The New Orleans Saints have been one of the hottest teams in the NFL over the past month, and have done so all without their future hall of fame quarterback Drew Brees under center. Now, the Saints are expected to get the veteran signal-caller back ahead of their Week 8 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, according to ESPN’s Dianna Russini.
Drew Brees will start for the Saints against the Arizona Cardinals sources tell me and @edwerderespn
— Dianna (@diannaESPN) October 26, 2019
Drew Brees had been nursing a thumb injury he sustained in their Week 2 loss against the LA Rams but is now poised to make his return six weeks later. Brees injured his thumb after it collided with Aaron Donald’s hand as he was following through on a throw. Brees had to undergo surgery and has spent the past month-plus watching Teddy Bridgewater orchestrate their offense seamlessly.
After a shaky performance in relief of Brees in Week 2, Bridgewater has been nearly flawless since then, winning five straight contests and leading New Orleans to a 6-1 record. Bridgewater threw nine touchdowns and only two interceptions in his five starts, proving he still has what it takes to be a starter in this league.
A former Pro-Bowler during his stint with the Minnesota Vikings, Bridgewater ran head coach Sean Payton’s offense to near perfection and will now relinquish the reigns to Drew Brees. Bridgewater could sign elsewhere this offseason, and there’s certainly a good chance he just played himself into a major contract and starting opportunity after the past five weeks.
Nevertheless, the Saints will be thrilled to have Brees back in the fold moving forward. Even though the offense has been clicking for the most part, New Orleans has had to rely on their red-hot defense a bit more recently, but now that should change. If the Saints’ defense can sustain its recent production, New Orleans could be perhaps the scariest team in the NFL once the playoffs come around.
