Restaurant Associates is playing on Super Bowl mania by serving up a pair of custom burgers designed to stoke fans’ competitive natures.  

The dueling delicacies pay tribute to the chief playmakers on the top NFL teams this season, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning and Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch. Each of the featured burgers ($7.95 a pop) is supposed to be a carbon copy of novelty eats developed in each team’s respective hometowns, though RA appears to have again dropped the ball a bit.  

The “Beast Burger” is modeled after the “Beast Mode” concessions served at Seattle’s CenturyLink Field.  

The original is forged from two hamburger patties, ham, twin slices of bacon, cheddar cheese, onion rings, lettuce, tomato, red onion and a signature side of Skittles (Lynch’s go-to sweet).  

The American Grill menu says something to the same effect (no mention of ham), but does not deliver on those promises.

First of all, there was only a single beef patty in the sandwich. Whether the second patty was set aside for inclusion in the companion “cheeseburger soup” (good amount of carrot and celery; could have used some onion) remains open to debate, but that was far from the worst part about the sandwich. The thing is just so dreadfully dry. From the stiff potato roll to the overcooked beef, each bite was tough and unforgiving (stale onion rings didn’t help).  

The “Peyton Burger” takes its cues from a Smashburger-inspired medley of meat, molten blue cheese and hot sauce. (Blue and orange, like the Broncos. Get it?)  

How this is losing out to the Seattle offering — the “Beast Burger” was winning 12 -9 when we visited — is beyond me.  

The Peyton burger is a solid contender.  

The beef is savory, the thick cut pickle chips juicy and sour, the crumbled blue cheese piquant and the pepper sauce deliciously spicy. Add in the crispy French fries and you’ve got an MVP of a meal deal.  

RA will continue tallying orders for its informal poll through Friday.