It wasn’t that long ago that Drew Brees was unsure about his future as a NFL quarterback. He was the odd man out when the San Diego Chargers drafted Philip Rivers out of North Carolina State and coming off of surgery to repair a tear in his throwing shoulder. New Orleans Saints’ first year coach Sean Payton convinced the team’s management to ‘roll the dice’ on Brees and they clearly ‘hit their point’. Brees has become one of the league’s most productive and consistent quarterbacks and has broken numerous league passing records.
You can add another record to his resume–Brees threw four touchdown passes in the Saints victory over the San Diego Chargers, the first of which went 40 yards to Devery Henderson late in the first quarter. This gave him a touchdown pass in 48 consecutive games, breaking the record set by Johnny Unitas in the late 1950′s. The game was a ‘must win’ for New Orleans who had started the season with an 0-4 record but can now go into the bye week with a victory in the books as they reassess their situation.
The NFL had given permission for some of the Saints’ suspended coaches and executives–namely Payton, GM Mickey Loomis and Interim Head Coach Joe Vitt–to attend the game. That–along with the matchup against Brees’ former team–made it a perfect setting for the record breaking effort. Or, as he put it:
“I guess you really couldn’t have written a better script.”
Brees got to spend a few moments with Payton, Loomis and Vitt after the game. He talked about Peyton, who is suspended for the season:
“It was great to see him. He looks good. Obviously, I felt like this night wouldn’t have been the same without him in the building. And Mickey Loomis and Joe Vitt — to have all those guys (here) and to spend a little time with them, to share in the historic moment, was special.”
With the record behind him the focus returns to reviving the Saints’ season. Pegged as a Super Bowl contender before the start of the 2012 campaign the New Orleans’ defense has been among the worst in the league. The offense has played relatively well, but not well enough to overcome the porous stop unit.
