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First-and-10: Brees' performance vs. Pats could be 'greatest ever'

Words fail to describe how masterful Drew Brees' performance against the Patriots was on Monday night.
But numbers do.
The folks at Cold, Hard Football Facts have crunched the numbers and produced an argument that Brees' five-touchdown manifesto was "the greatest regular-season passing performance in modern NFL history."
And researchers at ProFootballReference.com support the contention.
(Warning: These sites aren't recommended for the "math challenged.")
Yes, statistics can be twisted. And yes, numbers can lie. But it's hard to argue with a couple unearthed by the Cold Hard Football Facts crew:
First, they saliently note that Brees' "perfect game" was the most impressive of the 22 perfect passer efficiency ratings recorded by NFL quarterbacks since 1960. Taking into consideration the opponent, the stage and the stakes, they argue successfully it's the best of the best passing performances in league history.

"And," the blog noted, "perhaps nobody had produced a 'perfect' effort in a game in which he needed to play near flawlessly to prove that he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the greats of the game."
That's a great point.
Brees needed to rise to the occasion and did, in magnificent fashion.
Another staggering number: Brees' average of 16.1 yards gained per pass attempt. Brees is only the fifth player since 1960 to average more than 16 yards per pass attempt in a game (min. 20 attempts).

Here's the entire list, in chronological order:
--Sonny Jurgensen, Eagles vs. Cowboys (Nov. 25, 1962): 13 of 21 (61.9 percent), 342 yards, 16.3 YPA, 1 TD, 2 INT, 82.0 passer rating.
--Johnny Unitas, Colts vs. Falcons (Nov. 12, 1967): 17 of 20 (85.0 pct), 370 yards, 18.5 YPA, 4 TD 0 INT, 158.3 passer rating.
--Joe Namath, Jets vs. Colts (Sept. 24, 1972)
15 of 28 (53.6 pct), 496 yards, 17.7 YPA, 6 TD, 1 INT, 123.5 passer rating.
--Charley Johnson, Broncos vs. Chiefs (Sept. 21, 1975): 12 of 20 (60.0 pct), 329 yards, 16.5 YPA, 3 TD, 2 INT, 104.2 passer rating.
--Drew Brees, Saints vs. Patriots (Nov. 30, 2009): 18 of 23 (78.3 pct), 371 yards, 16.1 YPA, 5 TD, 0 INT 158.3 passer rating.
That makes Brees the first NFL player in 34 years to average more than 16 yards per attempt and, as noted, three of the four quarterbacks who did it before him are in the Hall of Fame.
In other words, Brees' performance Monday night was nonpareil, as good as quarterbacking gets. I'm not sure everyone who saw it truly appreciates how good it was.

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