Re: Brees Additional Injuries
 

"Two receivers to the left, Garcon to the right. Manning in the shotgun, puts Collie in motion. Looks in his direction...it's picked off! It's picked off! It's Tracy Porter again! He's runnin' free! He's gonna go all the way!

909 I can still see Tracy Porter like a continual memory loop. Not to mention Drew was 31 years old in that game against the Colts.

Re: Brees Additional Injuries
 

Those injuries would explain why even the normal accurate short passes were off on a lot of his throws. It was a very sad ending to a season that had so much promise.

I appreciate all that Brees has done but now it’s time to just move on. We have a young core of players that we cannot afford to waste. There is very little chance that with all those injuries Brees would be a 100% next season not factoring that he will be declining physically.

Re: Brees Additional Injuries
 

No one is 100% that late into the season, but Brees could barely throw the ball 20 yds when the season started. As we got toward the end of the season the 15yd passes were struggling to get there quickly.

I don’t blame Drew, being a ego driven guy I understand what he did, but I doubt many believe he was the best option at QB over the last 2 years. Payton went 8-1 over the last 2 seasons without him and with 2 different QBs.

Oh well... time to move on.

Re: Brees Additional Injuries
 

Don't forget Thomas was playing injured too, normally his top receiver, so that wouldn't help Brees's cause either.

Re: Brees Additional Injuries
 

Perhaps what this really proves is the Saints have no confidence in Jameis Winston and if Brees retires there will be new QBs brought in to compete with Hill.

Re: Brees Additional Injuries
 

I simply cannot believe Winston won't get a legit look (assuming he resigns) in 2021. He has the body of work, 1st round pedigree, can make all NFL throws & has won a lot of meaningful games.

Jameis has had 3 different HC/OC's in 5 seasons.

Sean P turned an unpolished Tony Romo into a really good QB. I'd like to see what he could do with Winston on a FT basis.

Re: Brees Additional Injuries
 

This is supposed to be a team game, no? It's very likely why Tampa attacked. and stacked the line. They brought Jameis in for a trick play long pass. Hill missed a wide open wr for a TD in the previous game. If Brees was that injured, then SP cost the Saints yet another birth to the next round.

Re: Brees Additional Injuries
 

The team had to know especially with Brees wearing KT tape on his shoulder all year. This tells me that the confidence isn't there yet with Hill or Winston. Hill needs to be more decisive with his throws and anticipate and trust that the receiver is going to be where he's supposed to be and let it rip. With Winston, who knows. He made a couple good throws against 49er's when he came in and he made a couple terrible throws. Winston has the arm talent, just needs the decision making process to improve. I can see Brees coming back to camp and they have a full QB competition providing a deal with Winston can be made. He might be a post June 1st retiree and save a little cap space, who knows.

Re: Brees Additional Injuries
 

+1.

On the "trick play" where Winston threw to a wide open 3quan, I saw 4 defenders trail with AK and jammed Thomas at the line.

And as you stated, Bowles primarily stacked the box and dared Brees to beat us with the long ball. He knew DB posed very little "threat" downfield but it took a well executed gadget play to beat coverage with a live arm of Jameis.

Sean Payton is a top offensive mind, but sometimes I believe he still thinks he has a 30 year old Brees under center.

Re: Brees Additional Injuries
 

The trick play had more to do with Jameis athletic ability to run more than the throw itself. Ball only traveled 28 yards in the air and contrary to most of the beliefs on this forum, Drew can make that throw. Now lining up wide and sprinting back to the middle of the field, probably not.