FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The reviews came quickly and unanimously.
"Brady's Better!" the crowd chanted midway through the fourth quarter.
"I stunk," Peyton Manning said minutes after struggling through the 16th meeting between two of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
All that was true Sunday in the meeting between the AFC's two top teams.
Tom Brady outplayed Manning and the New England Patriots won 43-21 for their fifth straight victory, ending the Denver Broncos' winning streak at four.
The lopsided loss by the favored Broncos was a surprise. Another Brady victory over Manning in Foxborough wasn't.
Manning is 0-4 at New England over the past five seasons. The Patriots have won their past 14 home games, the longest current streak in the NFL, and 34 in a row over AFC teams.
"The crowd didn't play," Broncos defensive tackle Terrance Knighton said. "It is 11-on-11 and their 11 played better."
Make that 22.
The Patriots (7-2) were better on offense, especially when converting on third and fourth downs. And they were better on defense, holding the Broncos (6-2) to their second lowest points total of the season.
"We knew if we executed well how the game would turn out, so we weren't surprised," New England defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said. "It wasn't about Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. It was about making sure we knew what we're doing."
Brady threw for 333 yards, four touchdowns and his first interception in five games. Manning piled up 438 yards passing, most after the Broncos trailed 27-7 at halftime, with two touchdown passes and two interceptions.
"The quarterback stinks, usually you're not going to win many games," Manning said. "I don't make any excuses."
Brady is 11-5 against Manning with one of those losses coming last season in the AFC title game.
"He has always set a real high bar for how to play and I have tried to do the same through my efforts with my team," Brady said about Manning. "The only thing I really care about is the respect from my team, going out there and trying to earn it. "
