The play that put Brees over the top: A 9-yard scoring completion to Darren Sproles in the fourth quarter.
With the way he has played the past six years in New Orleans, Brees may someday be joining Marino in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. While Brees has consistently played at a high level since signing with the Saints as a free agent – including a 2009 campaign in which he won MVP honors in Super Bowl XLIV – the 2011 campaign is shaping up as the best of his 11-year NFL career.
Besides breaking Marino’s mark, Brees may top the NFL’s single-season completion percentage record of 70.62 that he set in 2009. Brees entered the Falcons game with a 71.53 completion percentage.
Brees also added to his career-high total of touchdown passes in the second quarter against Atlanta. He notched the 38th of the season on an eight-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Marques Colston.
Brees, 32, came close to setting the single-season passing yardage mark in 2008 but finished 15 yards short. The Saints also failed to make the playoffs that year, which Brees has said took away some of the luster from his 5,069-yard effort.
New Orleans (11-3) entered the Falcons game having already secured a postseason berth for the third consecutive season.
Brees’ accomplishments also have probably raised the price tag for New Orleans to keep him in the fold. Brees is set to become a free agent in the offseason but the Saints are certain to use the franchise tag to retain his services for the 2012 season if a long-term extension cannot be reached.
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