Peyton Manning vs. Eli Manning again

Much as he tried to hide from a distant family suite Peyton Manning couldn't conceal his anguish.

He squirmed. He fist pumped. He grimaced. He clapped.

Peyton Manning wasn't playing in Super Bowl XLII at University of Phoenix Stadium in 2008. His brother Eli was.

What was obvious to the large TV audience though was how badly the ever expressive Peyton Manning wanted his brother Eli to lead the New York Giants to victory against the New England Patriots.

I pull for him Peyton Manning said Friday from his locker. We pull for each other. Always have. He's five years younger than me so my parents would drag him to all my games.

When Peyton was a freshman and sophomore playing at Tennessee Eli would

spend many of his middle school weekends traveling from New Orleans to Knoxville. In high school Eli would usually play Friday nights and get to Peyton's college games on Saturdays.

At Tennessee you'd have one off week a year I'd go back to New Orleans to watch him play a high school game Peyton said. In the NFL you have one off week a year where was I going Ole Miss games. I didn't get as many of his games as he did mine but I went to every one I could.

When you think about it as brothers you almost always play on the same team. Same high school. You almost have to get to the NFL to play against each other. So you play against each other once every four years or so. You want to win this game but besides that you pull for each other every time.

Peyton Manning will quarterback the visiting Broncos on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford N.J. Eli Manning will quarterback the home team New York Giants. It has been dubbed Manning Bowl III.

Peyton decisively outplayed his younger brother in winning the first two meetings but he was with the Indianapolis Colts then. This series is 0 0 since Peyton joined the Broncos last year.

It's going to be fun to watch said Broncos defensive

The Denver Post's NFL reporters post analysis notes and more on this blog focusing on the Broncos.

tackle Terrance Knighton who as the oldest of four brothers appreciates the Manning brother dynamic. I'll look to see how they interact. Like if Peyton throws a touchdown I'll look at the other sideline to see if Eli reacts. Or if Eli throws a pass and scores Peyton will be probably be like Now I have to do it.

NFL's main attraction

Never in NFL history have two quarterbacks coming off 400 yard passing performances faced each other the next week. The first time will be Sunday when Manning brothers meet. Peyton Manning threw for 462 yards last week in a win against the Baltimore Ravens. Eli Manning threw for 450 yards in a loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

There's a lot of brothers in the league

Mike Klis tackles readers' questions about the Denver Broncos and NFL.

Knighton said. But the fact they're both elite quarterbacks they've both won Super Bowls that's rare.

The Broncos and their fans thought the Sept. 5 game against the Ravens was the most hyped season opener in franchise history. And maybe it was. But no local stage not even New York City can hold the Mannings.

The highest priced ticket on the secondary market for any NFL game this year is Manning vs. Manning. The next highest priced secondary ticket is Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady in New England on Nov. 24. The fourth highest priced ticket is Peyton Manning vs. Andrew Luck and his former Colts in Indianapolis on Oct. 20.

Three of the top four NFL games in demand this season feature Peyton Manning.

Eli Manning is huge in the New York market. But across the NFL landscape no quarterback plays like Peyton.

The first time they met was the most hyped regular season game I've ever been around said Tony Dungy who was Manning's coach with the Colts for the 2006 opener and is now an analyst for NBC's Sunday Night Football telecast. I felt sorry for those guys. They tried to make it about the Colts and the Giants. But it wasn't.

All in the family

The stereotypical brotherly relationships can be distinguished by age proximity. Broncos tight end Julius Thomas has two younger brothers. Marcus who is two years younger was always trying to get under my skin.

Trenton Thomas though is 10 years younger.

I was like an authority figure for him Julius said. I'd make his cereal make sure he got this taken care of I'd drive him places. I'd watch him.

At five years apart Peyton and Eli have a mix of both. Separated by enough years where older brother would look out for kid brother. Close enough where big brother and little brother would battle.

In the days prior to Eli's second Super Bowl with the Giants again versus the Patriots only this time in Indianapolis following the 2011 season the younger brother talked about how Peyton would torture him by pinning him down and knocking his knuckles on his chest until Eli could name the 12 SEC schools.

I was the middle child and anything Cooper my older brother did to me I felt like I had to do to my younger brother Peyton said. That's only fair right

When Eli hosted Saturday Night Live in April 2012 there was a skit where he threw a kid in the back of a trunk and yelled Treat your little brother with some respect Peyton Even though the kid wasn't Peyton.

I guess that could have been a little built up anger Eli said lightheartedly in a conference call with the Denver media last week.

At his locker Friday Peyton Manning reflected more seriously. This was Peyton the big brother who wanted nothing but the best for his little brother in the Super Bowls. One hundred percent of Peyton Manning will want to beat Eli and the Giants on Sunday. But even if he didn't say it there may be a percentage that hopes Eli plays well.

I'm proud of him Peyton said. It will be an honor to share the field with him. This could be the last time. Long after he and I finish playing we will have a memory somewhere near of these games.

Articles Source here