SmashMouth

There will come a day when Drew Brees is no longer the quarterback of the New Orleans Saints.

With the 2014 season mercifully over after the Saints edged the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 23-20, at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, it means there's one less season for Brees to guide the Saints to a second Super Bowl trophy.

The Saints unabashedly proclaim themselves as contenders with Brees at the helm. His ability and record-breaking statistics support the notion. And when Brees ends his time with the Saints, there will certainly be a letdown, as not every team can replace a Peyton Manning with an Andrew Luck.

Finishing a season 7-9 with a less established, less respected, less talented quarterback doesn't sting nearly as much as finishing 7-9 with one of the all-time greats still seemingly playing at a Pro Bowl level.

A 7-9 season with someone such as the Bears' Jay Cutler under center isn't unexpected. A 7-9 season with Brees and Sean Payton together hasn't happened since 2007.

A season with Brees at quarterback can't be squandered. But Brees and the Saints did so in 2014.

"That's a wasted opportunity for sure," said tackle Zach Strief, who, like Brees, came to New Orleans in 2006. "He was not always given everything around him to be successful. He takes a lot of that criticism. And when everyone around him is playing well, he gets the credit and deserves that credit.

read more at NOLA

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