Saints' Brees wins NFL Offensive Player of Year award

INDIANAPOLIS — Drew Brees' record-setting season has earned the New Orleans quarterback the 2011 Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year award.

Brees shattered Dan Marino's 27-year-old mark by passing for 5,476 yards, and his 468 completions broke Peyton Manning's 2010 record of 450. Brees finished the season completing 71.6 percent of his passes, breaking his own 2009 NFL record (70.6). He also surpassed 300 yards passing for seven straight games and 13 times during the season, both beating league marks he already held.

Brees, the 2008 top offensive player, received 43 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL. Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers got the other seven votes.

Thanks to Brees' brilliance, the Saints set several single-season records, including offensive yards with 7,474 and first downs with 416.