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It would seem impossible, like trying to improve the architecture of the Sistine Chapel or the score of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. Yet, in the wake of his spectacular performance in the New Orleans Saints' record-setting 62-7 win against the visiting Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night, it's time to recognize the obvious: quarterback Drew Brees is better.

He's quietly off to the best start of his career, and that's saying something considering the career he has enjoyed.



Yet, the numbers back it up: Brees is passing more accurately, more efficiently and more prolifically than ever.

He ranks among the NFL leaders in nearly every statistical category and is on pace to shatter every passing record in club history, all of which belong to him anyway.

Through seven games, Brees has completed 70.9 percent of his passes for 2,477 yards with 18 touchdowns. All are career-high marks after seven games.

Along with the New England Patriots' Tom Brady, he's on pace to shatter Dan Marino's hallowed NFL record for passing yards in a season. His average of 353.9 passing yards a game would give him 5,661 this season, well ahead of Marino's mark of 5,084 set in 1984.

His Sunday night manifesto marked the fourth time in his career in which he has thrown five touchdown passes and zero interceptions in a game. That ties Brady and the Colts' Peyton Manning for the most in NFL history.

It also extended his streak of consecutive games with a touchdown pass to 34. Of the hundreds of men who've played quarterback in the NFL, only Johnny Unitas (47) and Brett Favre (36) had longer streaks.

"Nothing surprises me (with Brees)," Saints Coach Sean Payton said.

The emergence of tight end Jimmy Graham and the addition of running back Darren Sproles has made Brees' job even easier this season. When defenses blanket his deep stable of wide receivers downfield, he finds the gigantic Graham over the middle or the shifty Sproles in the flat for an easy completion.

It's almost unfair for one quarterback to have so many weapons, and the Colts certainly discovered that Sunday night.

"He (Brees) literally did pretty much what he wanted to," Indianapolis Coach Jim Caldwell said after watching Brees complete 31 of 35 passes for 325 yards in three quarters of work.

Payton knows Brees better than anyone. While Saints fans fret incessantly about the running game, Payton chuckles to himself, then dials up yet another pass out of an empty backfield. As a play-caller, he's like a point guard who knows his shooter is in "the zone." He's feeding Brees every chance at every opportunity.

The Saints actually have become pass happier than ever this season. They've passed on 62 percent of their plays, despite the ballyhooed offseason additions of Sproles and running back Mark Ingram. Brees' 299 attempts are 30 more than any other quarterback in the league.

In many ways, the Saints have begun to mimic the prolific spread passing attacks of the college game. Their most consistently productive formation features a lineup of three receivers, Graham and Sproles, with Brees operating out of the shotgun. It's similar to his days at Purdue, except Brees is often allowed to call plays himself after scanning the defense at the line of scrimmage.

This wouldn't have happened earlier in Brees' career. Now six years into the same system with the same coaches and the same core of weapons at his disposal, Brees is the master of his domain. And the possibilities appear endless.

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QBREES9

This is why DREW is the best. 2nd to none.

homerj07

would still like to see a reduction in Ints!! with Olin gone maybe that can happen