Re: Is Brees' streak diminished by era?
 

I think the difference between the two records...and I know a lot of you guys aren't going to like this, but it kinda evens things out because I really don't like Drew the person...is that Unitas probably set the record just going about business, with a TD streak never being his intention.

I think that Drew's first order of business in each game is to keep his
record(s) intact...then worry about doing whatever it takes to win or lose...like run the ball more if needed that day.

I think he should be doing whatever it takes to win a game on any given Sunday and let the records fall or not fall where they may. You can't tell me that every defense in the NFL is more vulnerable against the pass then they are against the run...but every game he throws around 55-60 times, it seems.

Re: Is Brees' streak diminished by era?
 

I do not agree with your opinion but respect it. I seriously think Drew would rather take 4-0 with no record over 0-4 with it. Obviously this cannot ever be verified, but the year Drew had a chance at breaking the season passing yards and the Saints were out of it, he seriously under threw his WR and the record didn't happen. To this day I believe that was intentional.

Re: Is Brees' streak diminished by era?
 

Well, obviously we have no way of really knowing...but I do have one thing supporting my claim, and that is his hold-out. 15, 16...18 million...was not enough. He had to be the highest paid player. That same ego that jumps around hollering...like that's gonna make a difference...is the ego that had to be the highest paid player...and it is the same ego that made the comment of people having to leave due to business (money...or lack of money) is part of playing in the NFL.

I contend that 15 million (a year!) should be more than enough to not only satisfy one persons wants and needs in life...and I mean all of them...but still allow your team to be competitive. JMO, though.

Re: Is Brees' streak diminished by era?
 

Your point is exceptionally valid, and yes, I did too had a very dislike during the Brees contract negotiations. When the contract was done, he absolutely deserved to be the highest paid player in the NFL, no doubt. I seriously get what you are saying about the ego trip, but if you look closer at his contract, it is a very Saints friendly one. One that the Saints can easily cut bait at pretty much anytime and not be put into salary cap hell. It is basically a three year contract, hell could come after the three years is up.

Re: Is Brees' streak diminished by era?
 

First off...I appreciate that you can understand where I am coming from. Secondly...I do agree that he deserves to be the highest paid player. I appreciate what we have accomplished under him.

All I am saying is that if he was as great a guy as he would like us to think he is, then he would've been happy to make a tremendous amount of money...maybe not the most...and still keep as many parts as possible of the machine that helped him bring us to the promised land.

I really am not surprised that he didn't...and if he had, it might have been a 1st for the NFL...but if winning and the team are the highest priority then he would've been content to just be the richest man in La. outside of Benson, and not worried that Peyton Manning is making 19 million...or whatever.

I'm just bitter about the whole thing as you all have probably already noticed.

Re: Is Brees' streak diminished by era?
 

The record stood for 50+ years for damn good reason, it was a great accomplishment. If the changes in the game made that big a difference, you would have seen Montana, Marino, Kelly, et... all challenging that record. If the era mattered so much, why hasn't Brady, Manning or Rodgers come close to the record? Because it's damn hard to do regardless of when you played, that's why.

Nah, nothing takes away from or diminishes Brees breaking this record. It's damn hard to do anything consecutively in professional sports, let alone throw a TD in 47 consecutive games.

Re: Is Brees' streak diminished by era?
 

Actually, no, you are 100% wrong on this -- I get that you like to bash on Brees and his contract, you're just looking for any excuse, but you are dead wrong here. People were well aware of the Unitas streak and the record at the time (especially towards the end) and the final game where he didn't get a TD pass, the Colts were trying like crazy to get one all game long but the other team was shutting the Colts out (couldn't get a TD rushing OR passing all day) and Unitas was freaked out that he couldn't get a TD pass. Unitas' knack for throwing TD passes was celebrated and hyped, in the media, every bit as much as Brees or Brady or Payton is today. (Although there were less media back then, of course). In fact the Colts offense back then was built around Unitas as the star, throwing the ball and breaking records, the same way the Saints are built around Brees today.

Re: Is Brees' streak diminished by era?
 

I was just about to say the same thing.

To add to that, defenses, especially the CB's, are of a very different calibur. They are faster, stronger, and much better than back then. D's in that era were the big giant guys made to stuff the gaps and the run.

Re: Is Brees' streak diminished by era?
 

I don't buy it. The passing yardage I understand, Completion % I understand, the rules have made those more attainable. Not the consecutive TD record, not unless you can show me a game where Drew had 1 TD pass and a changing of the rules made it a TD. Just saying that they throw more does not effect 1 TD in every game, career TDs yes but not 1 TD per game. You could even asterisk multiple TD games but not 1, not when no one is close to him. Brady may be only be 11 behind him... thats 11 games with a TD, not just TDs.

47 games with a TD means that in nearly three full seasons no ones secondary has been able to shut down Drew.

If you could show me anyone close to Brees in present day I would be glad to listen to the rest of your story.

Brett "Gunslinger" Favre got shut down at 36 in 2004.
Brady has an active streak at 36.
Marino made it to 30.
Manning in the same era couldn't get past 27.
and that's it... there are no historical streaks above 30, other than those.
Most consecutive games with a touchdown pass (NFL) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Because it is the Saints. Because it is Drew Brees... Those are the only records people want to asterisk.

Teams with hell of a lot better receivers than we have couldn't touch it.
Montana Rice
Young Rice
Manning Harrison

So if you want to asterisk it... then asterisk it with *Did more with less.

Re: Is Brees' streak diminished by era?
 

My point exactly. I'm getting sick and tired of the media, fans, critics, etc. saying that records today do not mean anything because of the era. Straight bull$%*!. It's mostly guys that grew up in earlier era and still hold on to the notion that their heroes back then are the only real men that played the game and now everyone who plays today are pampered cry babies and could not play back them BLAH, BLAH, BLAH... Stop trying to hold on the the past and embrace the present. Sports in general have moved leaps and bounds since your father's NFL. They are all acting like every player on every team back then was of Hall of Fame caliber. Give me a break. Apparently, Unitas' team was a passing team enough to where he had 47 consecutive games of throwing the ball.

It's all becoming one big "overly used" cliche'.... and yes, I know it's redundant. That's how bad it is!