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http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/feb/08/082322/sp-saints-formed-quite-a-connection/sports-bucs/
IRA KAUFMAN | The Tampa Tribune Published: February 8, 2010
FORT LAUDERDALE - Simon and Garfunkel. The Everly Brothers. Brooks & Dunn.
Payton and Brees.
Some duos were just destined to make beautiful music together.
Since arriving in New Orleans two months apart in 2006, Coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees have terrorized opposing defenses while lifting the spirits of a battered region.
That four-year partnership culminated in Sunday's 31-17 Super Bowl victory against the Colts as Brees took home MVP honors and Payton fell to sleep cradling the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
"I've always thought it was one heck of a marriage," said Bucs coordinator of pro scouting Doug Williams, a former Super Bowl MVP. "The things Brees is capable of doing gives Payton even more imagination for his playbook. The Saints had receivers running wide open all night."
This tandem figures to torment NFC South rivals like Tampa Bay for a while because Brees just turned 31 and Payton isn't going anywhere after leading the Saints to a 16-3 record.
New Orleans has already led the NFL in total offense three times during the brief Payton-Brees era. Brees was the league's top-rated passer in 2009 and Payton has developed into the NFL's most creative play-caller.
"Sean is a special guy," Brees said on the morning after he tied Tom Brady's Super Bowl record of 32 completions. "I feel like we communicate so well together. I have so much trust and faith and confidence in him and I feel like he has that same confidence in me."
One fourth-quarter sequence from Sunday evening typifies how well Brees and Payton spread the field and utilized personnel.
With the Saints trailing 17-16, Brees took over at his own 41 after Matt Stover's missed field goal try. He promptly drove New Orleans for the go-ahead score, completing all seven of his pass attempts - to seven different targets.
Brees then found another new receiver, Lance Moore, for the 2-point conversion that put the Saints ahead 24-17 with 5:42 remaining.
"He was outstanding," Payton said of his crafty triggerman. "Drew's been a winner wherever he's been. Here, you don't have to worry about making a mistake because you've got a quarterback and an offense and a head coach that will be aggressive."
Payton was hired on Jan. 18, 2006, and Brees, coming off a major shoulder injury, was signed that March.
The '06 Saints promptly reached the NFC Championship Game and the franchise is 38-26 with two division titles and a Super Bowl victory since General Manager Mickey Loomis paired Brees and Payton.
"Coach is such an aggressive play-caller and when you have a guy like that, you know how much confidence he is putting in you to dial those things up," Brees said. "That's why I think we're able to play as we do as an offense."
After averaging an NFL-high 32 points in the regular season, the Saints ramped that to 36 points while beating Arizona, Minnesota and Indianapolis in the postseason.
Unless Brees suffers a serious injury or someone pilfers Payton's playbook, New Orleans could set the NFL's offensive standard for years.
It's a partnership that reminds some of the Mike Martz-Kurt Warner tandem in St. Louis a decade ago, when the Rams featured the Greatest Show on Turf and reached the Super Bowl twice within a three-year span.
"Now that they've won a Super Bowl, New Orleans players may have a little more swagger," Williams said. "Those guys could create havoc for a while."
Not about the Cowboys, but a good story about Payton and how he coaches, or has developed into a winning coach. Certainly a few lessons here for Garrett.
IRA KAUFMAN | The Tampa Tribune Published: February 8, 2010
FORT LAUDERDALE - Simon and Garfunkel. The Everly Brothers. Brooks & Dunn.
Payton and Brees.
Some duos were just destined to make beautiful music together.
Since arriving in New Orleans two months apart in 2006, Coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees have terrorized opposing defenses while lifting the spirits of a battered region.
That four-year partnership culminated in Sunday's 31-17 Super Bowl victory against the Colts as Brees took home MVP honors and Payton fell to sleep cradling the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
"I've always thought it was one heck of a marriage," said Bucs coordinator of pro scouting Doug Williams, a former Super Bowl MVP. "The things Brees is capable of doing gives Payton even more imagination for his playbook. The Saints had receivers running wide open all night."
This tandem figures to torment NFC South rivals like Tampa Bay for a while because Brees just turned 31 and Payton isn't going anywhere after leading the Saints to a 16-3 record.
New Orleans has already led the NFL in total offense three times during the brief Payton-Brees era. Brees was the league's top-rated passer in 2009 and Payton has developed into the NFL's most creative play-caller.
"Sean is a special guy," Brees said on the morning after he tied Tom Brady's Super Bowl record of 32 completions. "I feel like we communicate so well together. I have so much trust and faith and confidence in him and I feel like he has that same confidence in me."
One fourth-quarter sequence from Sunday evening typifies how well Brees and Payton spread the field and utilized personnel.
With the Saints trailing 17-16, Brees took over at his own 41 after Matt Stover's missed field goal try. He promptly drove New Orleans for the go-ahead score, completing all seven of his pass attempts - to seven different targets.
Brees then found another new receiver, Lance Moore, for the 2-point conversion that put the Saints ahead 24-17 with 5:42 remaining.
"He was outstanding," Payton said of his crafty triggerman. "Drew's been a winner wherever he's been. Here, you don't have to worry about making a mistake because you've got a quarterback and an offense and a head coach that will be aggressive."
Payton was hired on Jan. 18, 2006, and Brees, coming off a major shoulder injury, was signed that March.
The '06 Saints promptly reached the NFC Championship Game and the franchise is 38-26 with two division titles and a Super Bowl victory since General Manager Mickey Loomis paired Brees and Payton.
"Coach is such an aggressive play-caller and when you have a guy like that, you know how much confidence he is putting in you to dial those things up," Brees said. "That's why I think we're able to play as we do as an offense."
After averaging an NFL-high 32 points in the regular season, the Saints ramped that to 36 points while beating Arizona, Minnesota and Indianapolis in the postseason.
Unless Brees suffers a serious injury or someone pilfers Payton's playbook, New Orleans could set the NFL's offensive standard for years.
It's a partnership that reminds some of the Mike Martz-Kurt Warner tandem in St. Louis a decade ago, when the Rams featured the Greatest Show on Turf and reached the Super Bowl twice within a three-year span.
"Now that they've won a Super Bowl, New Orleans players may have a little more swagger," Williams said. "Those guys could create havoc for a while."
Not about the Cowboys, but a good story about Payton and how he coaches, or has developed into a winning coach. Certainly a few lessons here for Garrett.