Where Does Thursday Night's Loss Rank in Drew Brees' Career Worst Performances?

Drew Brees’ career-high five interceptions added to the nightmarish season for the New Orleans Saints. New Orleans dropped its second consecutive game to a division-leader by losing 23-13 to the Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome.

Brees was 28-of-50 passing for 341 yards and five picks.

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Saints QB Drew Brees: career-high 5 INT

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 30, 2012

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The disappointing performance marked his worst passer rating (37.6) since Week 12 against the Washington Redskins—in 2005. His passer rating in that contest was 35.7. LaDainian Tomlinson also threw a pass in that game, during a time in which Brees was still the signal-caller for the San Diego Chargers.

Tomlinson ran for three touchdowns on that particular afternoon, so the Chargers won despite Brees' poor performance.  Seven years later with LT now in retirement, a similar effort from Brees would result in a loss.

Before Thursday night, the last time Brees failed to throw a touchdown pass in an NFL regular-season game was October 4, 2009 against the New York Jets. After an NFL-record 54 consecutive regular-season stat lines that included a passing TD, his streak was snapped at the hands of the Falcons.

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Saints QB Drew Brees: NFL-record streak of 54 straight games with a TD pass ends in loss to Falcons.

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 30, 2012

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He had thrown for multiple touchdowns in nine straight games and three scores in three straight games. Of course, those streaks are done, too.

According to the Associated Press, Brees mentioned that five picks had never happened to him before, that it was “extremely disappointing” and that “I pride myself on being a good decision-maker and not someone who will be a detriment to the game”.

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Drew Brees: 1st QB with a 0 TD/5 INT game in Saints history AND 1st with a 0 TD/5 INT game vs Falcons!

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 30, 2012

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The combination of five interceptions, the end of his historic streak and the loss to a division rival in a nationally-televised game makes for a very forgettable night for Brees. It was easily his worst night as a member of the Saints and may very well be his worst game as a professional football player.

New Orleans (5-7) is now almost certainly out of the playoff hunt—which is perhaps the biggest blow of them all.

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