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NFL 2008

NFC News 'N' Notes -- Week 12

Week 12, 2008, 11/21/2008


BREES & WARNER AIM FOR SEASON PASSING MARK

5,084.


That number represents the NFL’s single-season passing record, set in 1984 by Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback DAN MARINO. It is the mark that every quarterback shoots for. Through the first 10 games of the 2008 season, two QBs have that milestone in their sights – New Orleans’ DREW BREES, who is on pace for an NFL-record 5,201 yards, and Arizona’s KURT WARNER, who is on pace for 5,048.

The record as it stands now:


MOST PASSING YARDS, SINGLE SEASON

PLAYER
TEAM
YEAR
SEASON TOTAL

Dan Marino
Miami
1984
5,084

Kurt Warner
St. Louis
2001
4,830

Tom Brady
New England
2007
4,806

Dan Fouts
San Diego
1981
4,802

Dan Marino
Miami
1986
4,746


Drew Brees
New Orleans
2008
5,201*

Kurt Warner
Arizona
2008
5,048*


*Projected


Brees leads the NFL with 3,251 passing yards and has the most yards through the first 10 games of a season in history. Warner, who is second with 3,155 yards, has the third highest yardage total through a season’s first 10 games. During his record-breaking year, Marino passed for 3,094 yards in his first 10 games.


Most passing yards through a season’s first 10 games:


PLAYER
TEAM
YEAR
YARDS THRU 10 GAMES
SEASON TOTAL

Drew Brees
New Orleans
2008
3,251
???

Rich Gannon
Oakland
2002
3,195
4,689

Kurt Warner
Arizona
2008
3,155
???

Warren Moon
Houston Oilers
1990
3,152
4,689

Drew Brees
New Orleans
2006
3,114
4,418

Dan Marino
Miami
1984
3,094
5,084*


*NFL Record



The 2008 season marks the third time in history that two players have passed for at least 3,000 yards in the first 10 games of a season:



SEASON
QUARTERBACKS WITH 3,000 YARDS IN FIRST 10 GAMES (YARDS)

1990
Warren Moon, Houston Oilers (3,152) and Joe Montana, San Francisco (3,065)

2002
Rich Gannon, Oakland (3,195) and Drew Bledsoe, Buffalo (3,027)

2008
Drew Brees, New Orleans (3,251) and Kurt Warner, Arizona (3,155)



NFL Network analyst and former NFL head coach STEVE MARIUCCI has been impressed with Brees’ performance and leadership.

“Drew is having a great year,” says Mariucci. “He’s a veteran player who gives the Saints confidence. He makes his receivers better and they play hard because of his leadership. He’s also been good for the city of New Orleans and has brought excitement to the fans.”

Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback TROY AIKMAN, who now serves as an analyst for FOX and the Sporting News, is not surprised with Warner’s success this season.

“It doesn’t surprise me because I’ve seen enough of Kurt to know what kind of player and person he is,” says Aikman. “It’s amazing when you look at his career to see how accurate he has been throwing the football. He’s playing in an offense that he feels really good about and he’s got good players around him. He’s a terrific leader for that team.”

Brees leads the league with seven 300-yard passing games, tied for the most in history through the first 10 games of a season. Warner has six such games. Oakland’s RICH GANNON, who holds the single-season mark with 10 300-yard games, had seven such performances through the first 10 games of 2002.



Three-hundred-yard passing games:


PLAYER
TEAM
YEAR
300s THRU 10 GAMES
300s FOR SEASON

Warren Moon
Houston Oilers
1990
7
9

Steve Young
San Francisco
1998
7
7

Rich Gannon
Oakland
2002
7
10*

Drew Brees
New Orleans
2008
7
???

Many tied
--
--
6
--


*NFL Record



Warner is the only player in history to have two different seasons with at least nine 300-yard games. He was named the Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player both those years – in 1999 and 2001. Brees had a career-high eight 300-yard performances in 2006.


Most 300-yard games in a season:


PLAYER
TEAM
YEAR
300-YARD GAMES

Rich Gannon
Oakland
2002
10

Dan Marino
Miami
1984
9

Warren Moon
Houston Oilers
1990
9

Kurt Warner
St. Louis
1999
9

Kurt Warner
St. Louis
2001
9



Drew Brees
New Orleans
2008
7*

Kurt Warner
Arizona
2008
7*


*Through 10 games