They're completing a higher percentage of passes and throwing fewer interceptions.

Credit the defenses.

"We're seeing a lot of soft zone coverages where essentially between the 20-(yard lines), they're going to give you those throws," TV analyst Cris Collinsworth says. "If you want to throw a 5-yard pass, go with it. ... Teams don't want to give up the 60-, 70-, 80-yard bombs."

This season, the overall rate of interceptions (2.8%) and completions (61.4%) are on record paces for the Super Bowl era (since 1966). The record for the lowest interception percentage is 3.05% (1997), and for completion percentage is 61.2% (2007).

Through Week 11, 288 passes have been picked off, on pace for 460. That is 74 fewer than 2007 and 60 fewer than 2006. Week 10 was an anomaly. A season-high 3.5% of passes were intercepted. At least one pick was thrown in each game, and 10 games had multiple picks.

Completion percentage has increased in each of the last four seasons incrementally. The Arizona Cardinals' Warner, 37, is the only quarterback completing at least 70% of his passes (70.9). The New York Jets' Favre, 39, is second at 69.8 and Garcia, 38, of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is third at 69.6.

"Some of these quarterbacks are just better," former New England Patriots wideout Troy Brown said. "There's quite a few young guys out there playing well. ... Joe Flacco (Baltimore Ravens), Matt Ryan ( Atlanta Falcons ) and Matt Cassel (Patriots)."

It helps that four of the top five career completion-percentage leaders are active: Chad Pennington, Miami Dolphins (65.80%); Warner (65.75%); Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (64.08%) and Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts (63.99%).

Contributing: Sean Leahy