First of all, there will be no resurrection of Breesus. Otherwise known as Drew Brees. For the record, Brees is the former quarterback of the New Orleans Saints. It’s five weeks into the season and there is a segment of Who Dat Nation still asks for Brees to make a miraculous comeback, drop his broadcasting gig, and put on his number nine jersey like Superman. Brees is not Superman and Jameis Winston is your starter. Deal with it.
Jameis Winston is here to Stay Without Drew Brees’ Shadow
Keep in mind, the sentiment grew week to week in 2020 of Brees’ arm strength. Perhaps age finally caught up with him. At the time, fans questioned everything from his aging body to questioning his toughness — even his love for the city of New Orleans.
Retire Drew it’s time! Let us be. Why was he even on the roster for 2020 some said? The constant barrage of noise never ended. Until it did.
And remember, Brees was attacked for his political ideology on both sides. Brees took a stance on kneeling only to reverse course soon after. The protests took to the streets of New Orleans calling out Drew Brees for his original stance or his apology. To be clear, there is no pity party for Brees. No need to start a GoFundMe account to help him make ends meet. No, this is not that article to make a case to love Drew Brees forever. Nor is it the case to call out the hypocrisy to bash him since Jameis Winston is leading the team. This is a reality check. A chance to get real on the bye week. And history has not been kind to others like Winston.
History repeats itself over and over for quarterbacks taking over for retired Hall of Fame quarterbacks. Brees is not in just yet. But odds say he’s a lock. Regardless, moving to present-day on October 15th, 2021 — the Saints sit at 3-2 heading into a well-needed bye week. Most of Who Dat Nation would’ve taken this before the season began. Things have not been pretty. The offense at times looked to be stuck in quicksand at times. The defensive breakdowns and huge plays that were given up are unusual, to say the least. But the Saints are 3-2.
Embrace the Present and Move on from the Past
When the Winston news broke — he was going to be a member of the black and gold all hell broke loose. The 30 for 30 special: “The Book of Jameis” was to be in the works recalling the demise of Jameis Winston in one season when he threw for 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. Also, the fact he played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn’t help. Additionally, the wave of negative Winston stories was on every radio channel. Some thought Mickey Loomis lost it. Did he also lose his mind? Once again, the chirping got louder for Brees, and the echoes of doubting Winston grew.
The whole point to this is haters will hate. Debbie Downers lie beneath the surface until there’s a story to bring out the worse in all of us. In other words, Winston received the Scarlet Letter the minute he stepped on Airline Highway. The noise comes with the territory. Being one of the 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL comes with a certain attachment with it. The days of being an anonymous worker on the sideline carrying a clipboard are over. Thanks for the training.
Winston’s Challenge Lies Between the Ears
There have been countless situations where new quarterbacks come in and replace the fan favorite after a number of years of being the face of the franchise. Honestly, there was one that piqued my curiosity back after Troy Aikman retired. Not many people are going to remember the quarterback Quincy Carter for the Dallas Cowboys. He became the starter in 2001 as a rookie after being drafted in the second round. The coach at the time Bill Parcels lead the team. And the offensive coordinator was none other than Sean Payton. Even Carter praised Payton several times for his attention to detail for putting together a game plan. Moreover, creativity existed way back then.
Carter didn’t have a very successful run with the Cowboys. And there were a few reasons for the lack of success. Some were on the field but mainly off-the-field issues continued to his demise. In short, opinions will continue on Winston daily. Decision-making to personality differences. Winston should get the normal critiques of being a new quarterback in the system. And of course, he’s no rookie. That being said, the praise of Winston after a successful performance does feel a bit muted. Winston is going to be here this season. Who Dat Nation wants a winner. Give due when there is success and critique when mistakes happen. Being fair in today’s society is almost a forgotten trait. And Winston may never get the backing of everyone. Still, he earned the job fair and square. Let Winston be Winston and watch Brees call the Notre Dame games.
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