Saints Quarterback Expectations- By: Evan Hale
New Orleans Saints fans and coaches have high expectations for Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill now that Drew Brees is officially retired.
Brees has spoiled Saints fans for 15 seasons. He has been in New Orleans both on and off the field.
Brees built a culture in New Orleans that is anything less than greatness is unacceptable. He helped resurrect the city after the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina, donating $200,000 to help families in need. Even donated $5 million to help with COVID-19 relief. Brees also led the Saints to their 1st Super Bowl victory in 2009.
Brees has broken almost every passing record in the NFL. He had five 5,000 passing yard seasons, broke the record for the highest completion percentage in a game and a season, most completions in NFL history and most passing yards in NFL history. That is a hard act to follow for any athlete, and fans expect the new player to be just as elite.
It is one thing for fans to have high expectations because fans always expect undefeated seasons and elite play out of their players. However, for a coach to say we expect you to be an elite quarterback like Drew Brees adds so much pressure.
The pressure on Winston and Hill is monumental. Saints head coach Sean Payton added to the pressure during an interview Friday. Payton said, “There’s a little bit of a standard, and it’s kind of high.” The coaches expect one of these quarterbacks to come in and fill Brees’ spot.
Payton helped build that culture of greatness along with Brees. The Saints have consistently put out top 10 offenses, and he expects to be in that category again this year. Without Brees due to injuries in the past two seasons, Payton has only lost one game. Payton knows he can be successful without Brees and will be successful without Brees because of the winning mindset he instilled inside the Saints locker room and on the field.
Payton is a strict but fair coach and knows what it takes to be successful. Brees is an obvious Hall of Famer and left big shoes to fill, but Payton expects all of his players to play at a high level. The is the NFL, when a coach has a player in the building, he expects them to come with their very best efforts.
Now the Saints have much talent at wide receiver, running back, tight end, and have a great offensive line. Whoever is under center for the Saints will have to learn to read a defense. If Winston or Hill can read a defense and throw guys open as Brees did, then expect the Saints to make the playoffs.
Thumbnail Photo is from Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports and is on SI.com.
-Evan Hale-The Halftimers Podcast/ Olde City Sports Network