NEW ORLEANS — I had a column nearly done explaining for the first time in a generation New Orleans Saints fans were going to get to experience the most frustrating aspect of NFL fandom: the quarterback controversy.
Since 2006, Drew Brees has been the Saints quarterback, the end, no further discussion needed. There may have been speculation about if Drew Brees wanted to stay while the Saints struggled with three straight 7 win seasons but every fall Sunday Drew has been healthy he's the quarterback and the only fans demanding an alternative were supporters of other NFC South teams.
Brees will be out at least 6 weeks, and for the first time since 2002 (the great Aaron Brooks or Jake Delhomme debate), we were going get to argue with each other over who should be the Saints signal-caller.
Teddy or Taysom? Taysom or Teddy? Everyone was going to have to pick a side. This isn't Switzerland, staying neutral and hoping everything works out wouldn't be allowed. We were all going to choose sides, dig in our heals, and create GIFs, memes, and angry social media content defending our chosen quarterback's honor.
Do you think politics is heated? After watching the Saints go 3 offensive series without scoring in Seattle on Sunday, Team Taysom would've been calling for Teddy Bridgewater to be benched, put in street clothes, and sent to the Miami Dolphins as punishment.
Then Sean Payton burned my entire column to the ground when on Wednesday he hinted he is indeed prepared to get weird.
Rod Walker of The Times-Picayune | New Orleans Advocate asked Sean Payton if he has to limit Taysom Hill's usage now that he's the backup quarterback.
Payton's answer, "You're assuming he's the No. 2."
Boom.
Is Sean Payton about to do the most Sean Payton of all the things? Would he dare play both quarterbacks equally? Would he play both at the same time, all the time? Would he create a play called Choppa Style Bomb where Teddy throws to Taysom who throws to Alvin Kamara who laterals to Michael Thomas? Are you not intrigued?
Sean Payton playing 2 quarterbacks willingly in the same game more than any team in recent memory would check every box we love about Payton.
Aggressive in creating an extensive list of exotic plays and formations featuring 2 quarterbacks for Seattle, maybe the most difficult road environment in the NFL? Check.
Reckless in putting both of his healthy quarterbacks at more injury risk? Check.
Arrogant in trying to do what no team has successfully even attempted in who knows how long and in doing so laughing and trolling national media, analytics nerds, and talking heads even before he attempts it? Check.
I am so here for this. If Drew Brees ain't around, let's just get completely crazy. Sunday just got like 30 percent more interesting did it not?
My sense from reader emails, social media interaction, and podcast listeners are a majority of fans would prefer Taysom Hill and have decided Teddy Bridgewater isn't anything more than a career backup. This decision is based on Taysom Hill looking slightly better in the preseason and being incredibly fun in certain situations last season.
Taysom Hill has the allure of mystery while Teddy feels like a known entity. Sean Payton telling every national media member who comes through New Orleans that Hill is potentially the next Steve Young only makes fans clamor for Hill even more. The interesting thing is while Payton gushes about Taysom's potential as a quarterback privately to media, and we hear it on broadcasts repeatedly that Sean Payton believes this about Taysom, in public his comments on Hill are much more measured.
The Saints clearly believe in Teddy Bridgewater in a way they've never believed in a backup quarterback. They gave up a third-round pick to acquire him, made him the highest-paid backup in the NFL, and recruited him HARD to stay in New Orleans as Brees' backup and not go to Miami for a starting job.
Teddy being smart enough to avoid the football nuclear disaster known as the Dolphins gives me confidence the man can make the correct career decisions on and off the field.
Now we may not even have to pick sides. Instead, we can laugh as the entire NFL looks on in disbelief as the Saints legitimately play 2 quarterbacks and succeed.
I'm just gonna trust Sean Payton knows what he's doing. If he's willing to invest all this money, draft picks, and time on Bridgewater and insert Taysom Hill heavily into the game plan? Fantastic. Let's get kooky. I'll defer to the guy who has made the Saints a top 10 offense every year but one since 2006.
Also, have you forgotten this? That's how Teddy celebrates when he doesn't even play. Just imagine the dance moves he will give us after he leads the Saints to victories. My heart is aflutter. Teddy and Taysom doing Choppa Style together to celebrate? Yes Please.
Saints Fan Mood and Meditation Music:
Reboot the Mission -- The Wallflowers
The Wallflowers are my favorite band. You probably remember that one song they did in the 1990s 'One Headlight'. I love them. They are like Bob Dylan if Bob Dylan was actually worth listening too because Bob Dylan's kid is the lead singer. I'd rather drop a Wallflower song here under better circumstances but this song is perfect for this occasion.
The Saints are in uncharted territory now. Gotta reboot the mission from Super Bowl to survival for 6 weeks.
"Eyes on the prize, reboot the mission, I've lost the sight, but not the vision."
Sunday is kind of oddly intriguing, isn't it? We have no idea what's going to happen. Might be spectacular or spectacularly awful. We don't have a clue. If you readjust your expectations this can still be fun.
Week 3 Predictions:
Last Week: 1-4
Season: 3-6-1
New Orleans (+4.5) at Seattle:
On the surface, this sets up as possibly the worst place for your backup quarterback to make his first start.
Seattle has an incredible home-field advantage. The Saints are historically dreadful there under Sean Payton, and the weather forecast is calling for rain. But look a bit closer and might not seem as bad as you think.
We only have one data point on how the Saints look with Sean Payton and no Drew Brees, a 2015 road game against the NFC Champion Carolina Panthers. You probably remember that game for Saints playing pretty well and Josh Norman having a ridiculous interception at the end to seal the Saints defeat.
Luke McCown started in place of Drew Brees, but I bet you forgot he began the game 14 of 15 and led the Saints to a 10-0 lead, which included a 94-yard touchdown drive. Sean Payton had Luke McCown looking like a top-5 quarterback throwing balls to Brandin Cooks, Willie Snead, Benjamin Watson, and CJ Spiller. You don't think Sean can cook something up for Teddy and Taysom to thrive using Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara?
Have a little faith in the guy who helped Drew Brees throw for more yards than any quarterback in NFL history.
Seattle might be undefeated but the Seahawks 2-0 is by a combined 3 points. They allowed Andy Dalton to throw for 418 yards against them at home. Mason Rudolph came in for an injured Ben Roethlisberger and was 12 of 19 for 112 yards and 2 scores for a 92 quarterback rating. The Seahawks are 26th in passing yards allowed through 2 games, so if the Saints offensive line can play well, Teddy Bridgewater can do some business through the air, and then Taysom can finish it off in the red zone.
On defense, the Saints run defense will be tested by a Seattle team who in 2018 ran the ball the second-most times in the NFL (534 attempts). The Seahawks are going to run the ball over and over even if the Saints stop it, and if the Saints stop the run, Seattle will just tell Russell Wilson to go be amazing on third down. The bad news is Wilson usually does this, the good news is the Seahawks style of play means the game will likely be very close.
If the Saints avoid turnovers this will be tight in the fourth quarter. Maybe I'm jaded because I like Teddy Bridgewater on the grounds he's fun, overcome a lot in his career, and Teddy leading the Saints to wins would make the post-game locker room must-see television. I like to envision Teddy, Alvin, and Taysom doing a post-game press conference and Teddy ending it by riding off Choppa Style.
Maybe by Sunday at 6 pm my dreams of this are broken into a million hopeless pieces, but right now I'm gonna believe because it makes 2019 Saints football fun.
Saints 23-17
Dallas (-21) vs Miami:
The Dolphins 2019 offense makes the Mike Ditka Saints led By the Billy Joes look like the 2011 Saints. Cowboys 38-10
New York Jets at New England:
Why do the Patriots get to play in the Division 3 division of the NFL? Patriots 31-0
San Francisco (-6.5) vs Pittsburgh:
Either the Saints or Steelers are going to death spiral without their starting QB. Please let it be Pittsburgh. 49ers 27-10
Indianapolis (-2) vs Atlanta:
I'm not convinced the Falcons are any good and them not winning the NFC South with Drew Brees and Cam Newton both hurt would be the best.
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Ralph Malbrough is a contributing writer and Saints fan living in Houston. Email him at saintshappyhour@gmail.com, find him on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter at @SaintsForecast or download the NSFW Saints Happy Hour Podcast.
(Warning: The Saints Happy Hour Podcast may contain language that is not suitable for all audiences)