Over the past decade, there have been a number of times I wished Sean Payton would sit Drew Brees toward the end of blow out wins. It always bothered me during situations in which the Saints held a comfortable lead in the fourth quarter, Brees would continue to play every snap.
At the time, I assumed both Brees and Payton must value achieving statistical records over preserving Brees’ health. Instead of reducing Brees’ risk of injury by sitting him and utilizing backups like Chase Daniel, Luke McCown, Garrett Grayson, Matt Flynn, Ryan Griffin, and Mark Brunell, I felt the Saints played with fire time and again by continuing to keep Brees in when games were already sewn up.