Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

However, it sounds like it has come down to the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos, and that is according to Bill Simmons of ESPN and Grantland. The Boston-based writer did break the Randy Moss trade, and Simmons is a reliable source for big information regarding the Patriots, in my opinion. It make sense for the Broncos and Patriots- two contenders with elite quarterbacks whose schemes fit Welker- to be the final two teams for Welker.

All the stuff about Welker getting low-balled by the Pats seems to be agent-driven, but it is true that the Pats and Welker broke off extensions yesterday and were, per the Boston Herald, “miles apart”. If the Broncos do land Welker, then they will be stacked as an offense with Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Welker, and Jacob Tamme as the weapons surrounding Manning.

The thought of it makes me sick to my stomach. I think the Patriots have a better chance at signing Welker than the Broncos do, and it would be a slap in the face if Welker really did sign with the Broncos. I actually hope Simmons is wrong here about it coming down to the Broncos and Patriots, but that’s only if the Patriots are still in it. It’s good to hear that the Pats still have a good chance at re-signing Welker, but all this drama surrounding him continues to make me fear the worst.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.

Oct 7, 2012; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) shakes hands with Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) following the game at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots defeated the Broncos 31-21. Mandatory Credit: Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL Playoffs have arrived. That usually means twelve teams embarking on a quest for a championship. For two men, however, that quest could end with a title that lasts for more than one season.

From living rooms to bar rooms, blogs to water coolers, a popular conversation in regard to football is “Who is the greatest quarterback of all-time?” Most of the time, the same names are tossed around: Montana, Unitas, Elway, Marino, Favre, Manning and Brady. Sure, guys like Bradshaw and Aikman are often thrown into the mix by Steeler and Cowboy die-hards, only to be written off because of the talent they had around them.

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning both have legitimate cases to end that conversation this postseason.

In the case of Manning, he already has two Super Bowl appearances and one ring to go with his Marino-like stats and Favre-like longevity. If he walked away from the game today, he’d be No. 4 all-time in passer rating, No. 2 all-time in touchdown passes, No. 5 all-time in completion percentage, No. 2 all-time in game-winning drives and the all-time leader in fourth quarter comebacks. A Super Bowl win this season would make him the only quarterback in NFL history to win a Super Bowl as a starting quarterback for two different franchises.

This season could be the crown jewel of Manning’s career. He alone was the difference in transforming a team that backed into the playoffs as a Wild Card in 2011 into the No.1 overall seed in AFC Playoffs this year. He accomplished that feat after what many (including myself) assumed was a career-ending neck surgery.

As far as Tom Brady goes, a Super Bowl win this year would be his fourth, tying Bradshaw and Montana for the most all-time. It would also mark his sixth Super Bowl appearance, separating his total as most all-time ahead of John Elway’s five.

Like Manning, Brady’s stats are among the best ever. He is currently No. 9 all-time in passing yards, No. 5 in touchdown passes, third in passer rating, ninth in completion percentage, fifth in game-wining drives, and ninth in fourth quarter comebacks.

Another Super Bowl win or even appearance for Brady would be all the more impressive considering the roster turnover since he took his first snap as a Patriot. He is the last remaining player on New England’s roster from the Patriots’ first Super Bowl win in 2002. He, Vince Wilfork and Deion Branch are the last remaining players on the roster from New England’s last Super Bowl win in 2005.

Coaching turnover hasn’t exactly been on Brady’s side either. He has been called a “system quarterback” by some of his critics. I have to ask “what system?” He’s had three Super Bowl appearances with Charlie Weis as his offensive coordinator. He’s had one with Josh McDaniels (whose system is different than Weis’), and one (2011) in Bill O’Brien’s tight end-oriented scheme. McDaniels has Brady on the brink of another.

There goes that argument.

So as these playoffs get rolling and the twelve teams battle it out for the game’s top prize, don’t forget what is arguably at stake for Brady and Manning. If they meet in a couple of weeks for the AFC Championship like many expect them to, it could be the most watched non-Super Bowl game in NFL history, and for good reason.

The winning quarterback could be one game away from giving us all one less topic to debate over a cold one.

Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

Adrian Peterson and Aaron Rodgers are two NFC North superstars who round out the top five, with the Green Bay Packers QB garnering just under 1,000 more votes than the Minnesota Vikings feature back.

Even though this isn’t a big thing, it’s still annoying to see that fans are selecting Manning at a higher rate than Brady. It’s pretty apparent to me that Brady has been the best QB in the NFL this season, even if Manning is second to him. Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan  are in some combination of third and fourth (Ryan has leveled off so I’d put Rodgers ahead of him), and Ben Roethlisberger would be up there with them had he not been slowed by the injury. In fact, the rib injury has shown Big Ben’s value to this team.

Peyton Manning has had a great year thus far, but Brady has been better by pretty much every metric. He leads in ESPN’s TQBR, in EPA, interception percentage, and adjusted yards per attempt. He also has more passing yards, a higher passer rating, and a higher average of yards per completion than Manning.

I wish that the Pro Bowl voting was constructed so that right tackles and left tackles would be differentiated, so Sebastian Vollmer’s path would be set (best RT in the league this year by far). I mean, there is obviously a big difference in being a LT than a RT. Mankins doesn’t belong in the Pro Bowl this year, but Mayo and Gronk definitely do. Gronk is easily the best TE in the league, and both Mayo and his partner-in-crime Brandon Spikes have been excellent this season.

Devin McCourty, Ryan Wendell, Wes Welker, and Stevan Ridley also deserve to be in the Pro Bowl. Put Chandler Jones on the watch list as well.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.