For football fans in New England, Peyton Manning may as well be Satan. The man who once was known in the Northeast for losing the big games has altered his image significantly, getting the best of the Patriots in four of the last five meetings. One of those matchups sent Manning's Colts on to the Super Bowl and sent the Patriots home for the winter.
To make matters worse, seemingly every commercial break featured Manning's mug on the screen, selling cell phones, credit cards or satellite television.
But while Manning hasn't endeared himself to fans who love the Patriots, he's got a friend in Tom Brady.
"We have a lot in common," Brady said on WEEI on Monday morning. "Obviously, our professions are the same. Our ages are about the same. We’ve spent a lot of time together at different places, different events. We have a lot that we like to talk about. We’re kind of football junkies. Whenever we get together, it’s all football.
"He’s just a great player," Brady added. "He’s done it consistently for a long time. He’s never missed a game, which is pretty unbelievable. In order to beat these guys , you’ve got to play a great game. Every time we’ve beaten them, we’ve had to play great."
Brady also detailed a part of his game that he has in common with Manning.
"When Peyton feels the pressure, he throws the ball away, which us slow guys typically do," Brady said. "We don’t like holding the ball too long. We realize that we’re holding it, we’re not making any yards. He’s a great competitor. … I’ve always had a great appreciation for him and his style of play."
Brady also was modest in his excitement for facing a Colts team that is suffering numerous injuries in the secondary.
"I like it. We’ll take it," he said. "We’re missing about half our offense. It’s like the walking wounded out there. We’re going to bring the guys we’ve got healthy, they’re going to bring the guys they’ve got healthy, and it’s probably going to be a typical Colts-Patriots game."
