Drew Brees Not Interested In Record, Payton Annoyed With Team News Questions

The New Orleans Saints are probably among just two teams, along with the Dallas Cowboys who have nothing to play for in Week 17 of the NFL season after they got the job done last Sunday, with a win over the Pittsburg Steelers.

Sean Payton’s team have secured the number 1 seed in the National Football Conference (NFC) and will have home-field advantage during the playoffs. They play their final regular season game on Sunday night against the Carolina Panthers and the coach could opt to rest some of the veteran players with a view to keeping away from a risk of injuring themselves.

The Saints coach was non-committal during his press briefing and seemed annoyed with reporters for asking the same question over and over again about team selection. Payton made it clear that his team will play to win their final game, but remained unsure about the team selection.

“I’m going to specify for the fourth time. You ready? I can’t be any clearer,” Payton said, as quoted on Saints Wire. “We are going to approach this game just like we would in a regular season game and if there’s any changes to the lineups, I’ll keep you posted. I’m done, answering that question. That’s four in the last 24 hours.”

Saints’ star quarterback Drew Brees, however, was quite certain that he will not play the entirety of their game against the Panthers on Sunday. He expects backup signal caller Teddy Bridgewater, to play a portion of the game.

Brees is eight yards shy of making it 13 consecutive seasons with 4000 passing yards, but the 2018-19 regular season MVP candidate made it clear that such records do not “define” him. He is willing to sit out the entire game and forego the record, if the coach decides to play Bridgewater, the entire game against the Panthers.

The Saints’ starting quarterback made one thing clear that whoever plays on Sunday, will play to win despite the team not having anything to gain or lose by the final outcome. Brees also admitted that he will not hold back if he is on the field in order to avoid suffering an injury ahead of the post-season playoffs.

“Whatever I’m asked to do, I’m ready to do,” Brees said, as quoted on Nola.com. “Of course, I think efforts are going to be made to rest guys where appropriate and make sure that they are as healthy as they can be, for when we’re playing for keeps.”

“We can’t move up or down in regards to our playoff position at this point. We’re where we want to be, but we are going to play to win. So, whoever is out there, whenever they’re out there, we’re playing to win.

“If I’m out there, I’m playing,” he added. “I’m playing to win, playing to move the ball, playing to score points, and then when it’s time to come out, it’s time to come out, and there we go.”