Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

No, not grasping at straws at all. You claimed that you heard Payton say a three month recovery BEFORE Brees' interview today. That is bull. The very first mention of three months came today and that only referred to full healing, not when fully capable of playing.

Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

I have confidence that a 75% Brees is far better than a 100% Bridgewater. I have seen Teddy do just enough to keep us up there with the overwhelming help of special teams and defense. Do I have confidence that he can win a game on his own over what Brees can do now ... no.

But what either of us thinks matters not. The front office will make that call.

Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

And there is a significant difference between being "capable" of playing and being at your best. That is the whole point. You need a healthy Drew to make a run at the Superbowl. Being at home is nice, but it didn't help last year. Have some faith the team can win one more game without Drew. That's all.

Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

I have more faith we can win that game with Drew than without. If Payton feels the same then he will play.

Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

I agree that he gives us the best chance if he is truly far enough along in the the recovery/rehabilitation process. Al long as we have him ready for the long run to the SuperBowl!

Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

75% Brees in his prime, maybe. Not now. You're just throwing junk at the wall with that statement.

I'm not arguing that Teddy has been just good enough at times, but he's also looked pretty good at others. The defense has been the main difference, I agree, and they are about to face an underwhelming offense. The Saints did, however, just put up over 400 yards and 36 points on a top 5 defense, and we both know the Saints left more points out there. It'll be fine.

Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

Great. You're allowed to feel that way. And the rest of us are allowed to "feel" that it's better to have Drew as healthy as possible for the stretch run. If he's really, truly good to go, of course we'd ALL rather see Drew.

Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

True. And what I am saying is trust the team. They will make the call. If he plays then he should. If he doesn't then they felt he shouldn't. We should all be hoping he does play because it means he is ready.

Hell, knock the rust off against the Cards and then face our division foe with a game under his belt.

Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

What is the criteria for his being "really, truly good to go"? Who makes that call and based upon what?

Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

Uhhh... Go Saints. :bng:

I'm going to trust the coaches & players to do what's best for the team, as a whole. They will put us in the best position to win.

Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

He will absolutely not be 100% by Sunday. Brees himself says the plan is for him to play but he will be playing with a splint that is molded to his finger in order to “protect it while it continues to heal”.
It’s not for me to say if he should play or not but if his thumb needs to “continue to heal” he is not 100%. They want to risk it fine by me. We can win without him.

Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

From my perspective, we have a complete team and aren't just winning because we have a HOF QB. Brees will come back when Brees comes back.

Until that time comes, it's 2 glove Teddy time :p.

I just want to win :bandg:

Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

The criteria is having, in Drew's case, a thumb that is pain free and does not need to have a brace to play. I don't think it's going to be 100% at any point this season, but this sure seems like an opportunity to give it an extra couple of weeks, at least.

Believe it or not, guys do come back before they should, sometimes, as doctors and teams have been known to make rushed decisions. A lot of people are commenting and saying "trust the team and the doctors". I don't trust any of those people. Not because I know they will screw it up. I don't know that at all. Drew might be just fine. I just HOPE they won't screw it up, because I don't ever trust professional organizations to make the right decision. I trust everyone involved to follow the money and do what they're told. And that sometimes leads to some pretty bad things.

Not trying to sound conspiratorial, just being mindful that "trusting" a professional sports organization is like getting in a van with a guy who says he has candy.

Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

like getting in a van with a guy who says he has candy.

Or 10mm sockets!!

Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

How about not so much trusting but having faith that a 40yo man doesn't want to end his career on Sunday or have to go back under the knife?

Drew seems to be of reasonable intelligence and judgement wouldn't you agree? The last thing he probably wants, is to engage in undue risk that could prevent him from playing the rest of the season or in another Super Bowl...?

He has absolutely nothing to gain from playing on Sunday if there is a reason for him not to. An objective reason has yet to be stated.

Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

Mike Fazende has some interesting takes on Payton's dilemma whether to rest his guys or neaux...

Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

Here is my direction from the couch on Sunday ...

- Activate BREES
- Put on his uni/helmet/lead the pre game chant
- 2 Glove Teddy ends up starting with Brees as your "emergency QB"
- Allow "Take some" Taysom to be the #2 with his arsenal of plays ... TE, FB, WR, Option QB you name it. Wherever you need him.

#9 full go against a bad ATL game :p .

Thoughts?

Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

Agreed.

Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

Intelligence, and competitive spirit do not always go hand in hand, Oak. The guy wants to play badly because he is a competitor. That much I can speak for him. It's also possible that because he knows he's coming toward the end of his career, regardless of this injury, that he might be itching to come back even more. I have no reason to believe he would be concerned about ending his career on Sunday by re-aggravating this injury, as it isn't really a career threatening injury. It just needs time to heal. And, in my humble, worthless, arm chair opinion, it's more important to have Brees as healthy as possible for the stretch run and playoffs, than to let him come back early because "well, he's ok enough to play".

We saw him do that when he had that shoulder injury a few years ago. A perfect example of being "cleared", but not really healed. So do I trust Drew? No, not when it comes to this. I do understand, of course, that it's not up to me and whatever he and the team decide is what's going to happen. Just throwing my two cents in.

Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

For what it's worth B&G nation :

Read a tweet from Katherine Terrell a short time ago ...

"Drew Brees look sharp throwing during the portion of practice open to the media. I would be pretty shocked if he didn't play."

Re: Drew Brees: The plan is to play on Sunday
 

there's always that...