Sunday afternoon, the New Orleans Saints experienced two forms of heartache as they fell to the Los Angeles Rams in a one-sided battle while also losing quarterback Drew Brees for the foreseeable future. The Super Bowl champion and perennial Pro Bowler injured his thumb in a collision with defensive tackle Aaron Donald and was replaced by backup Teddy Bridgewater.
Monday, it was reported that Brees would be out for six weeks, but he was searching for a second opinion before deciding on how to attack his recovery. As of Tuesday afternoon, he has made his decision. According to Ed Werder of ESPN, Brees will undergo surgery on his thumb Wednesday in Los Angeles. A timetable for his recovery is unknown at this point, but he should have a better idea following the procedure.
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“I’m confident in the surgery that will take place and will dedicate myself to the rehab process to get back as quickly as I can,” Brees wrote in a text to Werder after making his decision.
The Saints quarterback had initially remained in Los Angeles after the battle with the Rams so that he could meet with Dr. Steven Shinn. Following that consultation, he flew to Houston and met with Dr. Tom Hunt prior to making his final decision.
Now that Brees is set to go under the knife, he will officially be sidelined. This puts extra pressure on the Saints backup quarterback duo of Teddy Bridgewater and Taysom Hill. Entering the season, the former Vikings first-round pick (Bridgewater) was set as the primary backup. However, he struggled against the Rams in relief of Brees, which led many to proclaim that the multipurpose Hill should be the starter for the foreseeable future.
As it stands on Tuesday, the belief is that Teddy Two Gloves will continue to start in place of Brees, but how will he perform? Sean Payton is known for his offensive scheme that can put points on the board with regularity, so how will it look with Bridgewater getting a full week of preparation? More importantly, if he struggles mightily in upcoming games against the Seahawks, Cowboys and Buccaneers, will Payton make a change and put Hill into the starting lineup?
No matter who starts for the Saints while Brees recovers, what matters is how they perform. The goal is reaching the playoffs, and New Orleans will have to achieve a record of 3-3 or 2-4 in order to remain in contention. At 1-1 entering week three, it’s critical to avoid going winless prior to Brees’ return.
