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Drew Brees still has not signed a long-term extension with the Saints and has called his contract talks "extremely frustrating." Who do you blame for the delay?

• coolhandlukeri: "yea, I feel terrible for you Drew. You're only going to make 23 million this season while being franchised. What a horrible future. Maybe we should take up a collection in case you starve."
• markcornell53: "The negotiations should be as follows: Drew, we'll give you whatever you want."
• Harbaughsome: "I wouldn't be surprised if a sign and trade happens. The dysfunction in the Saints org is obvious to everybody else in the league. Things can only look worse from the inside."
• forgetmenot438: "Saints should release him. If he can get the money elsewhere they should respect him enough to let him go. If he cant get the money and still goes somewhere else he didnt want to be there at all. Locking him up and insulting him isnt doing any good."
• apex.late: "The Saints have been masterful in keeping Brees on the cheap. Even if they have to pay the franchise tag this year and he leaves, they have still got his best years far below market value. They have no choice in giving the guy a long term contract though, he is keeping the team relevant and I don't see that changing any time soon."
• jpfense: "The Saints are waiting for the Vilma/Smith suspensions to be finalized so they can give him the money he wants."



Join the conversation or respond by signing in or creating a profile and blogging.

The NFC South is holding a private party this weekend, and you can't get in without a franchise quarterback. Drew Brees and the Saints visit Josh Freeman and the Buccaneers, while Cam Newton and the Panthers travel to face Matt Ryan and the Falcons in a weekend of divisional games. Does any division have a better quartet? Fantasy vote: What to do with Freeman?

• "I'm sorry Panthers fans, but if we held Aaron Rodgers to two touchdowns and put Mike Vick out of the game, then Cam Newton's future at the Georgia Dome doesn't look too promising." -- SN commenter rjharrington24
• "Carolina will stack eight in the box and dare Ryan to beat them, which he hasn't really done to any team yet." -- SN commenter Roys3428

Which young quarterback would you want to build around?

•  
  12%
  Josh Freeman
•  
  51%
  Cam Newton
•  
  37%
  Matt Ryan

(Total votes: 38,011)

Which NFC South quarterback is the most fun to watch?

•  
  49%
  Drew Brees
•  
  4%
  Josh Freeman
•  
  45%
  Cam Newton
•  
  3%
  Matt Ryan

(Total votes: 4,806)

Which team will win the NFC South?

•  
  83%
  Saints (4-1)
•  
  9%
  Buccaneers (3-2)
•  
  5%
  Falcons (2-3)
•  
  3%
  Panthers (1-4)

(Total votes: 4,756)

Madden ratings are often the most contentious topics in sports video games. Should Devin Hester have a 99 in speed? Which defensive lineman gets top marks for toughness? Is my team's QB more accurate than your team's? All week long, SportsNation is ranking the players with the top marks at each position. Today, we're taking a look at the best QBs in "Madden NFL 12." Tom Brady is the only quarterback with a 99 overall rating, but do you agree that he should get the top spot? Cast your vote now!

• "This list is almost money. Brees & Rivers should be switched, but that's it. I haven't seen anything past this top 5, but it's hard to argue its accuracy from an objectionable standpoint. " -- SN commenter all_fitch
• "Manning should be a 99 like Brady" -- SN commenter ridgeraider24
• "To be honest, there are too many overall 90+ quarterbacks. I think it should be these guys in that order, but everyone below them (maybe with the borderline exception of Vick) should not be a 90. " -- SN commenter tb1283

• Vote: Are the Saints the team to beat in the NFL? | Which team has matchup edge?
• Rank 'Em: What will NFC North standings look like? | What about the NFC South?
• Rank 'Em: Where do Drew Brees and Brett Favre rank among NFL quarterbacks?
• Vote: Who are your division, conference and Super Bowl picks?

Those who don't remember history are doomed to repeat it, but what history are we talking about with the Saints and Vikings?

As the two teams prepare to open the 2010 season Thursday night, the Saints are the defending champions who cruised through a seemingly uneventful offseason. The Vikings are the team that couldn't get it done in the NFC title game and now must rely on Brett Favre's creaky ankle and an offense missing Sidney Rice. Advantage Saints? Maybe, but SportsNation blogger jdebose004 remembers the last meeting a little differently, a story that might make the Vikings the team to beat Thursday.

• "Many people overlook the fact that the Vikings only lost by 3 points on the road after seemingly a dozen turnovers and defensive lapses. 'All defenses have to do is blitz and the Vikings will mess up again.' In theory, maybe. That is, if every defense in the league has the blitz packages and personnel and ability to rough up Favre.

  "Also, Favre passed for more than 300 yards against that Saints defense. He withstood every shot they delivered and was one completion away from making the Super Bowl. That final, fateful interception was the exact same play they completed against the Cowboys the week before. True, it was a bad decision to throw it both times, but that's not important." -- Check out jdebose004's blog

Ryan (Cleveland)

What do you make of AP's "I'll just hold the ball higher and I won't fumble anymore"?

NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert

Don't get it. But I do think he was more specific Monday when he said he needs to be careful not to brace his fall with the arm holding the ball. That was a real, actual thing he is working on to avoid fumbles. It's a start. Full transcript

“

The Crykings have a great defense and a good offence. The Saints have a great offence and a good defence this should be a great game if the old man isn't too stiff and out of practice. Face it he looked terrible in the preseason games. 34 24 Saints win cruisin.

” -- Big BangRookie

“

As a Vikes fan I find it hard to rip on NO! Great city with wonderful people! Sucked having my Vikes on the losing end...but NO winning the big one was great for football, great for Louisiana, great for fans who have had too much bad news over the years! As far as their treatment of Favre...I wish we would see more of that! Thats football! QB's are way over protected these days!

” -- nine_fingers_fan

We're going to let Drew Brees go celebrate today, as the Super Bowl MVP and the Saints prepare for a party SportsNation says will be even better than when the Cubs finally bring a World Series back to Wrigley.

Today is all about recriminations for the other guy. You know, the one some people were talking about as the best ever at anything.

But while a few folks may be gloating at Manning's downfall in Miami, 70 percent of SN likes him -- a better favorability rating than LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal or Danica Patrick. The question is if liking Manning is the same as believing a guy with a 9-9 record in the postseason is as clutch a quarterback as his peers?

• Rank 'Em: Which quarterbacks with a ring do you trust most in big games?
• Vote: Has Peyton Manning or Drew Brees meant more to a franchise?

For their part, SportsNation bloggers and chat participants have been busy weighing what to do with Peyton Manning's place in the quarterback hierarchy.

• "[W]hen looking at both Brees and Manning, it appears that the name Manning has made for himself seems to hold greater clout for the majority of fans and analysts. The stats speak for themselves, and its apparent, when looking at how the two have performed while Brees has been in New Orleans, that Brees has held its own against Manning and deserves to be in the conversation for greatest of his era." -- Read vman112012's full post.
• "Manning has always had a sense of its all on me to win. Manning cant rely on his defense. The colts defense showed it again last night. Freeneys injury was not as big as a factor when Drew Brees is releasing the ball within 3 seconds. The colts frontline cant get to him in 3 seconds anyway. If the defense could of had even a couple stops, Manning would not of had that sense of, its all on me, again. And only having 6 offensive plays in the 2nd quarter wasnt Mannings fault. A perfectly placed ball to garcon for a first down that he dropped. And even though the game was about over, the wayne drop on 4th down." --Read DTJones2005's full post.

J.B. (Dunmore, PA)

Mr.Horton: Where would you rank Peyton Manning among the all-time QBs in terms of ability in the post-season?

Scouts Inc.'s Gary Horton

That's a tough question to answer, although I get it. I think he's brilliant on a week-to-week basis. His preparation is probably like no other in the history of the league and he can put up huge numbers. But the reality is that he's a .500 playoff QB. I'm afraid that as brilliant as he is, people will always say that he didn't win enough in the postseason, if this thing stays the same. For myself, I look at his work on a whole and think he's a great QB. I'm probably not as tough on the postseason as a lot of people. Full transcript

Freddie (Charlotte, NC)

How much fault for that pick 6 is on Manning, and how much is on the receiver for not boxing out better?

NFL Insider Jeremy Green

I do not think Manning will ever say so but Wayne ran a really bad route ... dropped a TD too ... Wayne had a terrible football game. Full transcript

• Vote: Who would you rather have a beer with?
• Chat: Paul Kuharsky talks about the Super Bowl, 3 ET

Until this season, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning weren't compared all that often. Brees was doing his thing in the regular season, while Manning was battling it out on the biggest postseason stages against Tom Brady and the Patriots. They've been matched up in the awards voting, but more often than not, theirs was a distant rivalry.

Facing off in the Super Bowl, however, has changed things dramatically. Both quarterbacks are the lynchpins of offensive juggernauts, with Brees getting the edge over Manning for points per game for this season. Manning's got the career stats, however, and no longer has a postseason monkey on his back after his first Super Bowl win. SportsNation has Manning with the big edge, but frankly, the question of skill is all played out.

A few months ago, we compared Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in purely personal matters. Who would you want to be your wingman? Dating your sister? Have a few beers with? Manning trounced Brady in most categories, and we were wondering if the same would hold true with Brees. Do you prefer Manning's genial pitchman routine, or Brees' channeling of Leonidas and the 300 Spartans in his pre-game warmup speech? That's strangely appropriate; we expect their passes to blot out the sun. Ignore the fact that they'll play at night.

Brian (New Orleans)

Why doesn't Brees get seem to get as much respect as other elite QB's? All of the talk has been what will 2 rings do for Manning's legacy, but what will a ring do for Brees?

Matt Williamson

If he gets that ring, he will then be in that conversation. I do think Brees is respected a great deal around the league and is clearly one of the best players at his position-but his body of work just isn't there (yet) with Favre, Warner, Peyton and Brady. Roethlisberger is in that conversation as well. But in all honesty, the only two QBs who I put ahead of Brees right now is Brady and Peyton. Full transcript

Stephen M. Young II (Brazil)

Whose offense, at their best, is better. Colts or Saints?

Mike Sando

The Saints right now. I think the Colts' offense has had to work harder for its points this season. Peyton Manning has had to eke out a lot of close games against average teams (49ers, Jaguars, etc.). That is one reason I thought Manning was the best choice for MVP. Brees' offense has more horsepower in terms of the offensive line. Full transcript

Did you know Super Bowl XXVI MVP Mark Rypien threw exactly the same number of touchdowns in his career as Frankie Albert? What, you're not up on your 49ers quarterbacks from the years immediately after World War II? Fine, how about the fact that Jim Kelly threw more career touchdowns than our own Steve Young?

We're willing to listen to dissenting opinions, but it seems like no accomplishment in team sports has a greater impact on an individual legacy than winning a Super Bowl as a starting quarterback. And while Super Bowl XLIV might not be Drew Brees' last chance, the sooner he escapes consideration as the best quarterback without a ring, the better for him.

Brees will make his first Super Bowl appearance in his ninth NFL season. But for now, while he's still in the running for the title of best quarterback without a ring, where does he rank amongst the competition from the last XLIV years?

• More SN Super Bowl: Which team will win? | Best stories? | Best players?

• Falcons at Saints: Big questions for tonight's game (ESPN, 8:30 ET).
• Chat during MNF: Football Outsiders' Bill Barnwell gets things started at 7:30 ET.

Commentators seem fond of pointing out how much fun Brett Favre appears to be having when he's on the football field, but for SportsNation's money, no quarterback is more fun to watch than Drew Brees. Lucky for you, he's on ESPN tonight against Matt Ryan's Falcons. But if we're closing in on midnight ET and the Saints and Yankees are both looking to pull out wins, who would you sooner trust with the ball?

“

I'm a diehard falcons fan always will be but realistically speaking I don't see us winning this game by any stretch of my imagination.....at least after this game we have the redskins to beat up on

” -- georgehenries

“

Another Monday Night blowout coming. I know u falcons remember the last. This one is gonna be sweeter. Geaux Saints!

” -- nino512