with a neck injury after being hit in the head by teammate Johnathan Abram.

Conley was down on the ground for several minutes with players on both teams kneeling on the ground out of concern. Conley was taken off the field on a stretcher but was able to give a thumbs up to the crowd.

UP NEXT

Broncos: Host Chicago on Sunday. Fangio spent the past four seasons as defensive coordinator for the Bears.

Raiders: Host Kansas City on Sunday in a second straight division matchup. The Chiefs have won eight of the past nine games in the series.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Raiders win possible final game in Oakland, beat Broncos

OAKLAND, Calif. — Dwayne Harris returned a punt 99 yards for a touchdown after Denver failed to down it, and the Raiders gave their fans plenty to celebrate in their possible final game in Oakland, beating the Broncos 27-14 on Monday night.

The Raiders (4-11) are set to move to Las Vegas in 2020 and have no lease for next year. With Oakland officials having sued the team over the move, the Raiders are looking into other options for 2019, including AT&T Park in San Francisco.


A decision is expected before the Super Bowl, but many of the die-hards came out for this game knowing it could be the last NFL game ever in the stadium that opened in 1966.

It has been almost that long since the Broncos (6-9) had gone back-to-back seasons with losing records, having last done it in 1971-72. After going 5-11 in coach Vance Joseph’s first season, Denver has done little better in year two and general manager John Elway could be ready to make a change after the season.

The Broncos opened the month with playoff aspirations, but three straight losses to teams that entered the game with losing records ended those hopes and have the team searching for answers.

Shortly after Oakland native Marshawn Lynch lit the torch in honor of late owner Al Davis before the game, Harris delivered the biggest highlight with a punt return that was tied for the second-longest ever.

Andre Holmes deflected Colby Wadman’s punt just before it crossed the goal line and Isaac Yiadom was in position to down it at the 1. But he couldn’t hold onto the ball and Harris picked it up before racing 99 yards down the sideline for the touchdown that stunned the Broncos. Only Patrick Peterson (99 yards) and Robert Bailey (103) have punt returns that long in NFL history.

The Broncos weren’t much better at the other phases of the game, committing pre-snap penalties, generating almost no consistent offense in the first half and then allowing Doug Martin to scamper 24 yards untouched around the end to make it 14-0 midway through the second quarter.

Martin, who was born in Oakland, finished with 107 yards for his biggest rushing day since 2015.

Case Keenum got the Broncos on the board with a pair of TD passes in the second half to DaeSean Hamilton and Courtland Sutton. But it wasn’t enough as Jalen Richard scored on a 3-yard run for Oakland and the Raiders sealed the win with interceptions by Marcus Gilchrist and Erik Harris.

RED FLAG ALERT


Raiders coach Jon Gruden threw his challenge flag after Keenum’s 19-yard TD pass to Sutton, believing that Keenum crossed the line before the throw. But scoring plays are automatically reviewed and the replay booth confirmed the call without a stoppage. Oakland was charged with a timeout, the second time this season Gruden has tried to challenge a TD.

FIRST-HALF SHUTOUT

The Raiders came into the game allowing the most points per game in franchise history since 1961, but gave up nothing in the opening half against the Broncos. It’s the third straight meeting between the teams where Denver failed to score in the opening half. Those are the only times in the past 90 games that Oakland has pitched a first-half shutout.

MILESTONE WATCH

Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay passed the 1,000-yard rushing mark in the first half, joining Dominic Rhodes and LaGarrette Blount as the only undrafted rookies to top 1,000 in a season in the Super Bowl era. Lindsay ran for 46 yards before leaving with a hand injury and as has 1,037 on the season. He needs 68 more to break Rhodes’ record set in 2001 for Indianapolis.

UP NEXT

Broncos: Host the Chargers on Sunday.

Raiders: Visit the Chiefs on Sunday.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Offbeat humor, upbeat messages dominate Super Bowl 50 ads

NEW YORK— From a strange creature called “Puppymonkeybaby” to a tear-inducing Audi ad, Super Bowl ads ran the gamut this year from offbeat humor to heartfelt messages.

On advertising’s biggest night, Chrysler celebrated Jeep with an ad filled featuring black-and-white portraits of veterans, kids and pop icons. In Audi’s spot, a depressed aging astronaut remembers his joy for life by driving an Audi sports car with his son. And in a quirky Doritos ad, a fetus in a sonogram appears to rocket out of the womb to chase a bag of chips the mother angrily tossed away.

The goal for advertisers: to stand out and win over the 114 million-plus people watching the big game on Super Bowl Sunday, much the way the Denver Broncos triumphed over the Carolina Panthers. With ads costing a record $5 million for 30 seconds this year, the stakes are high to stand out from the 40-plus advertisers and be remembered.

In general, advertisers played it safe with universally liked celebrities such as Anthony Hopkins (TurboTax) and Ryan Reynolds (Hyundai), cute animals and pro-America themes.

“It’s been a pretty safe night,” said David Berkowitz, chief marketing officer at advertising agency MRY. “There’s relatively little going over the top.”

Offbeat humor reigned with a creature called “Puppymonkeybaby” — pretty much exactly what it sounds like — in an ad for Mountain Dew’s Kickstart. The ad sought to show that three great things go together, since Kickstart combines Mountain Dew, juice and caffeine.

“It’s on my list of the weirdest ad of the night, but it’s very catchy and people will be talking about it,” said Kelly O’Keefe, a marketing professor at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Heartfelt messages were in abundance too. SunTrust’s ad urged people to take a breath and feel better about their financial health. BMW’s Mini urged people to “defy labels.”

Most ads managed to avoid the somber tone struck last year, when an ad for Nationwide about preventable household accidents bummed out many in the audience.

There were a couple of misfires. Two pharmaceutical ads highlighted unappealing digestive conditions. One promoted an anti-diarrhea medication Xifaxan with a small-intestines mascot taking a seat at the Super Bowl. Another sought to raise awareness about “opioid-induced constipation.”

“This just isn’t a topic that people want to hear about during a Super Bowl,” said Villanova University marketing professor Charles Taylor.

Offbeat humor

Mountain Dew’s ad might have been the weirdest ad of the night, but Doritos’ ad also seemed likely to divide viewers. The spot showed a couple during a sonogram. When the mother throws away a bag of Doritos, the fetus seems to zoom after it, to the consternation of all present.

“It caught you a little off guard, but it fit the brand,” said O’Keefe.

Some Super Bowl watchers agreed. Brian Kearney, from Morris County, New Jersey, was watching the game with about 15 people and said the ad was a hit with his friends.

“I thought it was hysterical, we all cracked up,” Kearney said.

Other ads with offbeat humor: Bud Light featured Amy Schumer and Seth Rogen traveling around America promoting “The Bud Light Party.” A Shock Top ad showed actor T.J. Miller trading insults with the brewery’s talking orange wedge mascot. And the outdoor goods-and-clothing company Marmot showed a man palling around with an actual marmot he appears to be falling for, all to illustrate falling in love with the outdoors.

Money Money Money

Eight years after the financial meltdown, financial companies are feeling more comfortable promoting their products and services. Six advertised in the big game, including including SunTrust Banks, PayPal, Quicken Loans, Intuit brand and Intuit’s TurboTax and Social Finance Inc.

Most promoted optimistic messages about money. TurboTax, for instance, enlisted Anthony Hopkins to get out the message that you can file your taxes for free with TurboTax. PayPal’s music-video style ad asked people to embrace “New Money.”

“We’re officially over the mourning of 2008 (financial crisis),” said Mediapost columnist Barbara Lippert.

Cinematic ads

Some advertisers created mini-movies. Toyota went long with a 90-second ad depicting bank robbers who use a Prius 4 to escape from police. LG enlisted Liam Neeson in a futuristic spot showing off LG’s new OLED 4K TV. Hyundai’s “The Chase” ad, echoed “The Revenant,” showing people escaping grizzly bears by using Hyundai’s remote start feature.

“Super Bowl advertisers are sticking with light themes,” said Tim Calkins, a marketing professor at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. “Last year we had serious ads about fathers and mortality. This year the ads are funny and creative.” TVJ

source: business.inquirer.net

Bruno Mars finally confirms Super Bowl performance

SAN FRANCISCO— Bruno Mars has finally officially confirmed he would perform at Sunday’s Super Bowl halftime show with Coldplay and Beyoncé.


The pop singer posted a photo on Instagram on Friday of himself at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, where Super Bowl 50 will take place.


 Mars wrote, “It ain’t a party if Mr $how Up & $how out doesn’t show up,” along with the hashtag “confirmed.”

The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter-producer had a show-stopping performance at the 2014 Super Bowl in East Rutherford, New Jersey. His hits include “Locked Out of Heaven,” ”Just the Way You Are” and “Uptown Funk” with Mark Ronson.

The Denver Broncos will take on the Carolina Panthers at the Super Bowl.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Halftime at the big game is among the top culture

NEW YORK—Warren Duncan has something in common with Madonna, Beyonce, Mick Jagger, Bruce Springsteen and Prince—and doesn’t hesitate to let his grandchildren know about it every year about this time.

All performed at the Super Bowl halftime show, although it wasn’t quite the spectacle in Duncan’s time that it is now. He was at snare drum for the Florida A&M University marching band at Super Bowl III in 1969, when the New York Jets upset the Baltimore Colts.

“I really hated to see it transition to what it is,” Duncan said. “I really wish it would be like the traditional band halftime show.”

Those days have gone the way of leather helmets. The halftime show has become one of the year’s top cultural moments, so anticipated that it is commonly seen by more people than the game itself. The British band Coldplay steps into the spotlight this weekend, with an expected cameo by Beyonce.

The Super Bowl show can easily be divided into two eras: Before Michael Jackson and after. His 1993 performance established halftime as something more than an afterthought. With the fireworks and extras, Jackson proved no gesture could be too big.

The NFL begins planning its halftime show months in advance, negotiating with chosen artists and mapping out how things will proceed, said Mark Quenzel, NFL senior vice president in charge of the halftime show. Following Janet Jackson’s breast-baring episode in 2004, the league has maintained strict control.

“In some ways, it is the worst 12 and a half minutes of my year,” said Quenzel, who watches from the sideline hoping for no wind, rain, electronic glitches or – shudder – wardrobe malfunctions.

By the time Katy Perry rode in on a mechanical lion last year, and soared away on a platform designed to look like a shooting star, she had rehearsed the show some 40 times. “Anyone who has ever done it has been scared,” she told Elle magazine later. “You stay off the Internet for five days afterward.”

Today, it’s almost impossible to conceive that the second Super Bowl featured Miami-area high school bands at halftime. Florida A&M’s band performed in 1971, after Duncan graduated, and backed Prince in 2007. The University of Michigan and Grambling State University bands performed twice.

Duncan can barely recall what his band played that day; a James Brown tribute sticks in his mind. He better remembers hanging with his friends on a Miami street at 3 a.m. when Jets quarterback Joe Namath rode by in a car filled with women, holding out his index finger in a promise of a victory he later delivered.

The lineup for the 1980 halftime show – a salute to the Big Band Era with the youthful singing group Up With People – practically screams at anyone under age 50 to find something else to do.

Up With People was such a regular part of Super Bowl halftime that Tim Lane participated in four of them: singing “Philadelphia Freedom” for the 1976 Bicentennial-themed show, in the chorus for the Big Band tribute, operating a spotlight for 1982’s salute to Motown and picking participants for the 1986 show.

The youth education organization still exists, and celebrated its own 50th anniversary last year. Lane is its vice president of alumni engagement.

“We love the fact that we did it as often as we did,” he said. “We don’t know if we ever will again.”

It finally dawned on the NFL in the 1990s that halftime was a massive missed opportunity.

For artists, it is a chance to perform before an audience whose size cannot be duplicated. “It has become kind of a bucket list item for even the biggest acts in the world,” Quenzel said.

Following Janet Jackson’s unanticipated exposure, the NFL ushered in a dinosaur era of big rock acts like The Who, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty whose best days were behind them. McQuenzel has sought to make the bookings more current. One of his proudest moments was hiring Bruno Mars in 2014 despite fears the singer wasn’t well known enough, but the show turned out well.

He encourages acts to invite special guests; Perry brought along Lenny Kravitz, Missy Elliott and some rhythmically-challenged dancers in shark costumes.

Artistic statements are fine, but Quenzel’s goal is strictly mercenary: to move from the end of the first half to the beginning of the second without anyone tuning out.

“We don’t micro-manage the artists,” he said. “We try not to. They understand our goals and we understand their goals. We respect what they do, and I think they respect the fact that we know our audience.”

He won’t talk about a wish list of future performers. It doesn’t take a long look at the charts to figure out two of the biggest music stars who haven’t stepped out on a halftime stage, though.

Adele? Taylor Swift? Are you listening?

source: sports.inquirer.net

Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl victory parade draws some 700,000 fans

An estimated 700,000 Seattle Seahawks fans braved sub-freezing temperatures to celebrate the football team's first Super Bowl title at a parade that wound through the city's downtown on Wednesday.

The Seahawks trounced the usually high-scoring Denver Broncos, 43-8, on Sunday to win their first National Football League championship in franchise history.

It was a particularly sweet triumph for a city whose previous major professional men's sports team championship came a generation ago, when the SuperSonics captured the National Basketball Association's crown in 1979. That team left for Oklahoma City in 2008.

Kicking off before noon and running for about two hours, the parade was slowed by the larger-than-anticipated crowd - with some fans perched in trees and atop pillars - that transformed downtown Seattle into a sea of blue and green, the team's colors. Police estimated the crowd at 700,000 strong.

"I've never seen a community come together like this," said Tyler Olsen, 29, a Seattle-area high school math teacher who took the day off to watch the procession. "It's an overwhelming sense of joy."

Shortly after the parade commenced, the crowd burst into an ear-splitting roar as part of a statewide "moment of LOUDNESS" proclaimed a day earlier by Governor Jay Inslee.

In a nod to the team's fans, collectively known as the "12th Man" for their opponent-rattling rumbling during home games, the organized screaming occurred at 12:12 p.m.

As fans cheered them along the route, players and coaches danced and waved from slow-moving amphibious World War Two-era Duck vehicles normally used by tourists, with star running back Marshawn Lynch throwing his preferred candy, Skittles, into the crowd.

The procession culminated at CenturyLink Field - the Seahawks' home stadium - where the team has lost only once during the past two years, and where season-ticket holders were treated to a post-parade victory celebration.

With traffic snarled and public transportation backed up by those heading into the city, not everyone planning to attend the parade made it.

Patti Tinsley, 43, brought her two children, ages 5 and 7, to the light-rail train station in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac. But after waiting over an hour in a line that snaked around the block, she decided to return home - though her spirits remained high.

"This is historic," said Tinsley, decked out in Seahawks regalia. "It's something my kids will always remember."

MISSING SCHOOL

But with over 13,500 students absent from Seattle's public schools - at least 10,000 more than normal, a district spokeswoman said - it was clear that many others had not only made it to the parade but were treating the day as an unofficial holiday.

A day earlier, Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Jose Banda said it was up to individual principals whether students' absences would be excused.

It was a reversal from his position on Monday, when he said that students would not be excused in spite of a suggestion from Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll that they get the day off.

Carroll received a phone call on Tuesday from President Barack Obama, who commended the coach on the team's "decisive victory" and said he looked forward to greeting them at the White House in the coming months, according to a White House statement.- Reuters

Manning and Broncos left befuddled by Seattle defense

He authored 55 touchdown passes during the regular season while throwing for 5,477 yards, both NFL records, but a day after winning his fifth league Most Valuable Player award, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning was besieged by the Seattle Seahawks.

To be fair to Manning, his offensive line was overwhelmed from the start of Denver's shocking 43-8 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday (Monday, PHL time) in Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium. However, it was Manning's two first-half interceptions that transformed a bad start into a drubbing by halftime.

The Broncos' offense was out of sync from the start, with a bad snap on the first play of the game leading to a 2-0 deficit. Manning finished with a Super Bowl-record 34 completions for 280 yards, but the Broncos didn't get on the scoreboard until the final play of the third quarter.


After the game, Manning took offense to the notion that his team was embarrassed.

"From the get go, give them a safety, not the way you want to start a game, and for whatever reason, we couldn't get much going after that," he said. "But I give Seattle a lot of credit. They are an excellent football team and they caused a lot of our mistakes, and at the same time, we just didn't play well tonight.

"They executed better than we did. It's not embarrassing at all. I would never use that word. There's a lot of professional football players in that locker room that put in a lot of hard work to be here, to play in that game, and the word 'embarrassing' is an insulting word, to tell you the truth."

Manning brushed off questions all week about the importance of a second Super Bowl title to his legacy. Sunday night (Monday, PHL time), the story was more the dominance of Seattle's defense than the Denver quarterback's place in history. Still, with all due respect to Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman and his media-shy teammate, running back Marshawn Lynch, Manning was the story leading up to the game.

The Broncos knew the Seahawks had the league's top-ranked defense. What they appeared unprepared for was the speed and toughness of the unit as a whole.

"We knew they were an excellent defense as far as the scheme we thought they were going to play," Manning said. "I think we played a great football team. We needed to play really well in order to win, and we didn't come anywhere close to that."

Denver's record-setting offense unraveled from the beginning, with offensive tackles Chris Clark and Orlando Franklin constantly walked back into Manning by Seattle defensive ends Cliff Avril and Chris Clemons.

"You do what you're capable of," Broncos coach John Fox said. "We mixed and matched that some. [The Seahawks] played very well."

While the Seahawks finished with just one sack - which Clemons recorded on a fourth down when the outcome already was determined - Manning was not able to sustain drives in the first half. He was under constant pressure, and he grossly overthrew his receiver on a first-quarter interception, then had his right arm hit by Avril in the second quarter, leading to a pop-up pass that was fielded by Seahawks linebacker Malcolm Smith and returned 69 yards for a touchdown.

The Seahawks entered the game quietly confident they could jam Denver's receivers at the line and pressure the pocket. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said the goal was to send waves of defensive linemen at Manning and make him slow his delivery - as quick as 2.2 seconds, according to Quinn - just a tick.

"If it's at 2.6 or 2.7 [seconds], that's when you can get the hits," Quinn said. "We knew they'd have to deal with us, in terms of being fired up."

Manning admitted the throngs of Seahawks fans often made it difficult for the offense to hear his cadence. By the time he found some rhythm with underneath passes in the second half, the game had long since snowballed out of control.

"Absolutely not," tight end Julius Thomas said when asked if it was fair to pin the loss on Manning. "In order to point the finger at Peyton Manning, you would be neglecting all the things he did this season to get us to this point. By no means are we blaming Peyton for anything. He is the reason we are here, he is our leader, and we are going to stand by him 100 percent."

The Broncos became the first team to lose five times in the Super Bowl, and vice president of football operations John Elway lost for a third time overall, the first time as an executive. Elway, who has Manning's signed five-year contract framed in his office and considers the 37-year-old, five-time MVP a friend more than an employee, said there isn't much he can say to Manning.

"It was a great year," Elway said. "It's always disappointing. Only one team is happy at the end of the year, and you've got to give them a lot of credit. They played well. They took advantage of mistakes we made. I'm proud of these guys."

Next will be a March exam on Manning's surgically repaired neck, followed by a decision on whether Manning, who turns 38 next month, will return for another season. It is difficult to envision him walking away after a record-setting season that ended in a bitter defeat.

"It's disappointing for our entire team," Manning said. "We worked hard to get to this point and overcame a lot of obstacles to be here, putting in a lot of hard work. It is a really good thing just to have this opportunity, but certainly to finish this way is very disappointing. It is not an easy pill to swallow, but eventually, you have to." - Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Manning wins fifth MVP award, Super Bowl beckons

Peyton Manning claimed a fifth National Football League most valuable player award on Saturday (Sunday, PHL time) but the Denver Broncos quarterback will need another Super Bowl ring to cement his place among the all-time greats.

Manning, who will lead the Broncos against the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl on Sunday, was the clear favorite in the MVP race after he set single season marks for touchdown passes (55) and yards (5,477).

Manning, who had neck surgery in 2011 and missed the entire season before being released by Indianapolis and signed by Denver in 2012, also won the award in 2009, 2008, 2004 and shared it with Steve McNair in 2003.

No one other than Manning had won MVP honors four times and only quarterbacks Johnny Unitas, Brett Favre and running back Jim Brown have captured the award three occasions.

Manning was not on hand to accept the award at New York's Radio City Music Hall leaving that duty to his son Marshall and father Archie, a former New Orleans Saints quarterback, though he did send a pre-recorded message.

"This is a very special award," Manning said in the message.

"I am extremely honored to have it presented by Joe Montana and Aaron Rodgers.

"I am humbled by this recognition and grateful to my family, Pat Bowlen, John Elway, John Fox and the entire Denver Bronco organization, and of course, my coaches and my teammates."

Surgery recovery

After 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, not even Manning was certain how long it would take to recover from his surgery and adjust to a new team.

But after just two years in Denver, Manning has the Broncos back in the Super Bowl for the first time in 15 years.

With Manning at the controls of Denver's powerhouse offense, the Broncos scored a record 606 points, 161 ahead the next best team.

There is no disputing Manning's Hall of Fame credentials but with just one Super Bowl ring, where he ranks among the sport's best has been a subject of fierce debate.

When it comes to Super Bowl wins, Peyton is not even the best quarterback in the Manning family with younger brother Eli having guided the New York Giants to two titles.

The Broncos were tipped as Super Bowl favorites from the start of season and Manning has been under mounting pressure to prove that he can also get the job done when it counts most and turn his record-setting campaign into a Super Bowl title.

With a win over the Seahawks on Sunday, Manning would become the first quarterback to win the Super Bowl as starter for two different teams.

The fifth MVP award along with a second Super Bowl ring would cement Manning's credentials as one of the top two-or-three quarterbacks of all-time and certainly would not hurt the likable quarterback's incredible popularity.

Already the NFL's most marketable player, Manning pulls in an estimated $12 million a year in endorsements, ranking 21st overall across all sports according to Forbes.

Other big winners were the Carolina Panthers, with Ron Rivera taking coach of the year honors after guiding his team back to the post-season while linebacker Luke Kuechly was voted defensive player of the year.

New York Jets defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson was voted defensive rookie of year while Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy grabbed offensive rookie honors.

San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers was named comeback player of the year while Chicago Bears defensive back Charles Tillman accepted the Walter Payton man of the year award. - Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com

Brady and Manning renew rivalry in AFC title-game showdown

There may be two teams battling for the AFC title and a spot in the Super Bowl on Sunday (next Monday, PHL time) but the spotlight will be on the latest round in a heavyweight gridiron showdown between two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks.

The AFC Championship game features the top-seeded Denver Broncos and second-seed New England Patriots but it is No. 18 (Peyton Manning) versus No. 12 (Tom Brady) that has dominated the buildup to the Mile High city clash.

Seconds after Denver beat the San Diego Chargers last Sunday (Monday, PHL time) to reach the conference championship the first question put to Manning as he walked off the field was how he felt going against longtime rival Brady for the 15th time.

"It's Broncos versus the Patriots and certainly Tom and I have played against each other a lot, but when you get to the AFC Championship it's about two good teams that did a lot to get there," said Manning.

"They're a great team, they had a big win last night so we are going to enjoy this one tonight and start to work on them tomorrow and it ought to be a heck of a game."

Manning versus Brady in a high-stakes game is a the NFL's marquee rivalry, attracting as much hype and anticipation as heavyweights Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier or tennis sensations Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer.

Few could argue that Manning and Brady are not two of the all-time greatest quarterbacks to grace the American gridiron.

Manning is a four-time NFL most valuable player while Brady has claimed the honor twice. Brady has three Super Bowl rings and two Super Bowl MVP awards, Manning has one of each.

Where there is considerable debate, however, is when it comes to which signal caller is better.

Manning spent this season once again rewriting the NFL record books while Brady has traditionally displayed his true brilliance in the playoffs.

Brady made his record 25th playoff start (18-7) last weekend against the Indianapolis Colts.

He has guided the Patriots to a record 11 AFC East division titles, more than any other starting quarterback, and ranks first in postseason completions (566), attempts (912) and passing yards (6,147).

He is three playoff touchdown passes away from surpassing Brett Favre (44) and moving into and tie with Hall of Famer Joe Montana (45) for most all-time.

Two seasons removed from missing a year due to neck surgeries, Manning produced a campaign for the ages setting a single season marks for touchdown passes (55) and yards (5,477).

With Manning at the controls of Denver's powerhouse offense, the Broncos scored a record 606 points, 161 ahead of the next closest pursuer.

Denver became the first team to have five players score at least 10 touchdowns in the same season - Demaryius Thomas (14), Knowshon Moreno (13), Julius Thomas (12), Eric Decker (11) and Wes Welker (10).

While there is no disputing Manning's Hall of Fame credentials, the one criticism hanging over his career has been mediocre results in the postseason where he has a 10-11 record and one championship.

Viewed as Super Bowl favorites from the start of season, Manning is under pressure to prove once and for all that he can also get the job done when it counts most and cap his record-smashing campaign with a Super Bowl title.

Sunday's (next Monday, PHL time) game will mark the second time the Broncos and Patriots have squared off against each other this season. In late November, the Patriots stormed back from a 24-0 halftime deficit to steal a 34-31 win.

The last time the teams met in the playoffs came in 2012 when Brady tied an NFL record with six touchdown passes in a 45-10 rout that came nine months before Manning joined Denver.

Perhaps the one player able to provide some insight into the two quarterbacks is Welker, who was Brady's favorite target for six seasons before signing with Denver last year where he has become Manning's go-to guy.

"They are obviously not too many differences," said Welker, unwilling to tip one quarterback over the other. "They're great quarterbacks.

"They do a great job keeping guys accountable with their leadership skills.

"If there's two guys you want quarterbacking your team, it's a toss-up between those two." - Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com