Drew Brees ties NFL mark with 7 TDs; Eli Manning top 10 all-time in TDs

NEW ORLEANS -- Drew Brees became just the eighth quarterback in NFL history to throw for seven touchdowns in a single game.

Brees reached the milestone after finding running back C.J. Spiller for a 9-yard score late in the fourth quarter that pulled the New Orleans Saints into a 49-49 tie with the New York Giants.

The Saints went on to win 52-49 on a last-second field goal by Kai Forbath. Despite Brees' historic day, it was Forbath who got the game ball following his 50-yard game-sealing kick.

"That's fine," Brees said. "That was a big kick, boy."

Brees finished with 511 yards passing and just one interception as the two teams combined for 101 points -- the third highest total in NFL history.

"That's the last time I'm watching highlights of Clemson-NC State and Texas Tech-Oklahoma State games before I go to bed, because those games were just like that," Brees said referring to some of Saturday's high-scoring college football games. "Oh, man, I've never been a part of something like that. ... One of the craziest games I've ever been a part of."

Giants quarterback Eli Manning wasn't idle either, as he threw for six TDs of his own, which allowed him to pass both Joe Montana and Vinny Testaverde to reach No. 10 on the NFL's all-time list for touchdowns thrown.

Manning's third touchdown pass of the game Sunday was the 273rd of his career which tied him with Joe Montana for 11th place on the NFL's all-time list.

He didn't take long to move past Montana, either, throwing a 50-yard touchdown pass to Odell Beckham Jr. on the opening drive of the second half to give him 274. It was Beckham's third touchdown reception of the game.

The Montana-tying touchdown was a goal-line pass to running back Shane Vereen. Manning's touchdown passes in Sunday's first half were 2, 1 and 2 yards long -- the first two to Beckham as well.

Manning tied Testaverde for 10th with a 9-yard strike to Dwayne Harris in the fourth quarter. He then passed Testaverde by again finding Harris, this time for a 20-yard score.

A New Orleans native, Manning moved into the top 10 in his hometown. With 276 career touchdowns now, Manning has his eyes set on Johnny Unitas (No. 9) at 290 and Warren Moon (No. 8) with 291.

The 13 combined TDs tossed by Manning and Brees set a new NFL record, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The only other time 12 touchdowns were thrown in a game was in 1969 when both Billy Kilmer of the Saints and Charley Johnson of the St. Louis Cardinals threw six touchdowns apiece as New Orleans won that game as well, 51-42. That is the only other game in which both QBs tossed at least six touchdowns, according to Elias.

Brees, who has heard criticism that perhaps he's on the decline said that talk like that doesn't have bearing on a performance like Sunday's.

"It's not like I came out today with the intent to break a few records just to shut some people up," Brees said. "But I think our mindset is every time we step on the field we have the opportunity to do something special. I will say that."

ESPN.com Saints reporter Mike Triplett and ESPN.com Giants reporter Dan Graziano contributed to this report.