It's one of the biggest games in the NFL next Sunday, when the Kansas City Chiefs host the New Orleans Saints in a battle that will help determine playoff seeding atop both conferences. Don't go counting on Drew Brees for the big fight though, at least not just yet. The future Hall of Fame quarterback remains on injured reserve heading into the team's Week 14 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles, recovering from what are reportedly injuries that include 11 fractured ribs and a punctured lung, but this is the final week he'll be forced by NFL rules to remain on the sideline -- the Saints having the ability to activate him versus the Chiefs.
They are in no hurry to do so though, with Brees' availability for Week 15 reportedly being labeled questionable at best, per Adam Schefter of ESPN, a strong hint he'll likely miss his fifth start this season.
Head coach Sean Payton has engineered a 3-0 record with backup Taysom Hill as starter, with Hill coming off of his best outing as a quarterback in the team's win over the Atlanta Falcons on the road in Week 13. Much like when Payton did the same with Teddy Bridgewater in 2019 -- due to an injured Brees -- it's buying the Saints time to allow their 41-year-old to heal as much as possible for a potential playoff run. All told, the Saints are 10-2 on the season without having had their future first ballot Hall of Famer under center and, if Hill can dispatch with the Philadelphia Eagles as well to stretch his 2020 record as a starter to 4-0, there's zero reason to risk a setback on Brees by forcing him onto the field sooner than is necessary.
As it stands, the Saints are trying to fend off the Green Bay Packers -- who sit in the No. 2 seat in the NFC with a 9-3 record -- as well as the Los Angeles Rams at 9-4. Payton and Co. can clinch the NFC South title by defeating the Eagles and that's what Hill plans on doing, while Brees patiently waits for the green light to reacquire his throne for and/or slightly ahead of the playoffs.
