DENVER — — Taysom Hill’s two touchdown runs led the New Orleans Saints to a 31-3 win Sunday over the Denver Broncos, who were thrust into a quarterback quandary when their passers failed to wear masks as mandated by the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols.
In a grind-it-out slugfest like from pro football’s early days, the Saints (9-2) won their second straight game with Hill subbing for the injured Drew Brees. Hill wasn’t nearly as sharp as a week earlier against the Falcons, when he completed 18 of 23 passes for 233 yards and a 108.9 passer rating.
This time, he was 9 of 16 for 78 yards, no touchdowns, an interception and a paltry passer rating of 43.2. He also ran 10 times for 44 yards.
NEW ORLEANS — Taysom Hill laughed when asked if he paid any attention to the scrutiny and criticism surrounding the New Orleans Saints’ decision to start him at quarterback on Sunday.
No, insisted the fascinating and polarizing 30-year-old curiosity, who is now 1-0 as a starter in the NFL after leading the Saints to a 24-9 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
The results of medical evaluations performed Monday on New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees revealed that he has multiple rib fractures on both sides of his chest and a collapsed lung on the right side, according to a source.
Brees is unsure how much time he might be forced to miss before returning to start for the Saints, the source said.
The most optimistic timetable for a return is two to three weeks, but the people involved are prepared for it to be longer, a source told ESPN’s Dan Graziano. It will depend on how long Brees’ injuries take to heal, which varies from patient to patient, and when the Saints are convinced he is able to take a hit without risk of serious reinjury. There is hope that he will return in time for the playoffs.
Brees is suffering from three fractured ribs on his left side and two on the right, possibly more, according to the source. Doctors have cautioned Brees to be especially careful with the damage to his lung
The Cardinals’ victory via Hail Mary on Sunday didn’t just thrill NFL viewers. It also helped shake up the NFC playoff race for the 2020 season. When the dust settled, the Cardinals were atop the NFC West and the Packers were holding the top spot in the conference.
We continue to base our weekly playoff picture analysis on a 14-team field. NFL owners did approve a contingency plan for a 16-team field last week, should the regular season be cut short by COVID-19. But that plan is subject to approval by the NFL Players Association, and the terms of its trigger — how many games would need to be canceled for it to be implemented — have not been publicized. We’ll use ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) to help project the coming weeks, with our usual disclaimer: There is a long way to go. Let’s jump in, starting with the lone undefeated team in the NFL.
About as tough as receiver Tre’Quan Smith, who somehow managed to walk off the field in the second quarter on Sunday after taking a hard-to-watch hit to the head that bent his neck awkwardly, causing a concussion.
As tough as Drew Brees, who played the final 8 minutes and 42 seconds of the first half with an injury that his 41-year old body was unable to play through in the second half.
As tough and resilient as the Saints defense, just a few weeks removed from being considered the team’s weak link, now all of a sudden looking like a strength again.
This one was all Brees and all Saints, who dismantled the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38-3 and finally looked the part of a team that came into the season with those high aspirations.
Loading ...