Saints quarterback Drew Brees has reached an intersection of all-time greatness and continued relevance that is rare for a 37-year old quarterback.
Brees is on the back end of a career that will lead to his eventual enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Yet on Sunday at the Georgia Dome the Falcons still will be most concerned with slowing Brees, same as always during his 11 years with the Saints.
Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, 31, also is playing at a high level and Brees is proof that it’s possible to do so for several more years.
“I’m certainly impressed with his longevity and consistency,” Ryan said Wednesday. “For such a long time and playing at such a high level for as long as he has (it’s) incredibly impressive. He’s extremely dedicated and committed, having gotten to know him throughout my career. Certainly, as a younger guy than he is, you aspire to be playing with that longevity and consistency that he’s played with.”
Advancing age hasn’t seemed to affect the accuracy and quick release that have been Brees signatures for 15 full NFL seasons. Like Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, 39, Brees remains among the elite quarterbacks in the league.
Brees leads the NFL with 4,858 passing yards and his 70.9 completion percentage is second to Minnesota’s Sam Bradford, who averages nearly a yard less per completion. Brees is second to Aaron Rodgers in touchdown passes (35), ranks fourth in quarterback rating and is fifth in yards per completion.
Brees twice has passed for 400 yards this season. He’s tossed four touchdown passes in four games. In the first meeting with the Falcons, Brees passed for 376 yards with three touchdowns and an interception.
After he had six interceptions and no touchdowns in losses to the Lions and Buccaneers, Brees is finishing strong in his 15th full season.
In a road victory against the Cardinals that kept the Saints’ playoff hopes alive Brees went 37-for-48 for 389 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. The Buccaneers visited New Orleans on Sunday desperate for a victory to keep them in the NFC South title hunt and Brees had 299 yards passing and a TD to help send them away with a loss.
“When you think of Drew you think of gunslinger,” Falcons defensive end Dwight Freeney said. “He’s a guy who can sling it, throw it from anywhere, anyhow, put up 48 points without blinking, like it’s nothing. I don’t know how you can say he’s underrated but he is in a way because I think he should get talked about a lot more. What he’s done for that team and that organization, he’s done it for so long.”
Brees ranks third all-time behind Peyton Manning and Brett Favre in several categories, including passing yards (65,761) and touchdowns (463). It’s not just the so-called counting stats that flatter Brees: his career 66.7 completion percentage is best all-time for qualified players.
Brees has been remarkably durable, especially considering his career path was uncertain after he underwent shoulder surgery following the 2005 season. Concerns about the shoulder caused the Dolphins, then coached by Nick Saban, to pass on signing Brees and instead trade for Daunte Culpepper.
The Saints took a chance on Brees, who has missed just two games over 11 seasons with them. Brees recently signed a five-year contract extension and, considering his play, there’s a chance he could still be around for three or four more years if his good injury luck continues.
“He is someone that takes real good care of himself,” Saints coach Sean Payton said. “I think it’s an exception to the rule when you see a Peyton Manning and Tom Brady that are playing maybe later than we are used to. Part of it is today’s education in regards to what helps you stay healthy. All those things, along with (Brees’) athleticism, have really contributed.”
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