San Diego Chargers 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 the player braking abruptly, speeding and weaving in a 2008 GMC Sierra, said Highway Patrol Officer Brad Baehr. Jackson was on probation for a previous DUI arrest, he said.

The player was taken to the San Diego County jail and released.

Jackson just had the first 1,000-yard season of his career, for a team-high 1,098 yards and seven touchdowns. He became the first Chargers wide receiver to have 1,000 yards receiving since Curtis Conway in 2001.

San Diego visits the Steelers for a playoff game Sunday.

"His [quarterback Philip Rivers] big-play guy is Vincent Jackson," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "The number of big plays he's delivered for this football team since the first time we played them is really staggering. He's a catalyst for a lot of things that goes on with those guys, big plays in big moments in big games."

Drew Brees understood what breaking a record set by Dan Marino would mean to the New Orleans Saints.

So coming up 15 yards short was disappointing to the Saints quarterback, who won The Associated Press 2008 NFL Offensive Player of the Year award yesterday.

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

"The only reason I still even think about it is because I know how much it would have meant to the offensive line and the skill position guys," Brees said.

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 of Indianapolis, and Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson. They tied for second with nine votes each.

Denver offensive coordinator Rick Dennison met with team owner Pat Bowlen after expressing interest in the position following Mike Shanahan's firing last week. Later yesterday, the Broncos also planned to speak with Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett.