Chiefs game serves as extra motivation for Drew Brees return

Will we finally see Drew Brees return to the Saints next week?

The New Orleans Saints have been able to tread water with Taysom Hill starting in place of the injured Drew Brees at quarterback due to their defense, but their struggles against the Philadelphia Eagles show that they need No. 9 back in the lineup. With a game against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on the docket, Brees might try to tough it out and get into the starting lineup.

Brees told Nola.com that the competitor in him always wants to play against elite teams like Kansas City, saying that he “loves those kinds of challenges.” He did stop short of saying that he will definitely play this week, however.

Drew Brees is looking to help the Saints hold on to the No. 1 seed in the NFC

Brees, who is currently sidelined after cracking a few ribs during a game against the San Francisco 49ers, has drawn some criticism for failing to go deep down the field frequently, but he is on the verge of leading the NFL in completion percentage for the fourth season. The Saints’ passing game has started to fizzle under Hill, as the gap between those two passers’ feel in the pocket is as cavernous as possible.

Considering how Kansas City is averaging around 30 points per game this season, and how the only Hill start in which the Saints topped 30 points was the infamous Kendall Hinton game against the Denver Broncos, Sean Payton needs to lean on Old Reliable in Brees rather than trying to confuse the Kansas City defense with Hill if he wants to pull off the upset.

The only chance the Saints have of taking down the Chiefs is Brees leading an efficient, turnover-free game under center. As surprising as Hill has been, the Saints need Brees to return as soon as possible to fend off an aggressive push from the likes of the Green Bay Packers as they cling to the No. 1 seed in the NFC.