Drew Brees needs only 441 yards over the next two games to eclipse 5,000 yards passing for the season. Should he do that, it will mark the 9th time in NFL history an NFL QB has done so. He would own 5 of those 9 distinctions, with Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Dan Marino and Matt Stafford each sharing one. Brees is currently #1 in the NFL in both passing yards and passing touchdowns. He’s #4 in rating and he’s #2 in completion percentage. Despite all of these numbers, he was once again snubbed from a Pro Bowl invitation for the second straight season. Brandin Cooks said it best of the omission: “that’s just ridiculous.”
Brees’s current rating of 103.0 would be 4th best in his entire career if the season ended today. He still has an opportunity to end the season with a higher number, depending on how he plays these last two weeks. Only 2009, 2011 and 2013 are better. That also means it’s his best rating in three years. Mind you, while he’s been on this media narrative of a “decline” the last three seasons, his ratings of 97.0, 101.0 and 103.0 have all been higher than his 96.3 career average. But of course, a quarterback’s quality is forever tied to wins. It’s why Dak Prescott is an MVP candidate and it’s why Cam Newton won an MVP. The quarterback on the best team is clearly the best player – despite the unfair reality he’s only responsible for one side of the ball. That part is odd, though, because in Brees’s best years, including one that featured the NFL’s best team record en route to a Super Bowl MVP distinction – they were never good enough to win the league MVP. This “decline” in the last three years has featured a better than career average rating performance throughout (his “average” is Hall of Fame worthy by the way), and it has coincided with defenses that ranked 31st, 31st and 26th overall among a pool of 32 teams respectively. That doesn’t even consider special teams play. Don’t get me started on…
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv5Rb3j6ra8] [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDRuC1SMlZo] [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa2uc5sv0ME]
What happened? I blacked out for a second there. But anyway, forget the other phases of the game which Brees has no control over – this is clearly all the fault of an aging 37 year old quarterback. That’s what the media wants you to believe. It’s lazy.
I’ll highlight just how lazy it is. Just this week, Jason La Canfora was quick to pounce on a slump by Brees. Anytime a small sample size fits the narrative, the talking heads are foaming at the mouth to say “see, I told you so”! Admittedly, his two game 0 touchdown 6 interceptions stretch (which featured 2 dropped routine TDs, and 2 meaningless interceptions on the final drive as the game was already decided) was bad. La Canfora was ready to blast Brees as “spiraling” – despite being in the midst of one of the greatest seasons of his NFL career, stating “[Brees] has thrown nine touchdowns to nine interceptions in New Orleans’ last five games”. Talk about manipulating stats to fit a narrative. Take away the 0 touchdown, 6 interception two game stretch? It was 9 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in the three games preceding it. Yes, it adds up to 9 touchdowns and 9 interceptions – but this was two bad games, not five. And despite that two game stretch, which I fully concede was a low point in Brees’s career with the Saints, he’s still put up an epic season. Imagine if he didn’t struggle during that stretch. Oh and by the way… since then, Brees lit up the #1 defense in the NFL on the road to send them back down to 4th overall, throwing for 389 yards, 4 touchdowns and no interceptions. It’s a good thing he did that, too, since the Saints scored 48 points and that was only enough to win by one possession. It’s a good thing La Canfora posted his article before the Cardinals game, too, before Brees rebounded in a way that wouldn’t allow his story to get traction for a day. I’m picking on Jason here – but this is totally consistent with the periodic attempt by the lazy media that exists out there to infect your mind with uneducated writing to support a lame position without legs. Watch Brees play and look at his numbers and it’s really that simple. It speaks for itself. I could easily point out Tom Brady didn’t throw a touchdown pass this past weekend and it’s a clear sign he’s done. But no one is that stupid… right?
When you watch these last two weeks that all but assuredly will be meaningless as the Saints hang on to their playoff chances by a thread – remember how full of shit the media is (mostly national). I’m not supposed to write profanity on this site and I never have before – maybe I’ll get in trouble for that. But this feels like the right time to risk it. Remember how dumb those fans are that argue it’s time to move on because Brees is “limited” and has an inflated “cap killer” contract. That is so obtuse. The truth is Brees is a victim of his environment. A defense that has been catastrophically bad – to the point that they’ve been in the discussion as all time worst units the last couple of years. His head coach and his general manager have failed to build around him. What we’ve seen is elite performance wasted and we’re seeing it again this year. Remember that when you watch the last two games of another Brees season to remember. One that you will likely never see again from a Saints passer in your lifetime when he’s gone.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
