Five Saints bright spots heading into 2013
1. Drew Brees
Credit: Getty Images
I know what you’re thinking. Drew Brees? The bum threw a league-high 19 interceptions, including one horrible five-interception night in Atlanta.
But he’s not a bum. In fact, without his emotional center and dear friend Sean Payton nearby, he still threw for 5,177 yards and a league-best 43 touchdowns. Nine of his 16 games included quarterback ratings of 109.0 or better. He registered at least 300 yards in 10 games and had four touchdowns in four contests.
And again, all of this was without Payton, the designer of the offense and the man who knows how to put Brees in the best of positions. It also was done without a true offseason with organized team activities and a
minicamp.
So, why is the future bright under Brees? Well, for one, Payton returns for the 2013 season. The bigger reason, though, is he realizes that he “slipped” in 2012. After the season-finale, Brees said, “I’ve got to hold myself accountable and (the turnovers) have to come down. I’m going to do my best to fix that.”
The last time Brees had a “down” season, in 2008, he following up in 2009 with a then career-best 70.6 completion percentage and a 34-11 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
