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With Drew Brees ready to return and his backup, Teddy Bridgewater, undefeated as the starter, the New Orleans Saints are in a pickle: start Brees and don't let him rest up for another week or continue to roll with Bridgewater?
Friday indicated that they have yet to find an answer to that question.
Coach Sean Payton declined to name a starter during Friday's media availability. In doing so, he reaffirmed his prior statement that he may wait until Sunday to name the starter. He did say that both Brees and Bridgewater took first-team reps during the week.
Brees injured his thumb in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Rams. He practiced for the first time since suffering the injury this week, albeit in a limited fashion for all three days.
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Bridgewater is playing like the NFL's highest-paid backup. Since Brees went down, the 26-year-old has gone undefeated as the starter, throwing for 1,370 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions on a 67.7% clip in the process.
However, for as good as Bridgewater has been, the Saints are an offense designed for Brees to run. He knows the ins and outs of it and has been their franchise quarterback for the past 14 years. Furthermore, he's potentially in the last season of his career. He isn't going to sit on the bench, especially considering that just last year he was second in MVP voting.
Perhaps Payton is trying to keep the Arizona Cardinals on their toes. Without naming a starter, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph may have a restricted gameplan.
