NFL teams
Aaron Schatz, ESPN Writer 9y

Brees isn't the problem for Saints

NBA

For years, three quarterbacks have dominated any discussion being held about the best players in the National Football League: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Drew Brees. Yes, Aaron Rodgers has certainly entered that discussion, but those first three quarterbacks are now all over the age of 35, and many fans and analysts have zeroed in on who among them has started the inevitable decline.

When the New England Patriots started this year 2-2, including a blowout loss in Kansas City, Brady certainly had a lot of fans thinking his time at the top of the league was done. The Denver Broncos' recent offensive struggles on the road have some fans questioning Manning. But of the three veterans, the one who stands out this year the most in "regression" conversations is Brees. His New Orleans Saints, a preseason Super Bowl favorite, are 4-6 and are only in the playoff race at this point because the NFC South is so weak overall.

What's going wrong with Brees this year?

The short answer: nothing.

Since I started Football Outsiders a dozen years ago, I've been a crusader against crudely judging quarterbacks on wins and losses without considering that football is truly a team sport. And with Brees and the 2014-15 Saints, we happen to have a perfect example of why losses don't necessarily mean your quarterback is struggling.

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