Saints’ Drew Brees, Michael Thomas eye more records entering Titans game

What will record-setting New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees do for an encore?

The simple answer is tune in to Sunday’s uber-important road game against the Tennessee desperados at Nissan Stadium in Music City U.S.A., where wind and rain could come into play three days before Christmas.

The three-time defending NFC South-champion Saints are one of four 11-3 teams in the NFC jockeying for a first-round bye and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs while the Titans (8-6) are looking to pull off an upset and keep their slim postseason hopes alive.

The line opened in favor of New Orleans at -1 and has moved to -2 ½ and -3 in most sports betting houses largely because of Brees’ record-setting performance Monday night in a 34-7 dismantling of the Indianapolis Colts at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Brees finished 29 of 30 for 307 yards and four touchdowns, enabling him to surpass Peyton Manning and become the NFL’s all-time leader with 541 career touchdown passes.

Brees also completed 22 consecutive passes before exiting the game early in the fourth quarter. That sets him up Sunday (noon, Fox) to eclipse the current NFL record of 25 straight completions currently shared by Los Angels Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, Jacksonville quarterback Nick Foles and Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

Rivers and Foles posted their records in one game with the Chargers (2018) and Philadelphia Eagles (2018), respectively, while Tannehill hit the 25 mark over two games with the Miami Dolphins in 2015.

I like Brees’ chances to get the record even in what could be less than ideal conditions. Sunday’s forecast calls for overcast skies, with a high of 51, 5-10 mph winds and a 40 percent chance for showers. With Coach Sean Payton scripting the first 12-to-15 offensive snaps, I suspect Brees could get the record on the Saints’ first possession.

If it’s in the game, it’s in the game.

Depending on the elements, I also think Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas has a fair-to-middlin’ chance of eclipsing Marvin Harrison’s NFL record for most receptions in one season. Harrison established the mark of 143 in 2002. Thomas (133) needs 10 to tie and 11 to overtake Harrison.

If Thomas is open — I call him Open Mike — Brees will find No. 13 come hell or high water.

Keep in mind that Brees and Thomas collaborated on all 12 targeted passes against the Colts for 128 yards and one touchdown. Only one of those 12 hook ups that night resulted in negative yardage. The last one lost 2 yards but enabled Brees to set the NFL single-game record for highest completion percentage (a minimum of 20 attempts).

Brees (29 of 30) finished with a stellar 96.7 completion percentage, surpassing the previous league high of 96.55 set by Rivers in Week 12 against the Arizona Cardinals last season (28 of 29).

Records are meant to be broken and No. 9 has broken more than his share over the years. Don’t be surprised if it happens again Sunday.

This story was originally published December 20, 2019 at 11:06 AM.