Determined to bounce back from a disappointing loss last Monday night, Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints marched all over the Oakland Raiders 34-3.

Brees delivered another MVP-like performance completing his first 16 passes and finished 26-of-30 for 320 yards and three touchdowns.

It's hard to imagine where the Saints would be without Brees.  

Since joining the Saints in 2006 via free agency, Brees has thrown for over 300 yards a mind boggling 18 times.  After six games, he has thrown for 1,993 yards.

Despite all of his success, Brees seems to go under the radar.  Reggie Bush demands the full attention of defenses and his status as a playmaker produces much more media hype than Brees ever dreams of getting.

It hasn't been until recently, with Tom Brady's injury and Peyton Manning's struggles, that the national spotlight has focused more on Brees.  It is clear that he is the glue that holds the Saints' offense together.  

Brees is possibly the best free agent pick-up in the history of the NFLBrees is possibly the best free agent pick-up in the history of the NFL.  After years of watching Aaron Brooks stumble, slip and fail to throw the ball forward, Brees' bullets are a welcoming sight.  He has been an absolute blessing to Saints' fans.

What's even more impressing about Brees' astronomical numbers is that he is doing it with a depleted receiving corps.   Marques Colston and David Patten, both starting receivers, were out with injuries again, and Brees was still able to throw for over 300 yards for the fourth consecutive game.

Lance Moore led the way with seven catches for 97 yards, but the touchdowns went to Reggie Bush, Mark Campbell, and Aaron Stecker.

Bush's touchdown grab is no surprise.  However, the scores by Campbell and Stecker show how deep and dangerous this offense is.  

Campbell continues to fill in nicely for the injured Jeremy Shockey.  Stecker continues to find a role in a crowded Saints' backfield.

Speaking of the running backs, Brees' precision has resulted in a reduced workload for Deuce McAllister.  The powerful back, who is returning from his second knee injury, rushed 13 times for 65 yards.  If Brees continues to dominate teams through the air, then McAllister should enjoy more long gains on the ground.

With their big win, the Saints get back to .500 at 3-3.  

Next week, they hit the road to face their division rival, the Carolina Panthers (4-2).

Other News in the NFL

Tony Romo's 321 passing yards wasn't enough to beat the Arizona Cardinals.  The Cardinals blocked a Dallas Cowboys punt in the end zone in an overtime thriller.  The 30-24 win puts the Cards at 4-2.  The Cowboys are also 4-2.

The Philadelphia Eagles outscored the San Francisco 49ers 23-0 in the fourth quarter on their way to a 40-26 win.  Defensive end Juqua Parker returned a J.T O'Sullivan interception 55 yards for the final score.  The Eagles are 3-3 and very much alive in the NFC East.

In a surprising win, the St. Louis Rams beat the Washington Redskins 19-17.  Josh Brown hit four field goals, including a 49-yard game-winning kick as time expired. The long boot gave the Rams their first win of the year.  

Last second fireworks made the difference in Atlanta as the Falcons beat the Chicago Bears 22-20.  Kyle Orton found Rashied Davis for a 17-yard score with 11 seconds left to give the Bears a 20-19 lead.  However, Matt Ryan connected with Michael Jenkins to set up a 48-yard kick by Jason Elam.  The Falcons continue to surprise and are now 4-2.