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NFL News, Opinion, Top PostsDrew Brees’ 5 best and worst games
EDDIE LEE
NFLPosts.com Editor
With footballs expected to rain (instead of rain) in Miami for the Super Bowl, nflposts.com takes a look at the 5 best and worst games in Drew Brees’ remarkable career.
At 6-feet, Brees was declared too short to be a successful QB in the NFL. He didn’t have a big enough arm. He wasn’t particularly mobile. A 2nd-round draft choice, Brees was essentially chased out of San Diego and spurned as a free agent by Miami despite intriguing success as a young QB.
His 70.6 completion percentage this season is only the best ever, his 5,069 passing yards last season were 15 off Dan Marino’s record. He led the league with a 109.7 passer rating and is the unquestioned leader of the most productive offense in the NFL. So much for labels.
Peyton Manning’s 5 best and worst games
THE BEST
No. 5
Nov. 12, 2006: Steelers 38, Saints 31
A Steel shredder
In Brees’ first year with New Orleans, the Saints walked into the den of the defending champs and refused to yield until the very end, despite 3 lost fumbles and a 213-yard rushing day by the Steelers’ Willie Parker. They were down 14-0 in the first quarter but came back to take the lead. Even when the Steelers scored to make it 38-24, the game wasn’t decided until Saints WR Terrance Copper fumbled at the Steelers’ 25 with 39 seconds left. At the heart of this gut-check loss was Brees, completing 31-of-47 for 398 yards and a TD. Almost 400 on Blitzburgh? It was a sign of things to come. The next week he would drop 510 on the Bengals.
No. 4
Nov. 24, 2008: Saints 51, Packers 29
Tomorrow I’ll be perfect
The Saints scored on 8 (7 TDs and a FG) of their first 10 possessions against the third-ranked pass defense coming into the game — they punted after a 3-and-out on their first possession and had Lance Moore attempt a pass that was picked off deep in Packers territory in the third quarter. Otherwise, it was the Drew Brees show. And he was nearly perfect, completing 20-of-26 for 323 yards and 4 TDs that included twin 70-yard scoring strikes to Moore and Marques Colston.
No. 3
Nov. 30, 2009: Saints 38, Patriots 17
A perfect 9
Of the Saints’ first 13 wins to start the season, none stood out more than the Monday night demolition of Bill Belichick’s Patriots. The team was looking for league-wide respect. A rabid Superdome crowd was looking for a jolt. Brees provided both with the first perfect passer rating of his career, finishing 18-of-23 for 371 yards and 5 TDs. That’s right Kurt Warner, 5 incompletions and 5 TDs against a Belichick unit. The Saints actually trailed 7-3 after the first quarter. Over the next two and half quarters, Brees released the hounds, WRs Colston, Devery Henderson and Robert Meacham. They all caught TDs and combined for 306 yards. Safe to say, the Patriots just weren’t the same after the Beatdown in the Big Easy.
No. 2
Jan. 21, 2007: Bears 39 Saints 14
A Brees in the Windy City
In the snow, sleet and cold of Chicago’s Soldier field, the Saints first post-Katrina season in New Orleans ended with a frozen whimper. However, reaching the NFC title game a year after a 3-13 term, which included no Superdome dates because of the hurricane, was nothing short of a miracle. At the heart of this renaissance stood Brees, who finished 27-of-49 for 354 yards 2 TDs and 1 INT in the Saints first ever. An impressive showing against a Monsters of the Midway D that also forced 3 fumbles.
No. 1
Jan. 16, 2010: Saints 45, Cardinals 14
A half to remember
The game will be remembered for Reggie Bush’s pyrotechnics but behind his flashy 2 TDs (46-yard run, 83-yard punt return) was a dazzling half effort by Brees. The expectations going into the game were that Brees and Kurt Warner would stage a playoff shootout like the one Warner won the week before, 51-48 in OT over Green Bay. Well, Brees held up his end of the bargain, putting up 5 TDs before halftime as the Saints jumped out to 35-7 lead. Brees would finish with a “modest” 23-of-32 for 247 yards and 3 TDs, the majority of which was compiled in the first half.
THE WORST
No. 5
Oct. 27, 2003 Dolphins 26, Chargers 10
A pine time player
In his second full season as a starter, Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer benched Brees for 5 games in favor of 41-year-old Doug Flutie. This loss to the Dolphins was the last full game for Brees prior to the benching. Two of his first four passes were intercepted and turned by Miami into a 10-0 lead before the game was five minutes old. Brees would finish 19-of-30 for 190 yards and 3 INTs. Though Brees returned to start the final 3 games of the season, the die was cast. The Chargers drafted Eli Manning and ended up with Philip Rivers as a result of the 4-12 season.
No. 4
Sept. 19, 2004 Jets 34, Chargers 28
The storm before the calm
Brees’ breakthrough season got off to a sluggish start, with two losses in his first three games. The first loss was painful as it was reminiscent of the 2003 season, with 2 INTs leading to 14 Jets points and Flutie mopping up and leading San Diego to a final score. Brees was 8-of-19 for 146 yards and 1 TD and also had a fumble. But thanks to a preseason holdout by Rivers, Brees got an extended audition and finished the season with 3,159 yards, 27 TDs and 7 INTs.
No. 3
Sept 6, 2007: Colts 41, Saints 10
Super Bowl preview?
Coming off the franchise’s first NFC title game appearance, the Saints were hopeful of at least matching the firepower of the Super Bowl champion Colts on the Thursday night season opener. But Brees and the Saints offense misfired all game long and were throttled 31-0 in the second half. The lone TD was scored by the defense and Brees finished 28-of-41 for 192 yards, with 2 INTs and a fumble.
No. 2
Sept. 24, 2007: Titans 31, Saints 14
Pleading the fourth
The Saints’ and Brees’ post NFC title game hangover hit a low point against Tennessee on Monday night. The Saints trailed 17-14 going into the fourth quarter before Brees turned into a turnover machine. He was sacked and fumbled on the first play of the quarter, and finished the next three drives with interceptions, one of which was returned for a TD. Brees ended up 29-of-45 for 225 yards and 4 INTs. The Saints, at 0-3, would lose their next game as well before finishing a disappointing 8-8.
No. 1
Dec. 31, 2005 Broncos 23 Chargers 7
A fateful injury
Outside of the meagre stats, the game was pivotal for Brees in many ways. After being retained as a franchise player after the 2004 season, this was his last game as a Charger. A dislocated shoulder suffered while attempting to recover his fumble in a meaningless game lowered his value as a free agent, enough that Miami opted for Daunte Culpepper and let Brees go to New Orleans. His final line: 8-of-14 for 68 yards.
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