“There’s so many people that are responsible and had a hand in that,” Brees told ESPN’s Lisa Salters after the game when asked what the record means to him. “The two people that are most responsible for my football career, early on, my mom and my grandpa, are up in heaven.

“There were a lot of people I wanted to prove right tonight, but none moreso than them. I know they are watching down on me.”

Brees and the Saints were so impressive in their 43-19 rout of the Redskins that he was able to leave the game to another ovation after the two-minute warning. Brees finished his historic night with 363 yards and three touchdown passes. He completed 26 of 29 passes. Brees now has 499 career touchdowns — fourth all-time and one behind Tom Brady.

“I am just so grateful, so grateful, for the opportunity to play this game, and to play it for so long, to have the teammates that I have and the New Orleans Saints organization and this great city and this great fan base,” Brees said. “It’s really been a dream come true.

“Just really proud and really grateful.”

As planned, the NFL stopped the game to recognize the achievement, and Brees looked emotional as he waved and blew kisses to the crowd. He then personally delivered the ball to Pro Football Hall of Fame president David Baker on the sideline. Brees also shared an embrace with coach Sean Payton on the sideline.

“He deserves it. It’s been an unbelievable run,” Payton said. “It doesn’t feel like it’s been 13 years.”

Brees’ wife, Brittany, and his kids were also on the sideline for hugs and kisses.

“Hey boys, how about Dad?! I love you guys so much,” he told his kids. “You can accomplish anything in life you’re willing to work for, right?”

Manning congratulated Brees with a video message that was both hilarious and heartfelt. He joked that he held the record for 1,000 days and they were the best 1,000 days of his life — and said Brees ruined it. Manning also held up a picture he and Brees took together in 2000 and said they’ve come a long way.

Brees is the unlikeliest of all-time great quarterbacks — just 6 feet tall, barely recruited out of high school, he fell to the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the NFL draft out of Purdue in 2001 and was doubted by most of the league when he became a free agent after a career-threatening shoulder injury in 2005.

But that’s when he came to New Orleans and his career took off. Brees and Payton have formed one of the most prolific offensive duos in NFL history over the past 13 years — including a Super Bowl victory after the 2009 season.

Brees also holds the NFL records for most career completions and highest completion percentage. He set the single-season passing yardage record in 2011 with 5,476 (before Manning passed him by one yard in 2013). And he has thrown for more than 5,000 yards five times over the past decade — something no other quarterback has ever done more than once.

“It’s crazy. I never would’ve dreamed,” Brees admitted last week, while insisting that this isn’t the time to reflect and that he wanted to try and keep his weekly routine as normal as possible. “It just speaks to the longevity. And it says a lot about the teams I’ve been on, the coaches, the teammates, the players. Everyone has a hand in this, and I hope they know that.”

“So to be sitting here 18 years later in striking distance … it’s just kind of mind-boggling,” Brees said.

Brees was also asked about how much Payton has meant to his career after Payton hand-picked Brees to be his quarterback when he became a first-time head coach in New Orleans in 2006.

“I wouldn’t be here without Sean Payton,” Brees said. “He chose me, why he chose me I don’t know. I’m coming off the shoulder injury. Many said I might not play again. I even doubted myself at times, even as confident a person as I am. And yet, his belief in me gave me all the confidence in the world and also the sense of responsibility that I owe it to him as much as anybody to come back and prove him right.

“And then obviously the evolution of what we’ve been able to accomplish over the last 13 years together — and hopefully more. It’s a dream come true.”

“[But] it’s special, just to know that no one in the game has done what you’ve done. And it just says a lot [about] him, about his work ethic,” Ingram said. “He works every day to be the best, and he deserves it. So we’re all behind him and we all want to see him get every single passing record there is known to man, because he deserves it.”

Against the Cowboys, the Texans moved the ball well, as Watson was 33-of-44 for 375 yards with an interception and a touchdown. In Houston’s first four games, the team ranked fifth in the NFL, averaging 413.8 yards per game. On Sunday, the Texans had seven drives of eight or more plays.

The Texans missed a healthy Will Fuller V against the Cowboys, especially in the red zone. Although he caught two passes for 15 yards, he was targeted only three times after he was limited in practice all week with a hamstring injury. Prior to Sunday, Fuller had caught at least one touchdown in every game he had played with Watson, and he had 10 in seven games.

Instead, Watson relied heavily on Hopkins (nine catches for 151 yards), running back Alfred Blue (eight catches for 73 yards) and tight end Ryan Griffin (six catches for 65 yards) against the Cowboys.

In seven games last season, Watson was 15-of-27 on passing plays in the red zone, with 13 touchdowns and two interceptions.

Earlier in the season, O’Brien said, “We’ve got to do a better job in the red area. That’s coaching and playing. We’ve all got to do a better job. That’s been a big emphasis for us.”

Even with a victory Sunday night to improve their record to 2-3, it’s likely that message has not changed.