Peyton Prevails

Unless they meet again in the postseason, this was the last Manning Bowl.

No less an authority than Peyton Manning says so, and why not: Peyton is 3-0 against younger brother Eli in regular-season games after Denver’s 41-23 rout Sunday of the New York Giants.

“I think both of us are glad that it’s over with,” Peyton said after throwing for two touchdowns. “Postseason is one thing, but I don’t think I’ll make it to the next regular season (meeting, in four years). I think this’ll be the end of it. So I’ll be happy about that. And the family will.”

Big brother didn’t need another record-tying seven touchdown passes. He got this win with a huge boost from Knowshon Moreno, who rushed for two touchdowns and 93 yards on just 13 carries. Denver (2-0), which has won 13 straight regular-season games, ran for 109 yards altogether.

With Manning finding Wes Welker and Julius Thomas for touchdowns, and Moreno scoring on sprints down the right side, Denver dominated much of the matchup between Super Bowl MVP quarterbacks; Eli has won two titles, Peyton one. The older Manning’s first two victories against his sibling came when Peyton was with the Colts.

“For me, it’s a strange feeling,” Peyton said. “It’s not quite as enjoyable as if you beat somebody else.”

Peyton finished 30-of-43 for 307 yards with no interceptions. Eli was 28-of-39 for 362 yards, but was picked off four times; he had 15 interceptions all of last season and has seven already this year.

After the rout, the brothers shared a very short handshake while surrounded by a mob of photographers and TV cameras. They had exchanged their greetings before the kickoff.

“We chatted for 10 minutes, nothing specific, just brotherly talk,” Eli said. “After that, there wasn’t a whole lot of brotherly interaction.”

-USA Today