It's borderline ridiculous to say that Drew Brees can finish an NFL season completing 80 percent of his passes, except…
Brees completed 72 percent of his throws last season, an NFL single-season record. And in three other seasons, he has completed 70 percent or better. And four other years, he completed at least 68.1 percent.
In other words, a stretch isn't necessarily a stretch when a player's abilities have displayed the elasticity of Brees'.
"I don't see why not," said Brees, who completed 80.6 percent of his passes (104 of 129) in the first three games for the New Orleans Saints. "Listen, it's not easy. I think there's a high expectation level with our offense and certainly my mind-set when I take the field.
"Within the framework of the offense, at the end of the day you want to make great decisions. That's both in the run game and in the passing game. But it's identifying matchups, it's making sure that you get positive plays and in just about every case, a completion is a positive play.
"So maybe that's the difference between you being third-and-7 and third-and-4. When you look at the percentages of conversion at that rate, that's a big deal, that's a difference-maker. And those sustain drives and those help get points, so I'm just going to keep doing my job and keep trying to make great decisions."
Those decisions are among the reasons that linebacker Demario Davis cited when he signed with the Saints (2-1) as an unrestricted free agent during the offseason.
"(Special teams coach) Mike Westhoff always says, "Be the man to get the ball to Michael Jordan,' " Davis said. "That's Michael Jordan. So, we get stops, get the ball to Michael Jordan."
"Jordan" submitted a bookmark entry into his career catalog Sunday, in a 43-37, overtime victory over Atlanta. Brees completed 39 of 49 passes (79.6 percent, which actually lowered his completion percentage this season) for 396 yards and three touchdowns, and ran three times for seven yards and two touchdowns including the walk-off, 1-yard dive in overtime that capped a 15-play, 80-yard drive that lasted 7:05 of the 10-minute extra period.
It was a monumental road victory. And for Brees, after the natural savoring, it was quickly set aside.
"Twenty-four hours, right?" he said. "Twenty-four hour rule for wins or losses.
"Any time there's a road win, especially in the division like that, at this point in the season for us, that was a big win. We enjoyed it. We enjoyed the locker room after. We enjoyed the plane ride home and the bus ride home, but once Monday rolled around, it was time to get back to work and focus on the next opponent."
The Saints play at the New York Giants (1-2) on Sunday at 3:25 p.m. on CBS.
