The Peyton Manning-Tom Brady series, by the numbers

On the eve of their sixteenth meeting, let's have some fun with the longtime rivalry between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Picking through the numbers:

-- Brady has a 10-5 edge in the earlier meetings (though it's 2-2 in the playoffs). The Patriots are 8-4 against the Manning-led Colts, and 2-1 against the Manning-piloted Broncos.

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-- The over is 10-5 in the 15 meetings to this point. It's 2-1 since Manning moved to Denver.

-- On four separate occasions, a team has scored over 30 points in this series and lost anyway.

-- Brady has thrown for three touchdowns in a game seven times in the series. Overall, he has 27 touchdowns passes, 12 picks, and a 96.4 rating in the series.

-- Manning posted three different four-touchdown games against New England during his Indianapolis days. He's also had a pair of three-touchdown games in this series. Add it all up: 31 touchdowns, 20 picks, 88.0 rating.

-- The home team has won all three meetings since Manning switched teams. Overall, the home team is 10-5 in the series.

-- This week marks the fifth time the home team has been the underdog in the game. The Broncos were also favored at New England last year, a game the Patriots won in overtime, 34-31.

The six biggest non-Manning fantasy performances for the Broncos and Colts in the series:

-- Knowshon Moreno: 224 rushing yards (on a whopping 37 carries), one touchdown in November 2013. It was the highest rushing total of last season.

-- Joseph Addai: 226 total yards, one touchdown in November 2007.

-- Marvin Harrison: eight catches, 145 yards, two touchdowns in November 2006.

-- Reggie Wayne: ten catches, 126 yards, two touchdowns in November 2009.

-- Harrison: eight catches, 157 yards, one touchdown in October 2001.

-- Demaryius Thomas: seven catches, 134 yards, one touchdown in last season's AFC Championship Game (he also has a 9-180-0 game in the series).

The five biggest non-Brady fantasy performances for the Patriots in the series:

-- David Patten: four overall touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing, one passing) back in October 2001, the second game in the rivalry's history.

-- Randy Moss: nine catches, 179 yards, two scores in November 2009.

-- Antowain Smith:152 total yards and two scores in the first meeting, September 2001.

-- Rob Gronkowski: three total touchdowns (one rushing) in December 2011.

-- Julian Edelman: nine catches, 110 yards, two touchdowns in November 2013.

The Five Best Games In The Series

1. Jan. 21, 2007: Colts 38, Patriots 34

The funny thing about Manning's lone championship - it certainly didn't come with the best of the Colts teams (look at the franchise point differentials, and consider where the 2006 team ranked). But Manning's second-half comeback highlighted the best Brady-Manning game of them all. It also encouraged the Patriots to move on from the Reche Caldwells of the world; before the 2007 season started, Randy Moss was in town.

2. Nov. 4, 2007: Patriots 24, Colts 20

Both teams were undefeated at the time, New England en route to 16-0. (Damn you, David Tyree.) Two late New England touchdowns in the final 8:04 flipped the result.

3. Nov. 30, 2003: Patriots 38, Colts 34

Patriots linebacker Willie McGinest clinched the victory at the gun, stuffing Edgerrin James on a predictable off-tackle carry. The 2003 Patriots started off 2-2, then never lost again, though many of their victories were of this ilk, one-score games where they made a late play (or an opponent made a late mistake).

4. Nov. 15, 2009: Colts 35, Patriots 34

It's one thing to go for it on 4th-and-2 in plus territory, it's another thing to go for it in your own territory, late in the fourth quarter, while nursing a lead. Bill Belichick's gambit didn't work, and the Internet had plenty to talk about for weeks on end.

5. Sept. 9, 2004: Patriots 27, Colts 24

Opening night, ultimately decided on a Mike Vanderjagt shank at the gun, Manning took a critical sack on the penultimate play.

Special thanks to Pro-Football Reference for their invaluable search tools.