So send 11 until you hit him hard enough or scare them enough that they pull him.

I never like hearing whining about someone running up a score. If you don't want it to happen then don't play like crap.

basemetal: I loved it because it was Sproles who caught the TD. I had already won my Fantasy game, but that was just more frosting.

Same - I gave my Shiva-blast on the previous TD (had Brees, started the game needing 27 pts). The Sproles catch was truly just icing.

In fairness, the Falcons did do a decent job of stopping Brees. Normally his completion rate is significantly more than 60%, especially in victories. But he was taking a LOT of shots downrange to try and get the record. The fact is, that he was taking so many shots that early on, they were able to run the ball at-will against a Falcons D which is usually pretty good against the run. They ran into a buzz-saw last night. There's just no getting around that.

Must be tough to break a record like that and still be the third best QB in the league...at least until Peyton comes back and Brees falls back to 4th.

So we can add the Saints to the list of classless NFL teams, eh? Guess the 'savior' and pretty-boy Brees image are long-forgotten memories now; instead we get another Patriots or Steelers. Success really does corrupt.

If you knew he was going to keep passing to break the record, why not put more DBs in, forcing them to run the ball?

It's not like they were manipulating the game to try and get Brees the record. When Jenkins recovered the fumble he could have stepped out of bounds to give Brees another chance, but they played the game as it should be played and the Falcons just sucked at it.

/Glad it seems to be an opinion of small minority though.

Twstr709: I never like hearing whining about someone running up a score. If you don't want it to happen then don't play like crap.

Pretty much this! Although I don't like it in youth league where doing it is less about the kids and more about some coach who sucked in high school and needs to live through the kids, and the league should be about teaching the game. Otherwise you signed up to a competitive sport, in the case they are being PAID to play it. Don't like it, stop it.

abloo bloo bloo why don't you guys go drown a dog about it.

js34603: Must be tough to break a record like that and still be the third best QB in the league...at least until Peyton comes back and Brees falls back to 4th.

Well the record was set by the 3rd best QB in the league back then, too.

There is no such thing as running up the score in the NFL. For a high school or college team to do it to a team they're clearly dominant over is unsportsmanlike, but once you reach the professional level, there is no reason to never not give it your all.

js34603: the third best QB in the league

Rodgers I'll give you. But Brady? No. That's, at best, a coin flip.

So I've been reading about this game of 'football' and apparently the team opposite the offense is also allowed to field 11 players on something called a 'defense'. The rules indicate that this defense is allowed to appear in various formations on the field in order to mirror that of the offense, and, when the ball is in play, stop them from advancing down the field.

While I can't comment on the validity of these alleged rules, having watched Atlanta play last night, I can only assume that either a more capable team might have had some sort of say in New Orleans offensive performance and at least tried to stop them or the Saints were cheating.

Either way, this merits further investigation.

Equipment. Balls. Something-something.

Twigz221: There is no such thing as running up the score in the NFL. For a high school or college team to do it to a team they're clearly dominant over is unsportsmanlike, but once you reach the professional level, there is no reason to never not give it your all.

Everytime we have one of these threads, someone brings up the point that it would be MORE of an insult to a defense to bring in your third-stringers than to leave the starters in.

I guess I'll be That Guy today.

/agrees with everyone that says there's no such thing as running up the score in the NFL
//stay "classy," Atlanta

Twigz221: There is no such thing as running up the score in the NFL. For a high school or college team to do it to a team they're clearly dominant over is unsportsmanlike, but once you reach the professional level, there is no reason to never not give it your all.

In the pros, you get paid the same whether you win 62-7 or lose 62-7. There are 60 minutes in a game - just like in real life, you don't get to slack for the last %10 of your day just because "it's over".

// except performance bonuses, Pro Bowl appearances and playoff wins
// currently enjoying the year-end slackness/post-Christmas hangover at work

Dr Dreidel: 62-7

Aw, come on, man. We're trying to forget about that game over here.

Don't like it? Make them punt on 4th and 13.

The way I see it, it's the smart thing to do strategically. The pressure doesn't carry over till next week, there's no interruption in the flow of the game and they can just play football. Plus, it keeps ATL from saying, 'yeah, they beat us by 3 tds, but he didn't get the record on us!'

If you're going to complain about a team being show offs, talk about the "bow on the ball" touchdown celebration. Don't whine because one of the NFL's top QB's revealed how much your passing D sucks, and broke Dan Marino's single season record in the process. Drew Brees is famous for being competitive and having passion, did you really think he was going to show mercy and save the record for another day when he's kicking your asses 38-16 with 2:50 left in the game? This article should have started and ended with "Falcons not happy".

If Atlanta was really upset about it, they should have tried to set a record for most personal foul penalties by drilling Brees every time he dropped back once the outcome was no longer in doubt.

There are consequences, after all.

if petey crisco is butthurt over it, it's likely the correct thing.

Notthisshiatagain.jpg

If you don't want to get the score run up on your ass... play some D.

Yanks_RSJ: If Atlanta was really upset about it, they should have tried to set a record for most personal foul penalties by drilling Brees every time he dropped back once the outcome was no longer in doubt.

There are consequences, after all.

That was Prisco's take, his article a delicious example of butt hurt. Gonna throw on us? Solution: Don't, you know, defend the pass or anything, but deliberately take ejection-worthy shots at Drew Brees!

Yeah, that's just what a team who may have to come back to the Dome in two weeks really wants to do, take cheap shots at Brees. Not like the Saints would remember that, come round 3.

Falcons one and done, again.

The Falcons could have offered some defense....Wahhhhhhh

jpat: The way I see it, it's the smart thing to do strategically. The pressure doesn't carry over till next week, there's no interruption in the flow of the game and they can just play football. Plus, it keeps ATL from saying, 'yeah, they beat us by 3 tds, but he didn't get the record on us!'

Pretty much my view on this issue. The press can be hounding Brady and Rodgers next week and the Saints can just play their game.

I doubt the Falcons have issue with him breaking the record, he's averaged more yards per game than he needed to attain in this game, so it was basically mathematical......

but I can totally see them getting a bit peeved that the NO Brees were still passing with under 4 min remaining, well ahead in the game, Atlanta looked incapable of mounting a comeback, etc.

In the last 4 minutes the Saints ran what...one time? You're up 3 scores, you don't pass and stop the clock. In the drive prior to Brees breaking the record, there were just over 5 minutes left, 3 straight passes and Atl gets the ball back with 4:30 ish left. On a normal day that'd be considered awful clock management, but when records are at stake I guess that goes away. Then with under 3 remaining, Atl down to only one TO, the Saints are STILL passing the ball, etc. If Belichick did the same thing, he'd be called unsportsmanlike, etc. In fact, I think he was a few years back when the Pats kept running up scores on everyone.

But hey...when a record is at stake you keep rackin' up stats right? I mean, Rodgers is only 5 TDs away from the single season mark and he played up until...oh wait, no, he sat the last quarter of the Bears game and will likely see very little of the field next week. Nevermind.

There is no such thing as running up the score in:

1. Pop Warner football
Your precious little snowflake needs to learn how to handle defeat and that working harder will make you better.

2. High school football
There are kids on the other side fighting to get a look for a scholarship. See #1 for how to react.

3. College football
There are guys on the other side looking to impress NFL scouts. There are also 2nd stringers who may only get to play at the end of blowouts. Practicing 3-and-out ball just to keep from hurting your feelings won't help them move up the depth chart.

4. Pro Football
This is your job, what you are paid to do. If you suck at it perhaps it is time to find another profession. The competition in the real world is not going hold off bankrupting you just so you'll feel better about yourself either.

5. All levels of the game
Either have the humility to understand that you can't win them all or the pride to stand up and do something about it. Both would be preferable.

/only punks cry

Maybe the Falcons should've punted instead of going for it. Then Brees could've broken his record, taken a knee, not "run up the score" and spared the Falcons' widdle feewings.

I was hoping for the onside kick.

nelsonal: So send 11 until you hit him hard enough or scare them enough that they pull him.

Then he would just dump off to sproles and watch him take it 30 yards before being brought down