Saints’ Brees sets passing yards mark in win
NEW ORLEANS — Before Drew Brees could blow kisses to the adoring Superdome crowd, before he could embrace his wife and children on the sideline, the Saints’ 39-year-old quarterback had to shred one of the NFL’s top pass defenses with ruthless efficiency. And so he did. Brees passed Peyton Manning to become the NFL’s all-time leader in yards passing with a 62-yard touchdown to rookie Tre’Quan Smith on Monday night that sent New Orleans on its way to a 43-19 victory over mistake-prone Washington.
“It’s hard for me to reflect too much right now just because my career’s not done. There are still goals to be accomplished. There are still challenges to be met. And so I’m still very focused on that,” Brees said.
“And yet, when something like this happens, there are so many people who are responsible for that, that are a part of that, that makes me happy. It makes me proud and it makes me extremely grateful — extremely grateful for the opportunity to play this game, to play it as long as I’ve played it, to have wound up here in New Orleans.
“It’s just been an unbelievable journey.”
Brees entered the game needing 201 yards to eclipse Peyton Manning’s mark of 71,940 yards. Brees had 250 yards and two touchdowns by halftime and finished 26for-29 for 363 yards and three touchdowns. He has yet to throw an interception this season. He did, however, make his eighth career reception on his deflected pass, and pushed across the line of scrimmage to add an extra yard to his career total.
“He throws for 5,000 yards just like he’s sleeping at night, and it’s crazy to see that,” Washington cornerback Josh Norman said. “He’s at the top of them all right now — and he’s not done yet.”
The Saints’ Smith, a thirdround draft choice in the spring, caught two touchdown passes from the 18th-year pro. Brees also hit Smith for a 35-yard score down the right sideline early in the third quarter.
Any hope Washington had of coming back was all but snuffed out when Justin Hardee snagged Alex Smith’s underthrown pass at the Saints’ 19-yard line and returned his first career interception to the Washington 4.
That set up change-of-pace QB Taysom Hill’s 1-yard touchdown run that put the Saints (4-1) up 40-13.
When the Saints began one of their last first-half possessions on their 38, Brees needed just 35 yards to break the record. On the first play of the drive, Brees launched a pass toward the right sideline to Smith, who was wide open and easily sprinted away from Montae Nicholson’s tackle attempt en route to the end zone.
“I knew we were within striking distance” of the record, Brees said. “I didn’t know it was going to happen on the first play to Tre’Quan. But I don’t think it could have happened in any better fashion than it did. To have then that moment with my teammates on the field, the offensive line, it played out even greater than I ever could have imagined.”