The great outdoors: There has been a lot of talk about how New Orleans’ offense is built for a dome and doesn’t play as well outdoors. But some numbers dispute that. According to ESPN Stats & Information, New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees completed 61.9 percent of his throws of 21 yards or more down field during the regular season when playing outdoors. In indoor games, Brees completed only 50 percent of his passes of 21 yards or more.

Tipping their hand: The New Orleans offense can do damage with just about any of its skill-position players. But, in one way, the Saints are predictable. Although the Saints use running backs Darren Sproles, Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory in a rotation, their roles are pretty well defined. When Sproles is on the field, the Saints have passed on 70.3 percent of their offensive plays. When Thomas has been in the game, the Saints have thrown 68.9 percent of the time. When Ivory has been on the field, the Saints have run 73.4 percent of the time.

Easy on the blitz: New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams always has been a very aggressive coach. The Saints blitz more often than any team in the NFL. Including the playoff victory against Detroit, the Saints have sent five or more pass-rushers on 51.3 percent of opponent’s dropbacks this season. That’s the highest percentage in the league. Williams’ goal is to force opposing quarterbacks to make mistakes. But Williams may want to re-think his philosophy when facing San Francisco’s Alex Smith, who has excelled when facing the blitz this season. When facing five or more pass-rushers, Smith threw 10 touchdowns and just one interception.

Total yardage may be the most overblown and inaccurate formula to gauge the potency and lore of an NFL offense. The 2010 Chargers were the latest example as they finished as the league's No. 1 offense yardage-wise last season -- and missed the postseason.

Give my statement above, I won't claim the 2011 Saints are the greatest offense to ever play football considering they're on pace to Brees by the Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf." I'll ignore how New Orleans is on pace with only two games to pass Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Mike Martz and the rest of the turf burners for the most single-season yards by a team in NFL history.

I'll wipe that silly thought out of my brain. What I will throw at you is this: this Saints offense is the most dynamic offense in NFL history.

Before you start rabidly foaming at the mouth screaming about the 2007 Patriots, 1998 Vikings, all of the Bills' Super Bowl-bound teams, all of the 49ers' Super Bowl-winning teams and a slew of other worthy candidates, read the definition from Dictionary.com of dynamic: "Pertaining to or characterized by energy or effective action; vigorously active or forceful; energetic."

All of that pertains to and characterizes the Saints offense.

Again, total yardage isn't the end-all, be-all of offensive greatness. It sure doesn't hurt the argument, though.

Overview:

A cool “Brees” swept into the Minneapolis Metrodome on Sunday and left the Vikings and their fans “Pondering” for the third time in three years as to why they cannot defeat the New Orleans Saints. After a shaky start, the Saints dominated the second half, out-scoring the Vikings 21-7 en route to a 42-20 blowout. Granted it was versus a 2-11 team, Drew Brees and company did exactly what they were suppose to do versus a much lesser opponent. That cannot be taken for granted at all seeing that the Saints have losses to the 2-12 Rams and 4-10 Buccaneers in the loss column. Half way through the second quarter however, it looked like it could be one of those infamous stinkers that the Saints occasionally put up but luckily they turned it around quickly. Drew Brees had one of his best games as a Saint, finishing 32/40, for 412 yards, 5 touchdowns and zero interceptions. He became only the sixth quarterback ever to finish a game with at least 5 touchdown-passes, over 400 passing yards, and no interceptions. With Aaron Rodgers not looking like the Aaron Rodgers of normal against the Kansas City Chiefs, suffering his first loss of the season, Drew Brees has to be strongly considered for MVP at this point. With their win on Sunday, the Saints have an opportunity to seal the NFC South next Monday Night versus the Atlanta FalCANTS…excuse me, Falcons.

What I Liked:

DEFENSE

Gregg Williams defense has continued to surge and play at a consistent high level for the fourth game in a row, as they head into this week in preparation for next week’s primetime showdown versus the Falcons. Ironically, it was Week 10’s performance against Atlanta in the Georgia Dome where the Saints defense seemed to turn a huge corner. Since that game the defense has only allowed two first half touchdowns, which helps explain why the Saints have outscored their last four opponents by an average of 14 points. The most impressive task I’ve seen the defense master over the last four games has been their play on third down. They’ve only allowed opposing offenses to convert 12 third downs in a total 46 attempts in the last four games, for a staggering 26%. Just to put that in perspective a bit, the Saints offense has converted 19 third downs in the last two games alone. Along with coming up with key third down stops, they virtually shut down any type of passing game that Christian Ponder tried to establish, and also made Adrian Peterson a non-factor. Other than a big 39-yard run by him mid-second quarter, Peterson was held to a mere 21 yards on 9 carries. Percy Harvin, the Vikings other big offensive threat, was also a no-show, catching only three passes for eight yards, and one carry for –1 yards. This was coming off of a game where he finished with 10 catches and a touchdown, to go along with 40 rushing yards. This New Orleans Saints defense looks like it’s playing on the cusp of its potential, and it couldn’t come at a better time.

MARQUES COLSTON

Marques Colston is quietly just 83 yards away from having his fifth 1, 000-yard receiving season in his six years as a pro, proving to be a model of consistency for a wide receiver in the NFL. The lone year where he didn’t finish with 1, 000 yards, he missed five games with a torn ligament in his thumb and still finished the season with 760 receiving yards in 11 games. Perhaps it’s because he does not have a “diva” quality about him like most receivers do, or because his touchdown celebrations aren’t exuberant enough (such as Saints WR Lance Moore), that he doesn’t get the credit that he is due which includes him not being selected once for a Pro Bowl yet. Despite all of that, the Saints are very lucky to have a player of that caliber suiting up for them. He gets lost in the shuffle a bit with all of the media attention that guys like Sproles, Graham, and Moore get, but Colston is just as effective and important to this potent offense. He has been hot as of late, catching 32 passes for 444 yards, including two critical touchdown catches versus the Tennessee Titans. As the quiet leader of the Saints receiving corps, Marques sets a tremendous example and can be credited some with the emergence of second-year tight end Jimmy Graham. With number 12’s consistent play and unsung leadership, he’s very much deserving of more recognition and respect.

DREW BREES FOR MVP

Drew Brees had one of the best performances you’ll see from a quarterback Sunday versus the Vikings, continuing the hot streak he’s been on for the last five games. Through that period he has thrown for 16 touchdowns with zero interceptions, 1,776 yards, with a 72.3 completion percentage. He remains on pace to shatter Dan Marino’s singe season passing record, as well as break his own record set in 2009, for best completion percentage in a season. He also has matched his career high of quarterback rating of 109. The last time he finished a season with a quarterback rating of 109, he led the Saints to their first Super Bowl appearance, and victory. Brees couldn’t have picked a better time to have such a big game, seeing that Aaron Rodgers had an off game en route to the Packers losing their first game of the season. If the Packers would’ve finished with an undefeated season, by all means Rodgers should’ve been MVP, but now Drew Brees needs to be inserted into the conversation immediately. Brees is easily having one of the best seasons statistically that the NFL has ever seen. Not to mention his team is the hottest in the league, winners of six straight games, with an 11-3 record. At the VERY least, Co-MVP talks should be on the horizon for Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers.

What I didn’t Like:

TURNOVERS

The Saints turned the ball over twice in Sunday’s game, giving the Vikings life and making the game significantly closer than it should’ve been early on. Astoundingly, that marked the first time in six weeks that the Saints had committed a turnover. Fortunately for them, they were playing a weak team, and were able to quickly recover and put the game out of hand. However, going forward the Saints cannot afford to have careless miscues heading into the playoffs. Although they have a potent, quick-striking, machine as an offense, they must try to avoid beating themselves at any point in a game and just assume they’re going to come back and win. They’re not going to be lucky enough to play the Vikings every week going forward, so they must address the turnover issues promptly.

Key to the Victory:

OFFENSIVE LINE

The offensive line has been absolutely dominating games as of late propelling the Saints rushing game as well as keeping Drew Brees clean. Going up against a top ten rushing defense and a top three sacking defense in the Vikings, the Saints were able to pile up 161 yards on 38 rushes, and keep Brees from being sacked. It seems as if the line has taken a significant turn for the better after right tackle Zach Strief returned from a knee injury. Since then, the Saints have only allowed four sacks in the last six games. In the last game Strief did not play in (vs. the Rams), the offensive line allowed Brees to be sacked an alarming six times. Starting Center, Brian De La Puente’s play has also helped to solidify the offensive front. If they keep playing at the high level that they are, the Saints offense will only continue to flourish.

Player of the Game:

JERMON BUSHROD

The only legitimate shot the Vikings had defeating the Saints was getting consistent pressure on Drew Brees. One of the few bright spots on this Minnesota Vikings team this season has been the dominant play of defensive end Jared Allen. Allen came into the game on Sunday leading the NFL in sacks with 17.5, and was fresh off of a three-sack performance against the Detroit Lions. However, Saints starting left tackle Jermon Bushrod definitely rose to the occasion in protecting Brees’ blindside and handled Allen for most of the game. Allen was held without a sack for only the third time this season, and was ineffective, for the most part, finishing with only two tackles. Bushrod did an exceptional job on Allen, allowing Brees to have one of the most efficient games of his career, and for that he was Sunday’s player of the game.

Brees, after one of the best games of his career in Minnesota (32 of 40, 412 yards, five touchdowns, no interceptions, on the bench for the final 12 minutes) is 305 yards shy of Dan Marino's single-season passing yards record with two games left.

"I didn't know how close I was,'' he said from the team bus after New Orleans' rout of the Vikings. "Thanks for clarifying that. It's sort of the elephant in the room, obviously, because it's a record people talk about a lot. But I will not let it influence how we prepare, or how I make decisions in games. When all is said and done, if I have a chance to break it, I'll be happy about it, but it's not going to be the focus of this team.''

New Orleans has won six straight. The Saints might be the toughest playoff obstacle for Green Bay, because they can win in many ways. They've got four running backs who can run in any weather, in the potential January muck of San Francisco or the ice rink of Green Bay. And they have an incredibly accurate passer who's threatening to break the accuracy record he set in 2009.

It might be too late, because Aaron Rodgers has been so good for 14 games, and so consistently good until Sunday in Kansas City. But let's look at the holy trinity of MVP candidates:

I'd still give it to Rodgers this morning. The MVP should be his to lose at this point. But let's see how it plays out the next two weeks. If Brees sets records for accuracy and passing yards this year, and the Saints finish the year on an eight-game winning streak, it should be a contest.

First let's mention the facts.  Drew Brees has thrown for 4,031 yards on the season, making him the first quarterback in NFL history to eclipse the 4,000-yard mark in the first 12 games of a season.  If Brees continues on this pace, he should eclipse Dan Marino's record within the next three games.  His passer rating is 105.5. 

His numbers this season are staggering.  Brees has elevated the play of his team.  Jimmy Graham top 1000 yards in receiving.   Darren Sproles leads the NFL in total all-purpose yards.  And, the Saints offense is #1 in NFL ranking and yardage.  It's all because of Brees.  MVP candidate that has been overshadowed in recent years by Manning and now Rodgers.  However, if you look at Brees' accomplishments since arriving in New Orleans, it's very likely that one day he will be arriving in Canton.

Maybe the reason Drew Brees is such a good quarterback is because he can see things the rest of us can’t. Take the case of Monday night’s 49-24 victory by the New Orleans Saints against the New York Giants at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. It looked to be about as close to a perfect performance by a quarterback as there has ever been. Brees threw for 363 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for a touchdown, perhaps the most spectacular run of a career that hasn’t included a lot of runs. But the most impressive stat of all might have been that the Saints had 577 yards of total offense (the second-highest output in franchise history) without a 100-yard rusher or receiver and without a sack.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever witnessed that before. Didn’t think so. It sure looked like perfection. Instead of celebrating, though, Brees was ripping himself apart -- and apologizing to Michael Jordan -- for not doing enough. “I’m always hard on myself,’’ Brees said. “I expect perfection. I just know deep down there are some things I still need to work on.’’ Really? What’s left to work on when you’ve put 49 points on the board and spread 25 completions among seven different receivers? “He is his own worst critic and he is as hard on himself as anyone else could possibly be,’’ New Orleans coach Sean Payton said. “The time he’s been in our system, we’re on Year 6 now, and he’s throwing the ball with great rhythm and anticipation.’’ But let’s stop the tap dancing and the personal critiques. Let’s get right to the truth. Brees has been a very good quarterback for a long time. But he now is playing better than he ever has. He should be a candidate for Most Valuable Player. Go ahead and start the chants for Aaron Rodgers. I get it and there's no doubt Rodgers is having a tremendous season. But I think Brees is having every bit as good a season as the Green Bay quarterback. Maybe better, and I am not alone. “Aaron Rodgers is on an undefeated team and obviously that means a lot,’’ New Orleans right tackle Zach Strief said. “Aaron Rodgers is an absolutely great quarterback, no doubt. But is anybody playing better than Drew Brees right now? Probably not.’’ No, definitely not. Brees is on a roll that has him on pace to break Dan Marino’s record for passing yards in a single season (5,084 in 1984). On his current pace, Brees would finish with 5,366 passing yards. He’s also got the Saints off to an 8-3 start and alone atop the NFC South. Yeah, the Packers defeated the Saints in the season opener and Rodgers and Green Bay have kept right on winning. No knock on Rodgers, but he’s got a great team around him. So does Brees, but name another true superstar on the New Orleans roster?

By Pat Yasinskas

If he continues on his current pace, New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees will break -- or at least come very close to -- several NFL records.

Drew Brees
Drew Brees
#9 QB
New Orleans Saints

2011 STATS

Att343
Comp242
Yds2746
TD19
Int10
Rat100.6

After eight games, Brees has 242 completions on 343 attempts for 2,746 yards. If you project those numbers over 16 games, Brees would have 484 completions, 686 attempts and 5,492 passing yards.

Let’s start with the yards, because that’s the most interesting. If Brees continues on his current pace, he’d easily break Dan Marino’s record (5,084 yards) from 1984. Brees already is the only quarterback besides Marino to throw for 5,000 yards in a season. He had 5,069 in 2008.

On his current pace, Brees also would set the record for completions. Peyton Manning set the record (450) in 2010.

When it comes to the record for attempts, Brees is just slightly off the record pace. Drew Bledsoe set that record with 691 attempts in 1994.

Also, if Brees throws for 240 yards against Tampa Bay, he’ll break his own record for passing yards through the first nine games of a season. Brees set that by throwing for 2,985 yards in 2008.