Drew Brees Is 'Proud' of New Orleans Saints' Performance Without Him

Drew Brees is ready to get back out on the field with his teammates. However, the New Orleans Saints quarterback likes what he's seeing in his team as he continues to rehab his injured thumb. Brees was recently on WWL Radio and he evaluates the team the last three weeks.

"I'm extremely proud," Brees said. "I've had a chance to sit back [and watch] from a different perspective than I've ever been in and really watch the team grow and be strengthened from within."

This past Sunday, the Saints took on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and they came away with a 31-24 win. Backup QB Teddy Bridgewater threw for 314 yards and four touchdowns while completing over 74 percent of his passes.

"He did a great job all day of making great reads, getting the ball out on time, Brees said. "You're just seeing the product of what we get to see every week with Teddy."

Brees also gave credit to wide receiver Michael Thomas who caught 11 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday.

"That's a great security blanket," Brees said while laughing. "Michael Thomas is just one of those guys that, if he's sees singled [in coverage], he feels like he's going to win. You feel like he's going to win. So there's just a ton of confidence throwing to the guy."

In the Saint's second game of the season against the Los Angles Rams, Brees injured his right thumb. He had surgery on the thumb in L.A. a few days later and he's projected to miss six weeks. However, Brees was recently seen on the field throwing a football, so it's possible he could be back at the end of the month.

But based on the way the Saints are playing right now and what Brees had to say about the team, they don't have to rush their star quarterback back into action. In three games Bridgewater has been a steady hand, throwing for 370 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and completing 73 percent of his passes during that span. And because of the play of Bridgewater and the rest of the Saints, they have a 4-1 record and they are in first place in the NFC South. By this rate, the Saints could win the division for the third consecutive season.