The New Orleans Saints have won their last three games with Taysom Hill as their starting quarterback, and they may be hoping the dynamic playmaker can give them at least two more solid performances.
There were rumblings last week that Drew Brees might be able to play in Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, but the 41-year-old will not be active. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Saints are not setting a timetable for Brees to return.
Brees was hoping to play in next week’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs, but the team wants to be certain he is 100 percent recovered.
Brees is dealing with multiple rib fractures and an injury to his throwing shoulder. The Saints want to make sure he has full range of motion before inserting him back into the starting lineup. It also helps that — like last year with Teddy Bridgewater — New Orleans continues to win games with a backup quarterback.
Hill has never been known for his passing ability, but he has completed an impressive 71.6 percent of his passes this season. His rushing ability also adds an element to the Saints’ offense that Brees cannot provide, though defenses have a tendency to catch up to that in the NFL.
The Saints are 10-2 and in a position to not rush Brees back. If they beat the Eagles on Sunday, their worst-case scenario will be a one-game lead over the Green Bay Packers for the top seed in the NFC heading into Week 16. A report this week shed light on how confident the Saints are in Hill, so it makes sense that Sean Payton is content letting Brees fully recover.
