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I feel a Brees coming on

By Alex Fitzsimmons, email [email protected]

It was only two years ago when Drew Brees was stinking up the field, throwing more interceptions that touchdowns, on his way to the 4th worst passer rating in the league. But it seems like a millennia ago.Two seasons ago, the former left-for-dead quarterback couldn’t hit an 18-wheeler running a crossing route over the middle. But now, magically, he looks like the next Joe Montana. How, you ask? Honestly, I don’t have a clue.

But, for the heck of it, let’s backtrack.

Brees was just so…bad in 2003. It’s not even worth describing with fancy words like repulsive, revolting, sickening, nauseating, etc. No, the best way to describe Brees two years ago: kids, this is what happens when people smoke marijuana. Note the delayed reflexes, lack of basic motor skills and inept ability to use logical reasoning.

So, what changed in a year that propelled the once ridiculed and scrutinized Bress to a headline making, record breaking superstar?

Perhaps it’s the emergence of the next Shannon Sharp in Antonio Gates, the solid framed, yet surprisingly silky tight end who tied the record for touchdown catches by a tight end in a single season with 13–in games that the Chargers lost, Gates has a grand total of 1 TD catch.

Gates, 24, a former basketball player, is still developing and honing his abilities and will continue to improve next season. Gates is the kind of tight end that can exploit careless defensive matchups, like lining up a strong safety and thinking Brees won’t know to utilize that mismatch. It’s a Catch-22 situation with Gates: safeties and linebackers are too slow to cover him and cornerbacks are too small to out-muscle him. Look for Brees and Gates to hook up more than just a few times next year.

Or, maybe the reason behind Brees’ overnight success is that the 26 year old has matured to a point where his physical attributes don’t have to carry him–he can win games mentally.

How is this accomplished, you ask? By treating his playbook like the bible, analyzing every possible scenario, while paying meticulous attention to detail. Also, by sifting through pages upon pages of player scouting reports, searching for that one little weakness that can be exploited to his advantage and, finally, by understanding and accepting the fact that he doesn’t have to win the game by himself, he only has to his job. And when quarterbacks try too hard, quite simply, they fail.

Last season, Brees threw 27 touchdowns, 2 less than his first three seasons combined, and only 7 interceptions. He boasted the 3rd best passer rating in the league at 104.8 and completed a career high 65.5 percent of his passes on his way to winning the Comeback Player of the Year award. Brees also carried his team to the playoffs and reversed their record of 4-12 to 12-4, in just one season.

This year, we can expect much of the same from Brees–this is only the beginning. He’s still young and has the potential to become a first-rate gunslinger in the near future. With a strong arm and a composed cranium above those shoulders, Brees should be just fine next season, as long as his team is there to back him up…

The San Diego Chargers, Brees’ team, were ranked an abysmal 27th in yards allowed in 2003, surrendering 349.6 yards per game. They were ranked 25th in rushing yards allowed per game, 21st in passing yards surrendered, and gave up almost 30 points per game, second worst in the league. And their offense wasn’t much better: 14th in yards per game and 16th in points per game.

But if there was a silver lining embedded in the cloud of misery it was at running back. Ladianian Tomlinson has been tearing apart defensive coverage schemes from the day he slipped into an NFL uniform. The 26 year old demon of power and elusiveness shaked, wiggled and spun his way to 1645 yards in 2003, 3rd best in the league.

And his success continued the following season, as Tomlinson made defensive backs look silly on his way to 1335 yards and 17 touchdowns.

So, Brees has his secret weapon, his “weapon of mass destruction” that he can unleash when the going gets tough, but what about that abysmal defense?

Well, they improved dramatically last year, 18th in yards allowed per game and 11th in points allowed per game. Not great, but much improved from 2003. Expect an even better defense with the addition of rookie linebacker Sean Merriman and defensive tackle Luis Castillo, both highly touted players in college.

His running game is there, his defense is improving and he has a promising young tight end he can rely on to consistently make the tough catches, and the easy ones. But most of all, he has himself. He has a newfound trust in his ability to make the plays. No longer does Brees have to think twice before slinging the ball into double coverage–he knows he can do it, and once you eradicate the mental stigma, it’s just you and the ball.

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