Ranking Peyton Manning's career Super Bowl opponents
Peyton Manning steered the Denver Broncos past the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game, advancing to the Super Bowl for the fourth time in his career.
During his career, Manning's faced some of the best teams of all time in the playoffs.
Here are Manning's four career Super Bowl opponents ranked from strongest to weakest.
4. 2006 Chicago Bears
Chicago finished with a conference-best 13-3 record but the well-rounded club ultimately lacked enough star power to trump Manning's Indianapolis Colts.
The Bears finished second in scoring offense (26.6 points per game) despite boasting a largely nondescript group at all the skill positions. Chicago also finished third in scoring defense (15.9 points allowed per game) led by Pro Bowl linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs.
Manning took the Colts to a 29-17 victory over the Bears in Super Bowl XLI, capturing game MVP honors after going 25-of-38 for 247 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Chicago ultimately succumbed to its lack of upper-echelon talent as quarterback Rex Grossman struggled immensely against a decidedly average Colts defense.
Current Panthers head coach Ron Rivera served as the Bears' defensive coordinator in that game, so perhaps luck will strike twice for Manning and company.
3. 2009 New Orleans Saints
New Orleans won its first 13 games of the 2009 season before sliding into cruise control and dropping its final three regular season contests. The prevailing impression of the Saints' identity may be an erratic group that was able to dial up their intensity at a moment's notice.
The Saints finished the season ranked first in total offense and scoring offense (31.8 points per game), with Drew Brees completing 70.6 percent of his passes for 34 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. However, the Saints weren't nearly as well-rounded as the teams ahead of them on this list, finishing 25th in total defense and 20th in scoring defense (21.3 points allowed per game).
During Super Bowl XLIV, the Saints delivered their most complete performance of the year. Brees was masterful, going 32-of-39 for 288 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions en route to Super Bowl MVP honors, while Tracy Porter returned an errant Manning pass 74 yards for a touchdown to seal a 31-17 victory.
2. 2015 Carolina Panthers
With a league-best 15-1 record and two statement victories in the playoffs, the Carolina Panthers established themselves as the premier team in the NFC.
Cam Newton is the leading MVP candidate after scoring a league-high 45 rushing touchdowns. Operating as an excellent pocket passer and power back, Newton's versatility makes him impossible to plan for. Aided by running back Jonathan Stewart, the Panthers will be try to wear out the Broncos' top-ranked defense with a potent ground attack.
Luke Kuechly is proving to be the best cover linebacker since Derrick Brooks, and became the first player to return interceptions for touchdowns in consecutive playoff games on Sunday. The Panthers' defense can attack in a number of ways, and features three Defensive Player of the Year candidates in Kuechly, cornerback Josh Norman, and defensive tackle Kawann Short.
Boasting an NFL-high 10 Pro Bowl selections, the Panthers could ultimately supplant the Seahawks as Manning's toughest Super Bowl opponent.
1. 2013 Seattle Seahawks
Billed as a matchup between the Broncos' record-setting offense and the Seahawks' top-ranked defense, Super Bowl XLVIII was supposed to be a game for the ages. Instead, on the strength of its elite defense, Seattle routed Denver 43-8 in a masterclass performance.
The Seahawks finished first in scoring defense (14.4 points per game) and yards per game (273.6) and led the NFL with 39 takeaways. Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, and Byron Maxwell were dubbed the "Legion of Boom," and the Seahawks' prolific secondary made it impossible for Manning to find space to attack.
On the other side of the ball, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and running back Marshawn Lynch commandeered an underrated offense that stomped the Broncos into submission. Returning to the Super Bowl the following year, the Seahawks flexed their staying power as a new-school juggernaut.