 "Photo: AP")
Drew Brees is the best signal caller in the NFL this year. Is there anyone who can argue against the MVP award ending up in the Big Easy?
Against the Atlanta Falcons, Brees shredded the secondary for 349 yards and two touchdowns. Both touchdowns came on bombs downfield, one to Devery Henderson for 76 yards and another to Terrance Copper on a 48-yard hail mary before the end of the first half.
Brees has been on a tear the past five games that is unrivaled by anyone in the history of the league. In five games he has thrown for 1,954 yards, the most in a five-game span in NFL history. If he throws for more than 300 yards in his next game, he will tie the record for most 300-yard passing games in a row. His best game during this stretch was Week 11 against the Cincinnati Bengals, where he threw for 510 yards, sixth-most for a single game ever.
Dan Marino's record of 5,084 yards in 1984 may also be in trouble. After Sunday's game Brees has thrown for a total of 3,463 yards, good for second-most through 11 games all-time. Only Rich Gannon in 2002 had a better year, throwing for only 72 more yards than Brees. In addition to the yards he has 19 touchdowns and a passer efficiency rating of 97.8, both are fourth-best in the league.
Of course those numbers are nice, but the best stat he has is in the win-loss column. His New Orleans Saints are 7-4 and lead the NFC South, a division with playoff-caliber teams such as the Carolina Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons. Their lead is slim and with three out of their last five games coming against teams with winning records, the Saints have not wrapped anything up yet.
Brees has benefited from improved play by players all around him. Running back Deuce McAllister and wide receiver Joe Horn are finally healthy, and Reggie Bush has added much versatility to the offense. The trading away of Donte Stallworth could have hurt the receiving core, but Devery Henderson and rookie Marques Colston have handled the load better than any veterans could have. All of these guys have complemented Brees so well that as of Monday the team is the league leader in total offense.
There is no one who shows more resiliency in game than Brees. His will to fight through adversity in this league is unparalleled. In San Diego he was criticized early on for not producing wins, which led to the drafting of Philip Rivers. Brees then proceeded to have his best year to date, catapulting him to the Pro Bowl. San Diego then had to choose between the two quarterbacks, and Brees' injured shoulder apparently led to his dismissal. And after all that, he has a year like this one. When his critics think they have something to get him on, he shuts them up pretty quick.
So barring a total meltdown in the next five games, Brees should be holding up his MVP trophy at the end of the year. Of course, when I have praised or bashed a quarterback in the past, they seem to prove me wrong the following week.
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