New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees delivered a perfect performance to lead the Saints to a dominant 38-17 victory over the New England Patriots on Monday and maintain their unbeaten start to the season.
The Saints joined the Indianapolis Colts at 11-0 with the win, the first time two teams have started the season with that many victories.
Brees threw five touchdown passes on the way to a rare 158.3 rating, the maximum a quarterback can achieve, as the Saints overwhelmed New England, winners of three Super Bowls this decade.
PHOTO: EPA
Brees finished with 371 passing yards and threw for three scores in the second quarter where New Orleans took command.
“We have so much respect for [the Patriots], and that’s what we’re trying to be: that team that year in and year out competes for a championship,” Brees told reporters.
“We have put together a special team and we’re excited about the situation we’re in,” he said.
The explosive Saints had five different players record touchdowns while their defense limited Tom Brady to 237 yards passing, no scores and two interceptions.
New England led 7-3 in the first quarter before Pierre Thomas (18 yards) and Devery Henderson (75 yards) hauled in scoring passes from Brees on consecutive New Orleans drives in the second.
Laurence Maroney had two rushing scores for the Patriots, who trailed 24-17 with 10:24 left in the third, but Brees put the game away with scoring throws to Darnell Dinkins and Marques Colston.
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