Drew Brees is my leader

Since I was busy holding down the 305 when SI's NFL preview was delivered to my nola home, and later there was football to watch and practice resumed Monday, I've been slow to peruse the latest issue's contents.

But here are my thoughts:

Drew Brees is outshined by Tom and Peyton in the minds of so-called NFL experts only because he hasn't won a Super Bowl. Yet.

Brees will win a Super Bowl. He's too f'ing damn good not to (only qb in history of the game to have three consecutive seasons of 4,400 or more yards and 26 or more touchdowns, and the march continues).

On that note, I still can't believe Peter King predicted we'll finish behind Atlanta and Carolina at 7-9. Does he really think our defense is gonna be the same, or worse? Last year we finished 8-8 -- five of those losses were by a field goal or fewer points. So our D was porous.

But now we're better, and obviously under the radar. All Brees and Co. need from the new defense under Greg Williams are more forced turnovers and three-and-outs. It'll be a few weeks until we really know how they shape up in the latter, but as far as preseason and camp have shown, we're better at getting the ball back into our qb's hands.

Back to the so-called experts: In seven categories that SI asked them to rank quarterbacks -- best overall, best deep arm, best game manager, toughest, most athletic, best at the line of scrimmage, best under pressure -- Drew ranked in five of the best-of-five listings. And he was top in toughest. But he followed Tom and Peyton in best overall. I can't wait to hear the experts run their gums when he wins a Super Bowl.

Who Dat!