(RNN) - This year, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees surpassed the 27-year-old NFL single-season record of 5,084 passing yards set by Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins.
And then New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady did. And Detroit's Matthew Stafford only missed it by 46 yards. Eli Manning of the Giants came pretty close too, with 4,933.
The favorite to win the MVP this year, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, compiled a "mediocre" tally of 4,643 yards through the air.
Tim Tebow had 1,729 passing yards, which has nothing to do with any of this, but helps fulfill the league's desire he be mentioned as much as possible.
To understand the significance of the record – and the year that crushed it – you have to understand the significance of Marino's 1984 season. It was the only time someone threw for more than 5,000 in the league's 90-year history, entering this season.
But in 2011, three (and almost four) reached the magic number. Brees decided to go ahead and knock out the record on Dec. 26 with one game left to play.
The almost ho-hum 4,000-yard barrier - only eclipsed 38 times before the 2000 season - was obliterated by 10 signal-callers. One, Cam Newton, was playing his first season in the NFL.
So what do all these numbers mean? They mean the ages-old mantra of "You need a defense and a strong running attack to win" is going the way of the leather helmet and the dropkick.
Obviously, those things still help, and there is evidence of that in the weekend's Wild Card match-ups.
But rules changes that made it illegal to touch a receiver after 5 yards, and restrictions on tackling quarterbacks that help them elude rushers have turned the NFL into a passer's paradise.
Just ask head coach Rex Ryan of the New York Jets. He has preached, defended and employed the old-school approach for years.
And he will be watching the playoffs on TV with the rest of us.
Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans, 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday:
The Bengals were this season's surprise team. With rookies Andy Dalton throwing the ball and A.J. Green catching it far better than most expected, the team finished with nine wins and the last playoff spot in the AFC.
The Texans had their "air show" grounded with an injury to QB Matt Schaub earlier this year. But running back Arian Foster shined after returning from an early-season ailment, and Houston's D has played well, led by linebacker Brian Cushing.
The Texans host the franchise's first-ever playoff game after winning the beleaguered AFC South with a 10-6 record. And Cincy has not won a playoff game since 1990. At least one fan base can get some relief.
Prediction: Houston has lost its last three behind banged-up/rookie/backup QB T.J. Yates. Yikes. The Bengals win an ugly game, 16-13.
Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints, 8 p.m. ET Saturday:
A rematch of a regular season match-up won by the Saints after the Lions could not stop committing penalties or, in tight end Brandon Pettigrew's case, pushing referees. The Lions do have an extremely good offense led by Stafford and All-Pro receiver Calvin Johnson, and a strong defensive line anchored by Ndamukong Suh.
The Saints will again have their home crowd backing them up in the Superdome, a place that can get charged with frantic energy like few others. Brees has a variety of targets at receiver and running back, but his best option may be tight end Jimmy Graham.
This game certainly deserved primetime billing, featuring two of the four previously mentioned gunslinging quarterbacks. Both teams are ranked near the bottom of the league in pass defense, so it may come down to which team has the ball last.
Prediction: New Orleans has shown it can come through in big moments, winning the 2009 Super Bowl. Detroit has shown its coach likes to pick fights. Saints win, 48-38.
Atlanta Falcons at New York Giants, 1 p.m. ET Sunday:
Atlanta has a talented quarterback, an underperforming running back and a pair of great wide receivers. The Giants have a talented quarterback, an underperforming running back and a pair of great wide receivers.
Quarterback Matt Ryan began to find his rhythm later in the season as the team put less emphasis on running back Michael Turner and more on wideouts Roddy White and Julio Jones. Turner had several poor games in a row before finishing the season strong with a 172-yard, two TD performance.
New York hosts the game despite having one more loss, after winning the weakened NFC East. Manning greatly improved his numbers from last year, throwing for more yards with nine fewer interceptions with the help of breakout receiver Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks.
Prediction: In a game of two similar offenses, the edge has to go with the better defense. The Giants, led by defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, are far better. Giants win, 35-20.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Denver Broncos, 4:30 p.m. ET Sunday:
TEBOW! TEBOW! TEBOW! The NFL saved the highest-profile game for last, as the Marcia Brady of the sports world leads his team to Pittsburgh.
The Broncos wedged into the playoffs with an 8-8 record, thanks to playing in the league's worst division, the AFC West. Tebow gets all the attention, but their success depends mostly on how well their defense can control the Steelers and keep the score low, so the struggling offense can have a chance.
The Steelers defense has been among the top in the league, and its toughest opponent may be the thin air of the Mile High City and its effect on their conditioning late in the game.
If quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's injured ankle is OK, the game could be a blowout. But if it's not, he could have trouble getting away from Denver defenders Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil.
Prediction: Two words – Tebow. Time. Even with the severe mismatch on paper for the Broncos, a hurt Roethlisberger is held in check and the young QB gets to make yet another come-from-behind victory in front of an insane Denver crowd. Broncos win, 17-14.
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Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints begin their quest for the Lombardi Trophy, as the NFL Playoffs begin Saturday. (Source: Creative Commons)
Tim Tebow and the Broncos face the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET. (Source: GNU)
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