MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

Drew Brees out at least two weeks after second opinion on injury



Saints quarterback Drew Brees got the second opinion he wanted, but the prognosis is the same.

Additional testing resulted in no change in Brees’ status, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Brees will miss at least two weeks with his broken ribs and punctured lung.

Whether Brees will go on injured reserve, which would require him to miss at least three weeks, is unknown.

Saints coach Sean Payton has declined to say whether Jameis Winston or Taysom Hill will start in Brees’ place. Rapoport reports that Winston will play “a lot” and that Hill will be “sprinkled in.”

NBC

 

Two weeks ?? That's it ??
Have any of you ever cracked/broken a rib ?? It's a week or ten days until you can even take a breath without it hurting. And heaven forbid you have to cough or sneeze. And they think he can play ball in that timeframe ? Hope I'm wrong but I don't see it. Pain killers or not. It's got to heal right. Remember Aaron Rogers and his collar bone ? Bring them back too soon and you will pay for it dearly !!!!!

 

It says at least two weeks, so that would be the minimal if a miracle happens.

The language is vague so they dont automatically have to put him on IR for 3.

 

Jon Gruden: Derek Carr’s on a mission right now



Raiders quarterback Derek Carr said at the start of the regular season that he was tired of talk about whether he was the right man for his job and just wanted to “go out and play football and not care about the other stuff.”

That’s gone well for him thus far. The Raiders are 6-3 and riding a three-game winning streak into this Sunday’s attempt to sweep their season series with the Chiefs.

Carr’s numbers haven’t been eye-popping during the recent streak — 44-for-72 for 430 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions — but he had bigger individual days earlier in the year and the overall package has pleased head coach Jon Gruden.

“He’s all business,” Gruden said, via Anthony Galaviz of the Fresno Bee. “He’s on a mission right now to prove that he can be one of the top, if not the best, in football. That’s what he’s after. . . . I think he’s on a mission to deliver his leadership, his play-making and his day-to-day consistency to this team. If you could see him here every day in these circumstances, you’d all be impressed with what he represents. I couldn’t be happier having him as my quarterback.”

Carr is posting the best passer rating of his career and continuing on the same path for the rest of the season should make the conversations about his fit for the Raiders a bit more pleasant to listen to in the future.

NBC

 

Just looked at the Saints schedule for the next 4 weeks.
Atlanta
Denver
Atlanta
Philly

We just might away with this.

 

We just might away with this.

Yes possible to get away with the injury to Brees......your 4 games up on Falcons so it may boil down to those 2 games vs Atlanta.

Just to stay close to the Buccs.

 

The Saints are a half a game ahead of the Bucs right now and also own the head to head tiebreaker. We're still in the drivers seat but nothing is carved in stone.

 

And it's easy to look at these 4 games and think 4-0. But there's always that "any given Sunday" thing. Especially when the Saints and Falcons get together.

 

Plus, the Bucs play the Rams, Chiefs and a resurgent Vikings in their next three. That's no cake walk.

 

Thanks dirk. Didn't think to look at the Bucs games. Your right, that's no cake walk. You just made my day. Rams and Chiefs ?? No way they get both of those.

 

Get Winston back in tampon bay and you could have a comfortable cushion after the four games

 

Winston is the question mark. We'll see on Sunday and go from there. I think Winston throws the dink and dunk passes and if we want to go medium or deep, let Hill do that.

 

Well, tonight was the first time I really got to see Kyler Murray, and he didn't impress.

Not saying he's not good but this one didn't wow. He looked hurt with the shoulder though.

 

Kyler Murray on shoulder/arm injury: “I’m good”



Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray seemed to suffer some sort of shoulder or arm injury in the first half of Thursday night’s game against the Seahawks.

After the game, Murray downplayed the situation. “I’m good,” Murray said.

It didn’t look like he was good during the game. Trainers were working on the right arm/shoulder when Murray wasn’t in the game, and he was wincing as he threw the ball on the sidelines.

Murray seemed better in the second half, possibly because of whatever it was that the training staff did in the locker room to numb the pain, if as it appeared he was in pain.

Regardless, Murray has a couple of extra days to recover from whatever it was that was bothering him last night before facing the Patriots in New England. As of Wednesday, the Cardinals will have to disclose whether and to what extent Murray isn’t “good,” if he indeed has some sort of injury.

NBC

 

He had a poor game, sorta, but it was just 1 probably... the guy works miracles out there many times.

Coach Kingsbury noted that 10 penalties for 115 yards didnt help their cause either.

 

Multiple reports now say Taysom Hill will start



The depth chart apparently will control, after all.

In the wake of Ian Rapoport’s hedge that, despite earlier reporting that Jameis Winston will be used in heavy doses on Sunday against the Falcons, multiple reports have more clearly pointed to Taysom Hill serving as the starter for the Saints on Sunday.

Adam Schefter of ESPN.com has provided the clearest indication that it will be Hill, not Winston. Schefter’s report also seems to close the door on the possibility of job sharing; he tweets that Hill will start, that Hill took all the starter reps in practice, and that Winston will be the backup.

As noted earlier this week, it makes sense based on the depth chart. Last year, Teddy Bridgewater was the No. 2 quarterback. Thus, when Drew Brees was injured, Bridgewater took over. This year, Hill is No. 2. The time-honored principle of “next man up” points to him.

Others who had been silent about the situation are now chiming in that we should have known all along that Hill would be the guy, given that the team gave Hill $16 million on a two-year deal. It’s easy to say that now. Few in the media were saying it earlier this week, before anyone was reporting that Hill would start.

Our best educated guess continues to be that, even if (as it appears) Hill will start, both will play. Ultimately, the flow of the game and other factors (like, for example, which guy plays better) will determine who ends up with most of the reps.

It ultimately could be no different than using multiple tailbacks. Both get a chance, and the coach eventually rides with the hot hand. That’s quite possibly what will happen on Sunday, even though the Saints would like to keep that quiet for as long as possible.

Indeed, if the Falcons now accept as true the notion that Hill will be the wire-to-wire quarterback, the Falcons will focus the balance of their preparation on Hill, and perhaps they’ll be less prepared when Winston enters the game.

NBC

 

Saints quarterback Drew Brees will miss at least three games because of his broken ribs and collapsed lung.

The Saints officially placed Brees on injured reserve today, which under this year’s rules means he has to miss three weeks. Brees had already been ruled out for this week against the Falcons and was expected to miss next week against the Broncos. It’s now official that he’ll miss the following week, also against the Falcons, as well.

It’s unclear how confident the Saints are that Brees can return after that. Brees indicated that he doesn’t expect to miss much time, but five broken ribs and a collapsed lung won’t be easy to return from.

The Saints are expected to go with Taysom Hill as their starting quarterback in Brees’ absence, with Jameis Winston backing Hill up.

NBC

 

Saints take Trevor Siemian from Titans’ practice squad



With starting quarterback Drew Brees on injured reserve, the Saints needed another quarterback.

Enter Trevor Siemian.

The Saints have signed Siemian from the Tennessee practice squad, according to Siemian’s agent, Mike McCartney.

A seventh-round pick of the Broncos in 2015, Siemian became the starter after Peyton Manning retired and Brock Osweiler signed with the Texans. After two years, Siemian was traded to the Vikings. He then spent 2019 as a backup with the Jets.

Siemian has 25 career starts, and a record of 13-12. He’ll be the third quarterback, behind Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston.

NBC

 

Panthers list Teddy Bridgewater as questionable



A report on Thursday indicated Teddy Bridgewater is unlikely to start at quarterback for the Panthers on Sunday, but Bridgewater said later in the day that nothing’s been decided and that remains the case on Friday.

The Panthers have listed Bridgewater as questionable to play against the Lions because of the knee injury that knocked him out of last Sunday’s loss to the Buccaneers. Head coach Matt Rhule said that Bridgewater has improved over the course of the week and sounded like he expects more progress before Sunday.

“I think he’s getting better. All along I’ve felt good about where it’s headed . . . I think it’ll truly be a game-time decision,” Rhule said, via Bill Voth of the team’s website.

Rhule has not said if P.J. Walker or Will Grier would start in the event Bridgewater can’t play.

Running back Christian McCaffrey (shoulder) is the only Panther ruled out. Cornerback Donte Jackson (toe), left tackle Russell Okung (calf), and right guard John Miller (ankle, knee) have been listed as doubtful. Linebacker Tahir Whitehead (rib), safety Sam Franklin (ankle), defensive end Yatur Gross-Matos (shoulder), defensive end Marquis Haynes (shoulder), tight end Chris Manhertz (shoulder), and cornerback Rasul Douglas (ankle) are listed as questionable.

NBC

 

Tom Brady admits he has to hit more deep balls



Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady has been struggling to connect with receivers deep downfield, and that has raised some questions about the 43-year-old’s arm. Brady admits he has to do better on deep throws.

After completing just one of his last 13 passes 20 yards downfield or longer, Brady acknowledged that improving there is a priority.

“It’s definitely something we’ve got to hit,” Brady said, via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. “Our guys are doing a great job getting down the field and it’s my job to find them and hit them. You know, if you don’t hit them, they’re just long foul balls and we had a few of those last game.”

Bradys’ completion rate of 66.0 percent is way up from last year’s 60.8 percent. But he’s averaging just 10.8 yards per completion, his lowest average since 2002. That’s because Brady is hitting lots of short passes, but not many long ones. If the Buccaneers are going to make the most of their talented receiving corps, Brady will need to hit more passes downfield.

NBC