The quarterbacks are the most important players on the football field. And when the New England Patriots meet the New York Giants on Super Bowl Sunday, it will be New England with the superior quarterback.

Tom Brady has taken a major step toward challenging Joe Montana’s place as the consensus Best QB Ever. Brady threw a league-record 50 TD passes this year and posted a passer rating of 117.2. His previous career high was 92.6. Eli Manning has yet to come close to that level of achievement. In fact, his numbers are regressing. Manning threw 23 TD passes and 20 interceptions in 2007 with a QB rating of 73.9, the worst of his three full seasons in the NFL.

At some point, Manning has the potential to be spoken of in the same breath as his brother Peyton. That point has not arrived yet. Brady was ready fresh out of the box; he’ll earn his fourth ring on Sunday.