Brady has slim chance of catching Brees for passing record

Drew Breesbumped Dan Marino off the top of the all-time passing yardage mountain on Monday night, but will Brees still be there this time next week?

Following his 307-yard outing against the Falcons, Brees sits at 5,087 yards with one game to play next Sunday against the Panthers. His lead over Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is sizable ... but not insurmountable. Brady will enter action Sunday against the Bills with 4,897 yards through the air, 190 behind Brees.

Both the Patriots and Saints will be playing for something in Week 17 -- New England for the top seed in the AFC and New Orleans for the No. 2 spot in the NFC. Both play at 1 p.m. ET as well, meaning scoreboard watching won't be a factor, at least not initially.

Saints coach Sean Payton said Brees' hold on the record will most likely be a factor against Carolina.

"You make decisions. They are not always right. You try to make them with the right things to help your team," Payton said Tuesday. "Last night was one of those situations. This upcoming game will be one of those situations. It’s part of what we do. It's part of coaching. It's part of sport."

If Brees throws for his customary 300-plus yards -- something he's done an NFL record 12 times this season -- it's a moot point. But if Brees were to have an off game, or be lifted from the game for one reason or another, the door is open for Brady to steal the crown.

Again, highly unlikely, but worth keeping tabs on.