New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com - NOLA.com Drew Brees thinks he can play better this season

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees had the best statistical season in the history of the NFL in 2011. He passed for 5,476 yards, a staggering amount that ranks as the best of all time. On the way to setting the NFL single-season passing record, he also was the most accurate passer in league history, completing 71.2 percent of his passes. Drew Brees' teammates will be looking for the quarterback to deliver again this season. Somehow, though, Brees believes he and the Saints' offense can do even better this season.

So what's in store? A 5,500-yard passing season? A 72 percent completion rating? A passer rating better than Green Bay Aaron Rodger's NFL record of 104.1?

Brees, the consummate teammate and leader, has something else in store.

"Statistics don't always tell the story, though," Brees said. "We can do better in so many different ways. In a lot of cases it is just subtle things.

"It's a subtle thing here and there that might get you one extra first down, or allow you to convert maybe one more time in a short-yard situation or in the red zone. Or give you one more big-play opportunity per game that could change a game, or win you one or two more games. As we know, if you can do something that wins you one more game, you have home-field advantage instead of having to travel for the divisional round."

One thing remains clear. Brees, who's only the second player in NFL history to pass for more than 4,000 yards in six consecutive seasons, has no desire to rest on his laurels.

Since ending his months-long contract negotiation by signing a five-year, $100 million contract in July -- the richest per year average in league history -- Brees has picked up right were he left off.

He continues to be one of the first players to arrive at the team's Metairie headquarters and usually the last to leave the practice field and the building.

Although Saints interim coach Joe Vitt was in no mood to offer predictions on Brees' upcoming season, he is confident Brees won't suffer a letdown.

Interim coach Joe Vitt had this to say about Drew Brees: "There's no sense of entitlement around here. I don't have a crystal ball. If Drew is just Drew and does what Drew does, he's going to give us a great chance to win this division and give us a great chance to compete after that."

"Last year's last year," Vitt said. "There's no sense of entitlement around here. I don't have a crystal ball. If Drew is just Drew and does what Drew does, he's going to give us a great chance to win this division and give us a great chance to compete after that."

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