Mr New Orleans can lead Saints to glory
For those among you who are watching the build-up to Super Bowl 44 and wondering 'Is this Drew Brees guy too good to be true?' please allow me to throw some light on the subject.
The man who will be charged with leading the New Orleans Saints to a first NFL title when they take on the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night really is a very nice man intent on making a dramatic difference in his adopted -ravaged hometown - both on and off the field.
I met and interviewed Brees during a sweltering training camp in Jackson, Mississippi, in the summer of 2008 and he spoke passionately about being a member of the Saints and an integral part of the New Orleans community.
And it's easy to understand why.
Brees is an incredibly popular figure in New Orleans
On the field, the Saints have breathed new life into Brees' career and put him on the road to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Away from the gridiron, setting up his home in New Orleans has given Brees' life added purpose and meaning.
It's hard to write this kind of article without making Brees sound like a sickly-sweet, do-gooder, but this is a man who genuinely wants to make a difference and help those less fortunate than himself.
That's one of the major reasons why he will suit up for the Saints on Sunday night.
During his first five years in the NFL, Brees was a very good quarterback, there's no doubt about that. But it would be pushing it to say he was one of the NFL's elite passers during his spell with the San Diego Chargers.
Had he been playing at his current level, Brees would not have sat at his home in April 2005 and watched the Chargers draft Philip Rivers out of North Carolina State.
By the spring of 2006, Brees' career had reached something of a crossroads. The Chargers had concerns over an injury to his throwing shoulder - although it should be noted they did offer Brees a new contract that was not agreeable to the player - and he was allowed to test the open market.
and somehow (maddeningly for a Dolphins fan like me), then-head coach Nick Saban did not fall in love with Brees, even though Miami hadn't enjoyed anyone remotely resembling a decent quarterback since the days of Dan Marino.
Questions were raised about Brees' arm strength and his health. Some even whispered his playing days may be numbered due to the shoulder concerns. Miami didn't say no right away but they were definitely taking their time making a decision.
Brees hopped on a plane and headed to New Orleans, where he was met by new head coach Sean Payton. It was to be the start of a beautiful relationship.
One of the first things the Saints did was take Brees on a tour of what was still, in many parts, a devastated city. And he was hooked. He simply had to become a Saint - Brees felt like it was a calling and a chance to play his part in rebuilding a team and an entire community. Of course, the $60 million (Β£37.5m) contract being offered by the Saints certainly sweetened the pot.
Off the field, Brees' charity work has helped to rebuild and restore athletics facilities, parks, playgrounds and after-school programmes for young people in New Orleans. He has made a marked difference to the lives of thousands in Louisiana.
On the gridiron, he has been a huge success (and shame on the Dolphins for going with instead). Working at the helm of Payton's free-scoring offence, Brees has posted four consecutive 4,000-yard seasons (including a 5,000-yard effort in 2008), he took the Saints to the NFC title game in 2006 and they are now set to appear in their first Super Bowl in the team's 42-year history.
He may not be the biggest quarterback in the NFL - he barely stands at six feet - and his arm may not be the cannon-like howitzer possessed by someone like Oakland's JaMarcus Russell (who cannot put his physical skills to good use). But that doesn't hold Brees back.
He is a lot like in many ways. San Francisco 49ers legend Montana was not huge as a passer and his arm strength was average. But he had supreme accuracy and an ability to slice defences apart with precision passing.
Brees is the same. When he gets into a rhythm and on a roll, there is a surgeon-like precision to his play and he routinely marches the Saints up and down the field, leading them to an NFL-high 510 points during the regular season.
It doesn't hurt that Brees, like his Colts' counterpart Peyton Manning, is surrounded with offensive weaponry in the form of receivers Marques Colston, Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem, tight end Jeremy Shockey and running back Reggie Bush.
These Saints can score points for fun and if they can produce what would only be deemed a mild upset on Sunday night, it will be momentous for so many reasons.
It would not only give the people of New Orleans something to smile about and celebrate - it would also give one of the NFL's genuine good guys a well-deserved Super Bowl ring.
Super Bowl Prediction
Hold onto your hats because this has the potential to be one of the very best Super Bowls in NFL history. It has been a thrilling NFL season and I think we're in for a treat of a championship game.
Manning and Brees are loaded with offensive weapons and I feel both will be able to put points on the board. We are looking at a showdown between elite quarterbacks here and both men could easily put up 350 passing yards.
The key to the game could be which defence can create the most pressure and make life uncomfortable for the quarterback on the other side of the line of scrimmage.
The Saints are flying on defence and have been very aggressive during the playoffs, beating up Kurt Warner and Brett Favre. Now they will hope to do the same by delivering, as defensive coordinator Gregg Williams likes to call them, "remember me" hits on Manning.
But getting to Manning is no easy task - he has the quickest release in the game and is so intelligent he can see even the best-designed blitzes coming from a mile off.
Brees is tough to sack because he also boasts tremendous vision and a quick release. And he could be afforded even more time to throw if Colts' Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney is hobbling with a sprained ankle.
, I thought the game would be close but the Colts would eventually pull away in the latter stages and win by 10. But the closer we get to the big kick-off - and given the injury woes surrounding Freeney - the more I think this contest will be much closer.
There will be a lot of points, there will be moments of high drama and the game could hinge on one or two pivotal plays. But after 60 hard-hitting minutes, I expect the Colts to secure a narrow victory and Manning will pick up a second Super Bowl MVP award in four seasons.
Indianapolis Colts 31 New Orleans Saints 28
Super Bowl XLIV will be live on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ One from 2255 GMT, Radio 5 Live and Radio 5 live sports extra from 2100 GMT, Sunday 7 February.
Hello, I'm Neil Reynolds. I commentate and write about the NFL. I've followed the NFL since 1983 and covered the league as a journalist and broadcaster since 1991. I also played for 10 years in the British American Football League.
Comment number 1.
At 4th Feb 2010, eddie-george wrote:Still the Saints for me.
More I look at it, the Colts defense - and especially if Freeney is not 100% - is going to struggle to contain this physical, explosive unit. There are mismatches all over the field, Colston and Henderson most obviously, but Brees is going find he's spoiled for choice all evening.
You'd never discount a side led by Peyton, but this is one that will end up out of reach. 38-30 Saints.
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Comment number 2.
At 4th Feb 2010, Rambo wrote:Can I literally say WOW?
I've been volunteering in New Orleans for a month now and cannot describe the Football Fever oozing out of the city. Every trumpet player on every street corner plays the seemingly new national anthem 'When the Saints go marching in', while in turn each pianist plays the now classic 'Reggie be good' (Reggie Bush).
The Saints simply have to win. I read in some Australian article that 1 billion people will be watching the game and yet only a million of which will be rooting for the Colts.
The Colts are good, well organised and experienced but can anyone stop the Brees factor? Surely not. 'Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints? who dat? who dat?'
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Comment number 3.
At 4th Feb 2010, badcomputerkarma wrote:In the last few years the game has been decided by the act appearing at half-time. How so ? Well if I like the act the team I like wins. Tom Petty yeah, Giants win, Bruce Springsteen, no thank you so the team I like loses (sorry Cardinals, it wasnΒ΄t deliberate).
Hard to go against Peyton Manning but unfortunately I like The Who (talking about my degeneration)so the Saints get the title. Actually I like the Colts too but New Orleans needs it more. Should be a great game.
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Comment number 4.
At 4th Feb 2010, calisinja wrote:I live in San Diego, and Drew Brees is remembered very fondly by most Chargers fans. He was perhaps a little unceremoniously cast aside after his injury, but with Rivers coming up in the ranks, the Chargers obviously could not keep him.
What I love about Brees is that he has got better and better. When he first broke into the Chargers team, he was nervous and lacked confidence. He was benched for (and even replaced during games by) fan-favourite Doug Flutie. But with the emergence of Tomlinson and a better offensive line, Brees was able to improve, and by 2004 was a fan-favourite himself.
He carries himeself with class and dignity. He is down to earth. He still lives in San Diego and contributes massively to the community. I will be rooting for him massively on Sunday.
However, the Colts will win!
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Comment number 5.
At 4th Feb 2010, calisinja wrote:And to piggy back on what #3 badcomputerkarma pointed out - the scenes of Saints fans literally dancing in the streets of New Orleans after the NFC Championship game were amazing. #3 is right - this means so much to them as a community.
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Comment number 6.
At 4th Feb 2010, bobbie23171 wrote:Before the vikings game i wouldn't have minded a saints win, but after their defence went out their looking for the cheap shots, looking to injure Favre, playing dirty like they did; i hope Manning destroys them. Go Colts!
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Comment number 7.
At 5th Feb 2010, itsallgoneblue wrote:I must say that as a Colts fan this week has a decidedly odd feel to it. I appreciate the fact that the majority of people will support New Orleans (although estimated figures of 1 million Colts fans out of 1 Billion viewers are ridiculous.) I totally understand and sympathise with the reasoning behind most peoples' decisions, but I just feel that the majority of the people caught up in the story have almost forgotten that there's another team involved Sunday night. Not only that, but for me, Peyton is the greatest the game has ever seen. I'm aware my views will carry less weight having stated that I'm a Colts fan, but I just have a feeling. It just seems like the obvious story is about New Orleans, but I'm not convinced their story will be the decisive one. I'd love New Orleans (and Drew Brees) to win a Superbowl in the next few years, but I hope it isn't this year. Come Sunday, I for one will cast aside all logic, reason, form and stats, and I'll hope against hope that Dwight Freeney makes it, and I'll wear my blue #18 jersey and get ready to watch what could be one of the all time great Superbowls. And if all goes well, I'm pretty sure I'll wear #18 under my work clothes on Tuesday (made sure I had Monday off obviously!)
Incredibly excited, may the best team win, 31-21 Colts for me.
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Comment number 8.
At 5th Feb 2010, Grizzly wrote:Good blog Neil, some excellent stuff in there, some of which I wasn't previously aware of.
Everyone loves the underdog and when it comes to big sporting finals there's always a case put up on how David can beat Goliath, I'm not suggesting that the Saints are way inferior to the Colts but they are certainly underdogs.
The whole New Orleans story is a great one and no-one deprives them their success, a tragic act of God causing so much pain and heartache to so many, now a few years down the line the City coming together in NFL's showpiece.
The reality for Saints is that they're up against probably the most talented offence I've ever seen.
HOF bound Manning and his band of receivers when on song are awesome, the running game is almost non existent but when you have a decision maker as good as Manning you don't need a running game.
And a Saints defence that managed to concede big points to sides like the Rams, Skins, Dolphins, Lions and of course the woeful Buccs in the regular season tells me that they won't be able to stop Manning.
No offence to Skins fans but didn't Campbell put up almost 400 yards against their secondary ?
Im truly pleased for the New Orleans franchise but I feel that Sunday will be a painful reality check in a two-score Colts victory, I'll go for 27-17.
Thanks for all the blogs Neil, really enjoyed all the NFL chat of the past few months, 7 months of off season to look forward to !
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Comment number 9.
At 5th Feb 2010, Ravens_Defense_DOW_SAVE_606 wrote:"7 months of off season to look forward to ! "
:( stupid sport having such a long off season. Thank god the combine and draft take a stupid amount of time up.
Neil, great blogs this year. Can we hope to see some more in the off-season and maybe a mock draft?
I see you are jumping on the shoot-out bandwagon. 2 incredible QBs with the most potent offenses in the league, this has a drab tactical affair wrote all over it. 3-0 to the Saints with the Hartley and the punter sharing the MVP ;)
Ok so a little unrealistic but this could easily turn into a close meduim scoring game if both defenses do what they do best and create turn-overs. 26-23 Colts - Money Matt kicking the game winning FG.
Brees is a class act and rightly the emotional leader of this team. It must be a sickner to think you passed on Brees because of injury and got Chad "sicknote" Pennington in a couple of years later.
Oh and Bobbie, its a mans game played by men in armour. The Saints defense werent over-awed by Favre and did what every other defense should have done. There was one real cheap shot and it got calle, all the other so called cheap shots were really not that bad.
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Comment number 10.
At 5th Feb 2010, Neil Reynolds wrote:Thanks for all your kind words - will be back on Tuesday with a Super Bowl round-up. And then the dreaded long off-season - I hate the off-season !
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Comment number 11.
At 5th Feb 2010, jhjackhammer wrote:well as a vikings fan, i was so annoyed 2 weeks ago when we threw the game away. but gotta say even thou the saints beat us (lucky) i hope they win due to the fact that it be their first. thou i cant see the saints winning, just because i dont think the saints defence can stop manning and co
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Comment number 12.
At 6th Feb 2010, Craig wrote:Only got into NFL this year but what a season it has been, can't wait for the big night on Sunday and hoping the Saints take it down.
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Comment number 13.
At 6th Feb 2010, The Realist wrote:What is this Super Bowl? Is it made of glass, china, plastic, wood or metal?
Preferably I prefer metal because it is both strong and doesn't mark as easily as the other materials, also where can I get one because I went to Tesco earlier today and when I asked if I can buy one of the super bowls the kind assistant said they do not stock it.
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Comment number 14.
At 7th Feb 2010, buymespresso wrote:Why is there so much coverage of such a one-country sport? If you want to be fair to footballing codes, why not cover Aussie Rules and Futsal as well? And Gaelic Football too - it's certainly played a lot more home (thirty+ clubs in London, hundreds in Northern Ireland) and away (sixty clubs in Australia).
Or maybe you just don't want to cover sports that don't make money. Ah. Right. Tomorrow. Superbowl. Money. Lots. That's all you care about.
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Comment number 15.
At 7th Feb 2010, vk9141 wrote:buymespresso
I would hardly call one blog (albeit a very good blog) and the screening of one game (the Super Bowl itself) a lot of coverage!?
Sky has quite a lot of coverage, people pay for it and it makes them money. Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ only began to start any kind of coverage after the clear interest shown on Sky. No offence to fans of the sports you mentioned but if people were sufficiently interested Sky might have picked them up too.
And what you maybe haven't realised is, along with all the Americans in the UK, the sheer number of Brits like myself who have close ties to the country and it's people: wives/husbands, extended family or just like the USA, and its sports.
So leave this blog to the fans please.
And go colts!
Should be an awesome game.
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Comment number 16.
At 7th Feb 2010, badcomputerkarma wrote:In response to Nr9. Ravens_Defense_DOW_Ray_Rice_Running_Right_For_The_Ravens
IΒ΄m not sure I agree with you about the 7 month break. Just imagine if American Football got a similar amount of coverage as soccer. It would be much less precious to me. Okay I can go and watch one of our local clube between May and September but come the new NFL season I`m raring to go and I think one of the reasons is because of the break.
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Comment number 17.
At 7th Feb 2010, jhjackhammer wrote:buymespresso
Why is there so much coverage of such a one-country sport? If you want to be fair to footballing codes, why not cover Aussie Rules and Futsal as well? And Gaelic Football too - it's certainly played a lot more home (thirty+ clubs in London, hundreds in Northern Ireland) and away (sixty clubs in Australia).
Or maybe you just don't want to cover sports that don't make money. Ah. Right. Tomorrow. Superbowl. Money. Lots. That's all you care about
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why is there so much coverage, well let me think, is it because it is one of the most watch sporting events in the world??
And to mention Gaelic football, i play and watch it myself but i can probably say no one from other countries really wanna watch it. you mention people in northern Ireland playing it?? well of course Gaelic is big in Ireland not just the south, and who is it that plays it in London and Australia, oh wait its Irish people who live there. Don't get me wrong i love Gaelic football, but when it comes to sport watch in Ireland its actually pretty low, more people in Ireland watch the premiership than Gaelic.
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Comment number 18.
At 7th Feb 2010, zash wrote:Despite what everyone is saying i think the Saints will put it off. The soul reason being that both offences are equally great but i would rather have the saints deffence trying to stop Peyton Manning at the last minute than the Colts defence trying to stop Drew Brees and Reggie Bush at the last minute.
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