I can go on and on about why Drew Brees is extremely overrated. I'll talk about the biggest one right here. You know how Trent Edwards' nickname is "Captain Checkdown"? I think we know who it really belongs to.
Let's not even count passes to the tight end. Let's just see how many passes he dumps off to his runningbacks. Each of his "elite" years with the Saints right here:
2010: Completions: 448. RB Receptions: 81. Checkdown Percentage: 18.08%
2009: Completions: 363. RB Receptions: 95. Checkdown Percentage: 26.17%
2008: Completions: 413. RB Receptions: 102. Checkdown Percentage: 24.70%
2007: Completions: 440. RB Receptions: 130. Checkdown Percentage: 25.55%
2006: Completions: 356. RB Receptions: 137. Checkdown Percentage: 38.48%
Total: Completions: 2020. RB Receptions: 545. Checkdown Percentage: 26.98%
So, remember Trent Edwards? The guy that's called Captain Checkdown? I can only accurately analyze the 2008 season, as that's the only season where he actually started almost every game of the season. That year, his RBs caught 84 passes out of Edwards' 245 completions. That's 34.29%. That's STILL lower than Brees' 2006 percentage of 38.48%!!!
This is a guy that some people think will actually be a Hall of Famer! Are you kidding me? What has he done that makes him so great? He put up a lot of yardage and was on a Super Bowl team? How many Hall of Fame quarterbacks throw checkdowns over 1/4th of the time!? Of course he's going to set a record for completion percentage!!! It's not that hard to throw a 2 yard pass to the runningback!! 26.98% checkdown percentage. That's not even including 2 yard throws to the tight end. He's got arguably the best o-line in the league in front of him. He has all day to throw. He's got Marques Colson, a reliable possesion receiver, and Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem, deep threats. He's got the protection. He's got the weapons. Yet his favorite target is still Reggie Bush!
What happened last year, when Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas was injured? Brees almost led the league in interceptions! At least Eli Manning has an excuse. A lot of times, his throws just went right through his receivers' hands.
Even with his checkdowns, he's still king of turnovers. Since 2006, Brees was intercepted or fumbled 3.74% of the time. Let's compare that to the truly elite quarterbacks, shall we? Peyton Manning: 2.70%. Tom Brady: 2.59%. Not exactly close, is it? What's really sad? Quarterbacks removed, the Saints are way better than the Colts and Patriots. So Manning and Brady, the truly elite quarterbacks, do much more with much less than Brees. Don't forget, Brady and Manning don't check it down to the runningback on every other play, either?
So, the question part. What has Drew Brees done to be considered an elite quarterback? Sure, he puts up great stats, but I've just explained why. The RBs account for about 700 of those yards anyway. Obviously when you continually throw passes that are almost guaranteed to be completed, your completion percentage will be high. Ok, so his team wins games, huh? We're judging quarterbacks by wins now? Ok. Got it. Obviously, Brett Favre (186 wins) is the best quarterback of all time. Oh, Brees won a Super Bowl? My mistake. That clearly makes him (and Trent Dilfer) elite. Obviously Brees is the only one responsible for the Saints recent success. It can't be the Pro Bowl talent at every position.
So, what makes Brees so great?
Update:The irony is overwhelming. I'm shocked that everyone brings the Super Bowl win up.
The NFC South wasn't always a good division. Up until this year, a 9-7 record would usually be enough to win it.
Update 3:Edit: Brady's over 10-yards percentage is so low because of the West Coast system that the Patriots implemented. When you don't have someone like Randy Moss to stretch the field, that'll happen. Look up that percentage for Brady around 2007-2009.
Answers & Comments
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Where are you getting these stats from? There's no question that Drew Brees doesn't have the size, arm strength and all around physical ability as guys like Peyton Manning and Phillip Rivers, but he is as savvy and accurate as they come and has more than enough arm strength to make every throw necessary.
You can look at all those obscure stats you want, but if he really was a "captain checkdown" his career yards/completion would be much lower. At 11.2 it is lower than Peyton (11.7) and Tom Brady (11.6), but it is higher than Edwards (10.7) and even Chad Pennigton's (10.6). I'm not going to argue that the Saints offense is built around high percentage passes, but if it was that easy to throw for 4500+ yards a season and post a QB rating of almost 110, everybody would.
It's also not like he has elite talent around him. He has a bunch of solid receivers, but the only one who's really anything special is Marques Colston. His defense is also very average and has had to literally carry the team on his back.
If he had one big season I would agree with you, but the fact is he's been putting up absurd numbers year in, year out for half a decade. That makes him elite, at least in my mind.
And just out of curiosity, who would the elite QBs be in your mind? If you think Brees isn't elite I hope there isn't anybody else besides Peyton, Brady and maybe Phillip Rivers in that class.
I think you look at stats too much. Yea Brees throws to his running backs a lot but that is compensate for a lack of running game. And just because it is to a running back does not mean he's just dumping it off, Bush would routinely line up in the slot. Also you don't throw for almost 5000 yards a year just dumping it off or everyone would do it. And it's not like he has amazing weapons, only Colston is a great target. You compare Brady to Brees, well here's a stat for you, only 28.8% of Brees passes when past 10 yards last season. Brady? 27.8%. Maybe Brady should be "captain checkdown".
Ok I wasn't going to do all that research but here's this. Brees 2009 season vs Brady 2007 season. Brady 32.6% passes past 10 yards. Brees 35% passes past 10 yards.
And on those passes past 10 yards Brees was more accurate. 57% completion vs Brady 46% completion.
Ok so you claim a checkdown becuse he completed a reception to a RB. What you didnt factor in is that some of those plays were screen pass plays. Designed with a pass to the RB in mind. Dont mention either that Reggie Bush lined up in the slot plenty of times as well. Last year lone Bush caught 34 of those 81 pass plays. More then likely it was out of the slot. So your numbers arent correct.
He's won a superbowl and is sucessful in a good division. Hes a great emotional leader and keeps the team alive when their runningbacks go down. He consistienly puts up great numbers and that's why he's an elite qb
Wow that was a lot to digest! Umm I think A-Rodgers has got him beat in stats since he's been a starter, yet but the nfl world (even after a SB win) still wants him to prove that he's better than Favre!
The elite are : Brady, Manning, Rivers, Rodgers, Vick! and Favre (j/k)
i didnt read any of that but im pretty sure he is the only qb to have 4500+ passing yards in two seasons. also he won a sb first for their franchise so i think he is good im not even a saints fan im a chiefs fan
I didn't read anything you wrote but every QB throws to there HB and there is only one other QB who threw over 5000 yds and that was in the 80's drew brews is the third best QB in the league and top 10 of all time
1.Tom Brady
2.peyton mannning
3.drew brees
4.Philip rivers
5.Aron Rodgers
How about you compare Brees stats with Brady they are almost Identical and Brees has played less games with less talented teams.
Because he won a superbowl and rebuilt a community after tragedy.