Getty Taysom Hill #7 of the New Orleans Saints is tackled by Kendall Sheffield #20 of the Atlanta Falcons.
With Drew Brees ruled out for Sunday, the Saints have a decision to make as to whether or not they will start Jameis Winston or Taysom Hill.
According to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, Sean Payton will be starting Hill against the Falcons after giving him all the starter reps in this week’s practice.
Intrigue in New Orleans: The #Saints have given QB Taysom Hill starter reps in practice this week, source said. So while Jameis Winston took over for injured Drew Brees last week, signs are pointing towards Hill getting his first NFL start at QB if all checks out after practice.
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Brees Played With Broken Ribs Last Week
In their win against the 49ers last week, Brees took a brutal hit from defensive end Kentavius Street, with eight minutes left on the clock in the second quarter. It was obvious Brees was shaken up a bit as he left the game for a bit.
Meanwhile, a personal-foul penalty was assessed to Street, which NFL fans on Twitter argued over. Brees ended up returning to close out the half, throwing two touchdowns before the team entered their break.
The short halftime break wasn’t enough time for the quarterback’s injury to heal and Saints head coach Sean Payton said that Brees told him he would be unable to play out the rest of the game.
Brees was actually already injured before Sunday’s match. In fact, sources told NFL insider Ian Rapoport he entered the game with “at least” one broken rib. The hit by San Francisco’s DE definitely did no justice.
Brees’ Backup QB Entered The Game
With Brees absent in the final half of the game, backup Jameis Winston entered the starting unit. He completed six out of 10 passes for 63-yards.
While Winston is known for being a turnover king, including having 30 interceptions during last seasons’ campaign with the Bucs, he avoided them against the Niners. The Saints won their sixth consecutive game.
With 41-year-old Brees expected to be unavailable come Sunday against the Falcons, Winston was thought of to be the next man up.
But, third-string quarterback Taysom Hill will get a chance to redeem himself after fumbling the football twice and failing to record a single pass.
Why Winston Didn’t Get The Job?
Nobody knows the reason why Winston won’t step in but when he took over for Brees in the final minutes, he didn’t exactly shine bright.
Also, the last time Winston threw a touchdown pass was in December against the Falcons and it went to Deion Jones. That’s right, Atlanta intercepted it which marked Winston’s 30th on the season.
But, Sean Payton’s reasoning behind the start could even just be that he wanted to switch it up since the Falcons are much more familiar with Winston’s play than with Hill. Payton didn’t come right out and announce to reports Hill would start, but he did hint towards it by telling reporters he received all of the snaps.
As a versatile QB, Hill will let Payton get creative with calls. So far this season, Hill has completed 4 of 5 pass attempts this season for 86 yards and earned 34 carries, for 186 rush yards, 1 TD. He also has six receptions for 74 yards and another score.
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Saints Will Not Start Jameis Winston vs. Falcons: Report