"He's having an MVP-type season," judged Saints coach Sean Payton.

London fans and a national television audience will get their chance to check out Drew Brees on Sunday at London's Wembly Stadium   The Chargers are 3 1/2-point favorites.

So far this season, Brees has completed 180 of 263 passes. In seven games, he has thrown for a league-leading 2,170 yards with 12 touchdowns and 7 interceptions

Last Sunday, in a 30-7 loss to the Panthers, they got into his face and had tight coverage on his receivers while holding him down to his worst performance of the season

Brees, 29, was asked if he whether he was doing anything different this season, and thought a moment before answering.

"I wouldn't say anything in particular," said the quarterback. "Every year I formulate kind of a routine before the season and stick to it. I feel really good about my routine right now, how I prepare for each game. Going into each game I feel like I'm very well prepared and very confident."

With two of his projected best receivers, Marques Colston and Jeremy Shockey, out for several games before they returned last Sunday, Brees and his offense haven't exactly struggled in the injured players' absence. In fact, they would have been better off without their presence against Carolina. Colston dropped two passes and Shockey caught 5 passes for 50 yards, but lost a fumble that set up a Panthers touchdown. He played with a surgically repaired hernia and said he was rushed back into the lineup too soon.

"Brees keeps the play going," said Carolina safety Chris Harris. "He can make plays with his legs when the play breaks down; he's very accurate, and that's what makes him good.

"He throws the ball deep probably better than anybody in the league right now. I think he completes more deep balls than he does small, 5-yard passes.

Payton said that Brees' efficiency is combined with an ability to to throw the ball deep, and an NFL-high of 26 of this season's passes have gone for more than 20 yards.

Brees took the podium and answered question from the media on Monday in London.

Q: How does it feel to be in London?

A: It feels great. We're just getting adjusted to the time change and dealing with the jet lag. I still sore from Sunday's game.

Q: Is everybody excited about the week in England?

A: Yes we are because everybody is looking forward to the new week. We know this is a big game for the NFL as a form of advancing our game of football and we're happy to be one of the teams playing in this game.

Q: What's the mentality and state of the team at this point, with the injuries and the record (3-4) not being what you want it to be?

A: There's still disappointment. We haven't quite put this last game behind us yet, because literally right after the game we jumped on a plane and arrived in London in the morning at 11 o'clock., had lunch, got unpacked and got a run and a lift in and here I am.

Having not had a chance to digest what happened Sunday, I watched the film on the flight over. Our three previous losses were all opportunities that we had to win he game at the end. This was the first one that was that we were beaten decisively in a game against a division opponent that we really felt good going into it. That was more disappointing than anything. We had gotten some guys back and for one reason or another we couldn't find a rhythm in that game Sunday and there's some things that we need to correct and fix. We need a win as bad as anybody right now.

Q: How does the loss of Reggie Bush change the dynamic in the offense?

A: As you recall, we were without Reggie last year for the last four games of the season. We felt like at that time it was Pierre Thomas and Aaron Stecker doing a great job. I think that Deuce McAllister is running the ball very well right now.  Whoever we put back there I have a lot of faith in. Hopefully, we won't skip a beat. We'll miss Reggie lie we'll miss any guy who is productive for us offensively. Early on it was Marques Colston missing time and Jeremy Shockey. Guys stepped up and did a great job. I felt like we kept rolling.

Q: Will Bush's absence fall on your shoulders in the passing game and in a leadership capacity?

A: Whatever they put on my shoulders will be fine.

Q: Did you do any research and talked to guys who played in this game last year?

A: Shockey. He was with the Giants last year and played in this game. He's been a course of information for some guys. I think for anybody it's to get adjusted adjusted to the time change as quick as possible and then find a way to get into a routine. Once you do that you're just very focused on the game and try to eliminate distractions as much as possible. When you're in a place like this, you'd like to be able to experience it a little bit and enjoy it, but we're here to win a game and that's first and foremost.

Q: How do you shut out distractions and hype of the trip?

A: That's hard, but there are weeks similar to this level during the season, whether it's a Monday night game with a lot of media. Monday night games are nationally televised in the states, but there are other big games with lots of hoopla surrounding them This game is unique in that we're here in London. There's only one of these games a year. I think one of these games is to come over here, show our brand of football and hope we can gain some fan base around the world. Also for us specifically, New Orleans and the Saints, I think it's an opportunity for us to show what a great city New Orleans is and it is great if they are planning over and visiting the states.

Q: Do you have any special emotions playing against your old team, the Chargers?

A: I'd be lying if I told you it was just another game. I'm not blowing it out of proportion or trying to put any extra pressure on my team. I still know a lot of those players. I'm friends with a lot of these players. I knew this day would come. I'm just looking forward to the opportunity to play against the old team.

SOME HITHER, OTHERS YON: T-Bob Hebert suffered a knee injury and likely will miss the rest of the season. He was injured while blocking on a punt. Hebert, the son of former Saints quarterback Bobby, figures to challenge for the starting center job with LSU next season...Trivia time: Denver coach Mike Shanahan and New England coach Bill Belichick squared off in the Monday Night Football game. They are the only coaches to have won back-to-back Super Bowls. Four non-active coaches have accomplished back-to-back wins in the Super Bowl. Who are they?...

Dan Bicklay of the Arizona Republic on Manny Ramirez: "He is Barry Bonds with personality."...Les Miles, on whether or not the loss to Florida was a turning point of the season: "I suspect that in many instances the game before the one we just played was a turning point and will call to life some dormant aggression and want to fight. I think that's probably something unforeseen, but a positive from that game."...The Nevada Las Vegas football team has not faded entirely into obscurity, writes Ron Kaptowski of the Las Vegas Sun. "But if you were to escape from Alcatraz, hijack an airliner over the Pacific Northwest or get on the Mafia's bad side, Rebel Park would be a good place to lie down for a while."...Miles on running back Keiland Williams: "He was running better early, and he was fresher late in the game and pounded it up there with some speed. We just felt like that was good. We just felt like at that point with fresher legs the better we could be." Miles, on using Charles Scott at fullback: "Thee are a number of things we can do with him. We can run it. We can have him block. We can throw it, and to me, it's a definite personnel group that they need to be wary of. We can run any number of guys at them."

Trivia answer :Vince Lombardi, Don Shula, Chuck Noll and Jimmy Johnson.

MORNING LINE: The Tampa Bay Rays are favored to win the World Series over the Philadelphia Phillies, according to Las Vegas sports books. Oddsmakers say enough bettors took the Rays early in the year at long-shot prices to force books to adjust lines to encourage bets on the Phillies. Sean Van Patten at Las Vegas Sports Consultants says the Rays are favored at minus-$1.35, meaning a gambler would need to be at least to be paid if Tampa Bay wins. He puts the Phiilies -$1.15, meaning a $1 bet would earn $1.15 in Philadelphia wins. The Rays were a 200-1 shot to win the title before the season began.

Ed Staton can be reached at edcoachstaton@yahoo.com.