The Lead
Hall of Famer Peyton Manning and his brother, two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning, had their share of fun on ESPN's alternate telecast of "Monday Night Football." The back-and-forth affair had plenty of big plays and drama from the first play from scrimmage until the last, and the result was a memorable telecast to go along with a thrilling prime-time game.
The Broncos pulled out a 24-22 win over their hosts, the Buffalo Bills, on kicker Wil Lutz's third game-winning field goal of the season, a 36-yarder as time expired. Even before that, the Mannings livened up the broadcasts with two current athletes, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and skier Lindsey Vonn, along with providing their own unique brand of commentating.
From the beginning of the game, Peyton appeared to have some difficulties in trading in his time with the Broncos for neutrality as a commentator.
The legendary Broncos quarterback exclaimed "our ball" when Denver cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian forced and recovered a fumble on Buffalo's first play from scrimmage, drawing derision from his brother.
"It's been eight years," Eli deadpanned in response.
Mahomes' segment on the show was highlighted by his ability to predict the Broncos' red-zone play-calling, and he quickly identified that Courtland Sutton had two feet inbounds on an incredible touchdown catch before halftime.
The Manning brothers and the show's third guest, Kyle Brandt of NFL Network, had a memorable reaction to the game's unbelievable finish, with all three struggling to comprehend the whirlwind sequence of events that led to Lutz's game-winning boot.
Peyton narrated the Broncos' efforts to line up their field-goal unit before time expired, but he couldn't hide his disappointment when Lutz's first attempt at the game-winner veered wide right. When the Bills were penalized for 12 men on the field, all three commentators reclined in shock while the Broncos lined up for their second attempt.
"This game is awesome," Brandt said.
On the next play, Lutz split the uprights to give Denver an unforgettable 24-22 victory, leaving the trio in a daze and Broncos fans ecstatic.
