OT: Congrats Drew Brees
Drew Brees and the Saints clinched the NFC South with a 45-16 thrashing of the Falcons. In the game Brees threw for 307 yards and on his last throw a 9 yard touchdown broke the NFL SIngle Season passing record. The record was Marino's for over 20 years. Brees now has 5,087 yards.
Congrats to him.
Also of note is that even witht he NFL being a passing league and the record from a different era, Brees has another game to further his own record.
Other ramifications of the game: The Lions can get the 5th seed in the playoffs now with a win or an ATL loss and avoid having to play the Saints or 49ers in the first round.
December 27th, 2011 at 12:27 AM ^
Extremely classy guy, and I'm happy for him.
However, I do think this shows how increbible that 84 season was for Marino. Brees had to throw about 55 more times with rules much more advantegous to the passing game to break the record. If you really stop to think it about, it only makes that 84 season that much more impressive.
December 27th, 2011 at 1:27 AM ^
favors offensive players but the defensive schemes that QBs has to face are far more diverse and complex than in '84. That makes it a wash. Throw in NFL players who are much bigger, stronger and faster than 27 years ago only adds to the difficulty.
December 27th, 2011 at 3:57 AM ^
December 27th, 2011 at 12:46 AM ^
Congrats to Brees.
On another note, our very own Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. will pass Marino's number next week when the Patriots take on the Bills. I don't think that he will pass Brees, since Brees's Saints will need to win to have a shot at getting the #2 seed (SF plays at the same time, and if SF wins, they get the #2 seed). Just thought that that was interesting and worth sharing.
December 27th, 2011 at 2:08 AM ^
Brady goes for 425 and he could very well do it. You know that they're going to try.
December 27th, 2011 at 2:25 AM ^
Brady might need 500. I don't think Carolina's defense can stop Brees and the Saints offense at the Superdome, especially if they're going to get all those calls. I think Cam Newton can create more and may be keep him off the field longer than Matt Ryan because of his legs, but don't know how much he can actually do.
I do think Brady will drop a crooked number. Whenever the Patriots have lost to a rival team early in the season, they've come back with something to prove. I could totally see Brady, Gronkowski, Welker, Hernandez, and Branch tearing Buffalo a new asshole. It might be very very close.
December 27th, 2011 at 1:34 AM ^
Congrats to Brees, but I was really hoping Brady would be the first to break it.
December 27th, 2011 at 3:36 AM ^
I just realized Jamie Morris holds the NFL record for rushing atts in a game @ 45.
Butch Woolfolk is tied for 2nd with 43. All hail 3 yards and a cloud of dust!
edit: noticed this while looking for Brady's career stats. Odd that the 3 of the 5 rb's I believed to be the most talented all had early career ending injuries (Tshimanga, Perry, Hart in order).
December 27th, 2011 at 6:01 AM ^
I would put Wheatley and Anthony Thomas ahead of your three.
December 27th, 2011 at 6:12 AM ^
I would put Biakabutuka ahead of Thomas.
December 27th, 2011 at 7:33 AM ^
as well.
December 27th, 2011 at 12:38 PM ^
They certainly had longer pro careers. They also weren't as good as the 3 guys above at making people miss, which evidently is a skill I'm biased toward.
That said, Leroy Hoard was one of my favorite Michigan RB's of all time and running people over was a specialty. He had a good pro career and is one of my top 5. Wheatley being there as well.
December 27th, 2011 at 2:13 PM ^
he did say "3 of the 5" so maybe thomas and wheatley are up there for him, too. They just didn't suffer career-ending injuries in the NFL.
December 27th, 2011 at 8:15 AM ^
Don't let Brees' accomplishments fool you, he's too short for an NFL QB.
December 27th, 2011 at 9:01 AM ^
December 27th, 2011 at 7:41 PM ^
Brady can't take the NFL pounding, isn't very accurate, can't throw deep, and doesn't throw spirals - hence a 6th rounder at best!.
December 27th, 2011 at 11:26 AM ^
Brees has had a great season don't get me wrong, but Marion in 84 was better(9.0 vs 8.2 YPA) and Rogers has also been just flat out better this year.
December 27th, 2011 at 2:18 PM ^
Aaron Rodgers has been ridiculous this year. He's currently on pace for the best NFL passer rating in history. He also leads the NFL in YPA by a wide margin (9.25 YPA vs Brady's 8.50 YPA).
Definite congrats to Brees for his accomplishment, though. Don't want to take anything away from that.
December 27th, 2011 at 11:44 AM ^
December 27th, 2011 at 1:01 PM ^
Roger Goodell's rules... breaking records like they're nothing. Anyone else think that the NFL is going to be like the NHL, where you have "pre-rule-change" records and "post-rule-change" records? Pretty rediculous that a record which stood for over 25 years will be broken twice in a week... I guess QBs can throw better now that they wear skirts.
December 27th, 2011 at 10:26 PM ^
I was in school when Brees was at Purdue... I use to scalp all my tickets including the Ohio game. But, I made a point to go see the Purdue game because I thought Brees was a special player.
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