Saints plan to start QB Brees
Payton says his signal-caller ready to take on Chiefs
Saints record-setting quarterback Drew Brees “looked good” in his first practices since returning from rib fractures and a punctured lung, and is slated to start against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, coach Sean Payton said.
“We went off how it felt as he went through a full practice week. And he’s done a good job,” Payton said after Friday ’s practice.
Brees has missed four games since his injury, which occurred when he was sacked against San Francisco.
Taysom Hill has started in Brees’ place, going 3-1. Even before Brees’ injury, Hill would intermittently take snaps under center to provide New Orleans with a change-of-pace, readoption QB. So he could continue to see snaps at QB as well.
“We have a number of personnel groupings to give us some flexibility and we’ll go from there,” Payton said.
Brees is the NFL’S career leader in yards passing with 79,612. He has 565 TD passes to rank second behind only one active QB, Tampa Bay ’s Tom Brady, who has 571.
The Saints (10-3) enter the weekend tied atop the NFC with Green Bay, but the Packers would own the tie-breaker for the No. 1 playoff seeding — and the only playoff bye — in the conference by virtue of a Week 3 victory in New Orleans.
49ers: San Francisco will finish out the regular season practicing and playing home games in Arizona after a ban on contact sports in their home county was extended into January. The Niners relocated to Arizona at the beginning of December after Santa Clara County announced a threeweek ban on contact sports games and practices to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. That ban was initially supposed to be lifted on Dec. 21 but now has been extended until at least Jan. 8, meaning San Francisco’s home game Jan. 3 against Seattle will be played in Arizona.
Dolphins: Miami’s top three pass catchers are questionable for Sunday’s game against New England. Devante Parker (hamstring), Mike Gesicki (shoulder) and Jakeem Grant (hamstring), who rank 1-2-3 in yards receiving this year, all practiced on a limited basis Friday. Six other players are also listed as questionable, including linebackers Kyle Van Noy (hip), Jerome Baker (knee) and Elandon Roberts (chest).
Falcons: Julio Jones’ lingering hamstring injury will keep him from playing in Atlanta’s home finale against the Buccaneers on Sunday.
Jaguars: Jacksonville could be without both starting cornerbacks at Baltimore on Sunday. Coach Doug Marrone ruled out Sidney Jones on Friday because of an Achilles tendon injury and wasn’t sure whether Tre Herndon will be cleared in time to make the trip. Herndon was placed on the COVID-19 list Wednesday.
Lions: Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford is questionable for Sunday’s game in Tennessee, and Lions center Frank Ragnow has been ruled out because of a throat injury that has him trying not to talk to protect his vocal cords. The Lions originally listed Ragnow as questionable Friday before downgrading him to out. Ragnow did not practice all week and met with a specialist Friday. Stafford also hasn’t practiced this week due to a rib injury that kept him from finishing Detroit’s loss to Green Bay last week.
Washington: Dwayne Haskins is set to start at quarterback for Washington on Sunday against Seattle because starter Alex Smith is out with a right calf injury.