Drew Brees couldn’t have done much more. As the 2016 season came to a close, Brees finished the year as the NFL’s leading passer, topping the stat books in attempts, completions, and yards to go with 37 touchdowns. Despite his statistical prowess, the Saints finished 7-9, their third consecutive seven-win season and their fourth in five seasons. Brees was turning 38 the following seasons and the Saints had to do something drastic or risk wasting the end of a Hall of Fame quarterback’s career.
After coming back to beat the Eagles on Sunday, the Saints proved how well they’ve positioned themselves to finish Brees’ twilight years as consistent contenders.