NEW ORLEANS -- Vikings coach Brad Childress was an assistant at Wisconsin in 1998 when Purdue quarterback Drew Brees attempted an NCAA record 83 passes, completed 55 of them and threw for nearly 500 yards.

"I will make a note that they didn't win the game," Childress said, referring to Wisconsin's 31-24 victory that day.

It's unlikely Brees will throw anywhere near 83 passes tonight when the New Orleans Saints play the Vikings at the Superdome. But the Vikings will face a red-hot Brees, who leads the NFL in several passing categories, is the reigning NFC offensive player of the month and is deftly guiding a passing attack that is operating better than any in the league right now.

After ranking dead last in the NFL in pass defense in 2007, the Vikings have climbed to the middle of the pack and are 17th in that area through four games. But Brees and Co. figures to be the toughest test.

"It's a big challenge," Vikings safety Darren Sharper said. "Very explosive offense and the guy pulling the trigger is a vertical-type thrower. The speedy receivers are deep threats, as big as we've seen this year. It's definitely a big challenge for us. But in saying that, we relish the opportunity because it should be more opportunities than we've seen thus far this year."

That goes without saying. Brees leads the NFL in passing yards (1,343), completion percentage (.723), completions (107) and third-down passer rating (129.1). He is third in passer rating (106.9).

Gaudy passing numbers are nothing new for Brees, though. He set an NFL record with 440 completions last season while establishing team records for passing yards (4,423), touchdowns (28) and completion percentage (.675).

What makes his fast start this season so impressive is he's currently without talented go-to wide receiver Marques Colston and tight end Jeremy Shockey because of injuries. No problem.

They go out, others come in and the beat goes on.

"If you are out on the field Drew is going to throw you the ball," Saints coach Sean Payton said. "He is not going to say, 'Hey, I am going to go over here because this is the first time you are playing.' I think that the players in the huddle, every one of them, feels like the ball could be coming their way."

Eight New Orleans players have caught at least five passes. Running back Reggie Bush is tied for the NFL lead with 31 receptions.

Brees' stellar completion percentage is even more impressive when you consider the Saints don't just rely on a quick-hitting passing philosophy. They have a vertical attack that seeks big plays down the field.

The Saints already have eight pass plays of 30 or more yards this season. By comparison, the Vikings have two. Robert Meachem has five catches, averaging 40.8 yards. Devery Henderson has six catches with a 35.5-yard average.

The Saints also lead the NFL in yards after catch (521 yards) and have the most in the NFL since 2006.

"They're looking to explode in whatever shape or form that they can, whether it's throwing a deep post or a deep go route," Childress said. "They have guys with speed than can burn on the outside, or [they can] simply get it in the hands of Reggie Bush out on air with a mismatch."

The Saints own one of the worst-ranked defenses in the NFL, so it's no secret they prefer to turn the game into a track meet. To counter it, the Vikings have to establish their running game with Adrian Peterson to chew up clock. They also need to score touchdowns when they get inside the red zone and not just kick field goals.

Defensively, the Vikings say they must get pressure on Brees, preferably with only their front four, but that's easier said than done. The Saints have allowed only four sacks this season and had the fewest in the league with 16 in 2007.

"Drew Brees is doing a good job of not making any mistakes and getting the ball out of his hands quick," cornerback Antoine Winfield said. "It's going to be a really good challenge for us."

The Vikings say Brees is masterful at reading coverages and exploiting any weaknesses or breakdowns in the defense. It's reasonable to expect him to test cornerback Cedric Griffin, who has been targeted by opposing quarterbacks, and rookie safety Tyrell Johnson.

"As long as we stay on top of our coverages and force Brees to check the ball down and make tackles, I think we'll be fine," Griffin said.

The Vikings play their safeties deep in the Cover-2 scheme, so theoretically that should help minimize big-play opportunities. But it will require more than that, of course.

"The one thing I will say about Drew Brees is that he's very good at recognizing what he's going to see and what his answer is for the coverage that he's attacking," Childress said. "If you show him your intentions all the way along, and he knows what he's attacking, he's pretty good at attacking it. It's very important for our guys to do a great job of lying with their eyes and not showing him what they really want to play until they snap the football."

And that's when the fun begins.