Ageless wonders Brees, Suggs still at top of their games

BALTIMORE — The challenge of facing one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history and the league’s highest- scoring offense is precisely why 36-year- old Terrell Suggs still gets a kick out of playing football.

Suggs and the Baltimore Ravens’ top-ranked defense take on Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints today in an intriguing matchup of fifirst- place teams.

“They’re the kind of explosive offffffffffffense that gives you nightmares,” Suggs said. “We get to play football against one of the premier quarterbacks. It’s going to be a good, fun game.”

Suggs had one of Baltimore’s 11 sacks last week in a 21-0 rout of Tennessee. The Ravens (4-2) are allowing an NFL-low 12.8 points and 270.8 yards per game and have given up only 12 second-half points.

“There’s really no weakness,” Brees said. “They do so many things well.”

The Saints (4-1) come offff a bye with a four-game winning streak. New Orleans is averaging an NFL- best 36 points behind Brees, the league’s career leader in yards passing with 72,103 yards.

“It’s definitely going to be a task there, but we’re up for it,” said Suggs. “We

like this game. We get the chance to compete against as good a team as there is.” The prospect of facing

the Saints and the 39-yearold Brees is enough to make Suggs feel young again.

“He’s been here longer than me, so I won’t be the old guy,” Suggs said with a smile. “But definitely, I mean that just goes to his experience. He’s mastered his craft. He’s not showing age; he’s just one of those ferocious, deadly quarterbacks in our league.”

Brees i s 0- 4 li f eti me against the Ravens. When the teams last played, in November 2014, Suggs had six tackles and a sack in Baltimore’s 34- 27 victory.

“He’s the ageless wonder,” Brees said of Suggs. “He’s still playing at such a high level deep in his career, and man, he’s been doing it so well for so long. I’m obviAgously aware of that they are the only team that I haven’t beaten, but they’ve always had a great team.”