Sean Payton puts “fluid” passing touchdown record in perspective

[Pat Patriot]

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Yes, there was significance to Saints quarterback Drew Brees breaking the passing-touchdown record set by former Colts and Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning against the team New Orleans beat in the Super Bowl on the night the Saints honored the 10th anniversary of that team — a team Brees led. But the Saints currently have fatter fish to fricassee, and coach Sean Payton knows it.

When asked to comment on the meaning of Brees’ new record for touchdown passes, Payton issued a reminder to his team, and to anyone else paying attention.

“Honestly, the win means a lot,” Payton said. “There’s going to be a day where we all ride off into the sunset, but it’s not now. Like I said, there’s a lot at stake right now relative to these games. When you look at the top of the NFC and we’re very competitive, we’re going to play another team in the hunt next week that has played real well. It’s something we’ve seen happen and I think he’ll tell you the same thing. It’s about winning. It’s about winning and winning and winning and trying to give yourself the best chance in the postseason. And that’s really the truth.”

Payton is right, especially because (unlike other Brees records) his latest is hardly settled.

“There’s been a number of other milestones and I think it’s still about winning,” Payton said. “It’s a fluid record though. There’s still another quarterback in New England. That’ll go back and forth as long as those two are playing.”

They may not go back and forth, however. Brees had a healthy lead on Tom Brady before missing five games due to a thumb injury. Brady jumped him by one, but with Brees still producing at a high level and the New England offense strug-uh-ling, Brees may build a gap.

Ultimately, the question becomes whether one plays one or more years longer than the other. That extra year or two, if there is an extra year or two, likely will be the difference.

And at that point the record will not be fluid. The only active quarterback with a realistic chance of breaking the record is Patrick Mahomes, and he has 79.