In a year of prolific offenses, Drew Brees stood out like, well, Dan Marino.

Brees came so close to Marino's NFL record for yards passing that the New Orleans Saints quarterback won The Associated Press 2008 NFL Offensive Player of the Year award yesterday.

Brees threw for 5,069 yards, 15 fewer than Dan Marino's 1984 mark and only the second time someone has eclipsed 5,000 yards passing in a season.

"I don't come out from week to week and say I have to throw for 300 (yards)," Brees said. "I don't think about that. It's really about what I can do to help this team win."

Although the Saints were 8-8 and didn't make the playoffs, Brees performed so well he earned 22 votes in balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the league. That easily beat Peyton Manning, the NFL MVP for the third time for Indianapolis, and Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson.

Brees tied with Rivers with a league-leading 34 TD passes. Brees led the league in attempts (635) and completions (413).

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Jets: Boston College's Jeff Jagodzinski met with New York Jets officials yesterday to discuss their head coaching vacancy — an interview that was expected to cost him his job with the Eagles.

Jagodzinski, who became BC's coach in 2007, was told by athletic director Gene DeFilippo that he would be fired if he met with the NFL team.

DeFilippo said late yesterday afternoon that he was hoping to meet with Jagodzinski today before taking action but wouldn't say whether the coach would be fired.

Jagodzinski has three years left on his five-year contract with BC.

Chargers: San Diego wide receiver Vincent Jackson was arrested yesterday on suspicion of drunken driving.

Jackson failed sobriety tests shortly after 2 a.m. on state Route 52 in San Diego, said California Highway Patrol Officer Ray Scheidnes.

He said he didn't know Jackson's blood alcohol level. An officer stopped Jackson after spotting him braking abruptly, speeding and weaving.

Jackson was on probation for a previous DUI arrest, he said.