Drew Brees: This Brees Will Blow Away

drew_brees Drew Brees: This Brees Will Blow Away

Somebody needs to talk to Drew Brees and explain to him that he is supposed to be backing up first-round starlet Phil Rivers right now. This picture isn't right. The entire focus of this year's draft and offseason was all about 'fixing' the quarterback position for this franchise long-term. And none of those long-term solutions involved Drew Brees. It was Eli Manning or Phil Rivers; that was supposed to be the choice. Drew Brees was the guy they were 'replacing' and was simply expected to toil away the final year of his contract on the bench and then drift off into the California sunset of unrestricted free agency with nary a starter's job in sight. That was the plan.

Instead, we have proof positive that the San Diego Chargers are among the most snakebit franchises in pro sports. Few could've predicted what Drew Brees has accomplished thus far, but nobody can rebuff the impending quagmire that awaits this organization when 2005 rolls around. Phil Rivers chose to hold-out for all of training camp and most of the preseason, and it was this little window of opportunity that Drew Brees has exploited and given the Chargers every reason to believe he is the best quarterback on their roster. What are they to do now? When the Chargers sent Eli Manning packing in favor of Phil Rivers, would they not have been thrilled had Phil Rivers blossomed into the 3rd-highest rated QB in the NFL behind only Daunte Culpepper and Peyton Manning? How about 4th in the NFL in TD passes thrown? To put it mildly the entire Chargers organization would feel vindicated and relieved if a 1st round choice of their choosing could actually make good on his potential instead of blowing up in their faces.

But it's Drew Brees who currently finds himself in the statistical company of Culpepper and Manning. More importantly, it's Drew Brees who has this 'rebuilding' Chargers team thinking playoffs with a 5-3 record and a first-place tie for the division title. And it's also Drew Brees who will have the option to play anywhere he is wanted after this season is completed. And boy is he wanted, big-time. The Green Bay Packers have already voiced serious public interest in making Brees a Packer in preparation for Brett Favre's imminent retirement. Not only will the Chargers be unable to retain both Rivers and Brees financially, but should they lose Brees they now have to face the sobering reality of having to endure the development cycle of yet another young, inexperienced quarterback.

But Brees has played so well the last five weeks, throwing 11 touchdown passes against only one interception, that questions about his future dominated coach Marty Schottenheimer's news conference one day after the Chargers routed the Raiders 42-14. (what happens to Brees next year) "I'm not going to look there," Schottenheimer said yesterday. "I don't have to worry about that right now...We play them one game at a time to win, and we're going to put out there the people that we feel give us the best opportunity to win," he said. "That's the obligation that I have to every other coach, to the players, to the organization and to the fans. Training camp is training camp; preseason is preseason; regular season is win." - SignOnSanDiego

Winning is like a drug, and denial is the first sign of addiction. Marty doesn't want to think about life without Drew Brees right now and who can blame him? He's got him now and he's riding high. But make no mistake about it, when this Brees blows out of San Diego he'll be taking away with him far more substance and value than any Chargers coach or executive would care to admit right now.

One Quarterback Too Many [SignOnSanDiego]

Photo: [Ernest Coleman and Jeff Swinger: Cincinnati Enquirer]

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Drew Brees: This Brees Will Blow Away