National Football League

Saints, Brees showing elite status in rout of Giants

Published Oct. 19, 2009 7:33 a.m. ET

Alex Marvez

With three other unbeaten franchises, the Saints can't officially be proclaimed the NFL's best team six weeks into the season.

So who is? Or, as they say here in the Bayou, who dat?

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Well, we now know it isn't the New York Giants. Not after the G-Men were handed a lopsided first loss Sunday inside a raucous Louisiana Superdome.

No disrespect to Minnesota, Indianapolis and Denver. But it's hard to picture a currently perfect squad playing a near-perfect game like the Saints did against another legitimate NFC powerhouse.

A 48-27 Saints thumping was filled with validation of New Orleans' legitimacy from both a team and individual standpoint. New Orleans (5-0) jumped on the Giants (5-1) faster than Mardi Gras revelers grab beads tossed from a parade float. The offensive display was so obscene that the Saints would have blown the game open earlier than the second half if not for shoddy special-teams coverage.

Quarterback Drew Brees (369 passing yards, four touchdowns) staked his early claim to NFL Most Valuable Player honors. Tight end Jeremy Shockey gleefully extracted revenge against his former team. The Saints proved their revamped defense and rushing attack are no mirage.

Tom Benson even got into the act. The 82-year-old Saints owner cranked out his trademark "Benson Boogie" and led a conga line of cheerleaders around the field once the game ended.

"Everybody showed up," Brees said after a sack-free, turnover-free performance. "The fans were awesome. The defense played great. The offense did what we had to do.

"To win the way we did says a lot."

Those who doubted the 2009 Saints are legitimate Super Bowl contenders should have become believers by halftime. The Saints scored touchdowns on five of their first six possessions against what was the NFL's top-ranked defense.

New Orleans opened by punishing New York on the ground, rushing four times from the Giants' 11-yard line before running back Mike Bell scored on a 2-yard dive. Brees then began an aerial assault that included 15 consecutive completions. Saints wide receiver Marques Colston said New Orleans had targeted New York's secondary for deep passes because of injuries at cornerback and safeties who "haven't really been able to cover some of the better receivers. We knew we could explore some weaknesses."