The AFC Championship between the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots certainly doesn't lack for compelling storylines.

The conference's top two seeds? Check. The league's most dominant defense vs. one of the NFL's best quarterbacks? Check. Two Hall of Fame signal callers adding yet another chapter to their epic rivalry? Check. A trip to Super Bowl 50 at stake? Check.

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning will meet on the field Sunday for the 17th time overall, the fifth time in the postseason and the fourth time in a conference championship. Brady owns the bragging rights in the head-to-head series with an 11-5 advantage in their previous 16 matchups. But it's a different tune in the postseason, where they've split their four contests and Manning has won two of the three times they've squared off in the AFC title game.

While the names on the back of the jerseys might be the same as they were in their first meeting a decade and a half ago, Brady-Manning XVII is far different from the previous versions and likely won't be the pure quarterback duel it once was.

The 38-year-old Brady remains an elite, MVP-caliber quarterback and continues to be the engine that drives the Patriots' prolific and efficient offense. Manning, who will turn 40 in March, is nowhere near the same guy he was in his prime as injuries and age have turned him into a shell of his former self. No longer able to carry the team with his arm, he is now forced to rely on his teammates more than ever to win games.

Playing on this big of a stage is business as usual for Brady, who is appearing in his 10th conference championship game. That number is not only the most appearances by any quarterback in the Super Bowl era (and three more than Joe Montana), but it's also more than 27 franchises.

He has excelled in these pressure-filled games, going 6-3 with a Super Bowl berth on the line. However, that breaks down to a 1-2 record vs. Manning-led teams and 5-1 vs. everyone else. Another ugly statistical note working against Brady is his six losses in eight games played in Denver, his worst winning percentage in any AFC city. He has never won a postseason contest at Mile High, losing in the 2013 AFC Championship and the 2005 Divisional round.

Despite enduring a miserable 2-4 skid in their final six regular season contests, Brady has the Patriots one win away from playing for the franchise's ninth ring. If they get to Santa Clara, the Pats would break a tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys for the most Super Bowl appearances in NFL history.

The Broncos might enter this title game showdown with the lesser quarterback, but they do have a superior defense and a never-say-die mentality that has helped them win plenty of close games this season. They topped the defensive leaderboards in total yards per game, passing yards per game, and sacks while ranking fourth in points allowed. Denver's defense also contributed five touchdowns, a number surpassed by only two other teams.

With such a limited offense, the margin for error has been razor-thin for the Broncos this season and that's led to a slew of tightly contested matchups. They've thrived in these pressure-filled settings, going 9-3 during the regular season in games decided by seven points or fewer -- the most such victories in the league -- and 3-0 in overtime. Gary Kubiak's club was at its best in crunch time, leading the NFL with five fourth-quarter comeback wins.

With two legends looking to add to their Hall of Fame credentials, an enticing chess match between the NFL's ultimate game planner (Bill Belichick) and the league's most dominant defense, plus a trip to Super Bowl 50 on the line, this should be a fantastic game to kick off Championship Sunday.

How to watch

When: 3:05 p.m. ET

Where: Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver

TV: CBS

Commentators: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Tracy Wolfson

Online: Verizon NFL Mobile