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The Saints' offense has slowed down a bit in their last two games after a dizzying start, yet even after a bye in Week Five, New Orleans is still ranked third in total points with 144, leaving it just 12 points behind the Vikings' league-best mark.

PFW recently spoke with the leader of the Saints' offense and team, QB Drew Brees, in a wide-ranging interview. Brees threw nine TD passes and two interceptions in the first two games of the season and his 14,941 passing yards since 2006 are by far the most by any quarterback in that span. We quickly learned, however, that gaudy statistics are not a priority for Brees. After missing the postseason in each of the past two seasons, the 30-year-old has his eye on a championship run.

PFW: Your team is off to a 4-0 start, but a lot of people are talking about your touchdown-less streak of two games because you haven't gone that long without throwing a TD since early in the 2007 season. Have defenses found the secret to stopping to you? How do you explain what has happened over the past couple games?

Brees: Well, we won the first game that I didn't throw a touchdown pass in by 20 points against a good Buffalo team and then we won this last game that I didn't throw a touchdown pass in by 14 points against an undefeated Jets team. So, quite honestly, I don't care if I throw a touchdown pass or not if we're winning games like that. Whatever I can do to help. I just think it's a product of our thought process offensively of putting more of an emphasis on running the football. For whatever reason, we've thrown the ball a couple times to get it down inside the 5-yard line and we just decided to run it in, you know. Maybe everybody plays the pass so much that it's giving us an opportunity to be real effective in the run game, but like I said, I don't look much into statistics, because obviously we're 4-0 right now and that's all that matters.

PFW: I would think it feels like you have less on your shoulders this season since the defense looks so much better and the running game has improved as well. Does it feel like you're shouldering a little less of a burden?

Brees: Well, you know, I think the fact that the defense is playing the way that they are and we've been able to run the ball the way that we have, that's been great. That does so much for, I think, the overall team and our ability to win football games just because defensively, not only have we been stopping teams, but we've been getting turnovers, creating opportunities for the offense. And, obviously, the run game just helps create balance for the pass game and vice versa.

PFW: You've made it very clear that you weren't satisfied with missing the playoffs in each of the past two seasons. What did you gain from those experiences that has helped you this season?

Brees: The ability just to finish games. And understanding really in the end what wins games and what loses games. Turning the football over, for example, loses games and the ability to get turnovers from the defense wins games. Also just some of the games that we lost had just one play here or there at the end. For example, last year we finished 8-8, but (five) out of those eight games we lost by three points or less. So, we were right there and yet there were just one or two things here or there if we could have just have gone a different a way — our way — then we would've won those games. It just goes to show you there's a fine line between winning and losing in this league and just making sure you do all those little things to make sure you end up on the winning side.

PFW: Pierre Thomas has had a pretty nice last six quarters, gaining 258 yards. Do you think he has reestablished himself as the lead back after struggling with an injury early in the season?

Brees: I think he's doing really well. I think Mike Bell's doing really well, but he's been out for the last two weeks. I think both those guys made a big statement. Coming into the season, if Pierre had been healthy he would've been our No. 1 guy. I think every team now needs at least two (backs). If you look around the league, every solid rushing attack has at least two guys because it's such a physically demanding position. That's really what you need to kind of survive.

PFW: A lot of people were disappointed with Jeremy Shockey last season after he didn't score a touchdown, but he has a pair of them already this season. What are your thoughts on his improvement this season?

Brees: I've been really impressed with Shockey and his ability to … his practice habits. He works extremely hard in practice. He's a guy who's very much full speed all the time. I think there's just a fire and passion for the game of football with him that's somewhat infectious. It's fun to watch him catch a ball and get excited. I think he adds a great element to our offense.

PFW: There has been a lot made of how well you and Sean Payton get along and the great partnership you've formed in New Orleans since '06. Why were you guys able to form such a bond?

Brees: I think he's a great coach. He's got a great offensive mind. We think very much alike. We're constantly communicating throughout the week as far as the type of defense we're going against and our game plan and just how we want to tweak it. I think he's got a very aggressive mentality on game day, which I love. He just gives you a lot of confidence playing for him.

PFW: You guys don't agree on everything do you?

Brees: For the most part we do, but yeah, of course we have those times when we get together and discuss things and maybe his opinion is different than mine, but very rarely because I think that we find that a lot of times if we sit there and watch the film, the film doesn't lie. We do get along, I mean we do agree so much of the time, and obviously we're very much on the same page by the time the game rolls around.

PFW: You've become so ingrained as a part of the community in New Orleans and I'm wondering if you could ever see yourself playing in a different NFL city after all you've been through since signing in 2006.

Brees: I want to stay here the rest of my career.

PFW: Has there been any discussion with the team about making that a reality with a new deal? (Brees' contract expires after the 2011 season).

Brees: No, we're just focusing on the season. That's it.

PFW: You've been very involved with the USO and have visited troops overseas several times. Do you keep in touch with any of the soldiers you've met?

Brees: A lot of them write me letters and occasionally I trade e-mails with them and that kind of thing. It's fun to see these guys and talk to them occasionally to just kind of catch up and see how things are going. Obviously they're all big football fans, so they follow the season and they get all jacked up when we win and we're doing well. A lot of them are Saints fans.

PFW: Are those trips humbling experiences for you?

Brees: Yeah, obviously you appreciate the sacrifices those soldiers make on a daily basis for you. … It just makes you appreciate the freedoms you have as an American. … It definitely puts things in perspective.

PFW: I wanted to send my condolences to you on the loss of your mother, Mina, who passed away in August. Is that something that weighed on you at all here in the early part of the season?

Brees: Yeah, it's something that I think about. It was a very tough loss. I'll always miss her. I know she's watching down over me and my son, her grandson. I just know that she'll always be with us.

ProFootballWeekly.com - A discussion with Drew Brees

Saint_LB

Notice he said career and not life. I have lived in every nook and cranny of this country, and believe me when I say that there is no place better than that stretch of land between the Biloxi bay and Bourbon St. The food there is unsurpassed.

QBREES9

I'm not Drew, but I bet think he means life. The Foods is great but the Heat geezzzzzzzzzzzzz.

foreverfan

My fat a$$ is stuck here... Literally...