Some milestones belong purely with an athlete, whilst some rest with the team. Drew Brees’ 400th touchdown pass was a bit of both as he joined an exclusive club of quarterback legends that includes the likes of Brett Favre, Dan Marino, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. It is the 400 club and Brees did it in such dramatic fashion that it is likely to change the fortunes of his young team this season. It was the game clincher in a match that the winless New Orleans Saints simply had to win at all costs. Brees was understandably ecstatic to have made his 400th touchdown pass, and he was optimistic about the fortunes of his team for the rest of the season.
He said that he hoped that they would now move on and get a few more wins under their belt, after his game-winning 80-yard pass to C.J. Spiller sentd the Saints to a 26-20 overtime victory over the Dallas Cowboys. He was a bit annoyed at the claim that he was struggling to throw his passes properly due to an injured rotator cuff, which had sidelined him last week. There are no doubts that Brees is no long the gunslinger of a few years ago who could throw downfield rockets with pinpoint accuracy. However, that is not surprising, as the Saints are no longer the same team that was dominating the NFC South as well.
The Saints Inexperienced Defense
The defensive side of the New Orleans Saints is particularly young, as can be seen by 3 rookies starting on Sunday, and the inexperience was clearly showed in the early stages of the game. They were facing Brandon Weeden, no Tony Romo, but missed so many tackles and took so many penalties that they made him look like a Pro Bowler. The Saints have understandably struggled a lot to come up with the big plays and that is why they couldn’t hold their lead after going up 20-13. However, three drives later, Weeden was seen picking them apart with cool efficiency and took the Cowboys 91 yards in just 2 minutes to tie the game up.
Brees put his team in a position to win in regulation time, but Zach Hocker, inexplicably banged a 30-yard chip shot, which was needed for the win, off the left upright. Brees stated that he knew it was only going to be a matter of time before they picked up their first win, because the team was doing things the right way and all the guys were working extremely hard throughout the week. He claimed that you need wins under your belt to show people that you are working hard, and he claims that this victory has come at the perfect time for them to show people what they can really do.
If it weren’t for Brees’ milestone, the Saints wouldn’t have gotten their first victory of the season, one which they desperately needed if they are to have any shot in NFC South. To make things difficult for the already struggling team, the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons are already way ahead with 4-0 records. The win has enhanced the confidence of the youngsters on the Saints and proved to them that they can prevail in difficult circumstances, as long as they remain confident about their chances. All milestones are special, but this latest milestone by Drew Brees may just inspire the New Orleans Saints to new heights.
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