Saints Sideline Blog

BREES ON BREES

Friday, August 27th, 2010      Email Print

DATELINE: Metairie, LA/August 27th, 2010 (Its not always a Brees being Drew)
 
If his critics lined up, the line would be a lot shorter than it used to be. They used to second guess his height, the strength of his arm and at one point the future of his shoulder. Drew Brees has put masking tape on all of his doubters but the truth is his biggest critic remains... Drew Brees. This guy could throw six TD's but kick himself for not throwing seven. I've talked to him after games where he's set records and he's disappointed about missing Lance Moore on a certain slant route. No Saint is harder on himself than Brees where this is the most evident on the practice field. I have never covered a Saints workout and seen anybody leave AFTER the Super Bowl MVP. He lives up to the tired cliche-yeah Brees is the last man off the practice field.
 
Most days you will see Drew staying late working with his receivers on extra routes to get the timing down or just throwing wifh fellow QB's. Sometimes you will even catch them competing in fun contests like who can throw the football in the garbage can, proving how much he still loves the game. Other times its Brees flying solo on the practice field, with his teammates long gone participaing in his own overtime session. This week, I saw Brees alone on the field with his helmet on, a football in his hand along with a towel at his hips where he was taking imaginary snaps. Drew admits he was simulating different game situations, long after his teammates have finished their showers. "Yeah, I was just visualizing some stuff. I will do that from time to time if there is something I want to work on,a situation I want to visualize or a route concept I want to think about."
 
I asked Brees how long he's been doing this and he tells me it dates back to 2004 when he was coming into his own as a starter in San Diego. I believe him, but I also know different variations of self evaluation date back to winning state titles as a high school QB in Austin, TX. Brees has always kept his workout routine top secret, kind of like a Tiger Woods.(Ok that's the only parallel) His post practice routine is the rare glimpse the media gets into his work ethic, which his teammates will tell you is legendary. Not only does every teammate fall short of beating Drew off the practice field, nobody beats him to the team facility during the season where he's the first in the filmroom as well. Sean Payton told me nobody raises the bar off the field higher than Brees, who's self evaluaton is a big reason for his success.
 
Self evaluation is one thing, than you have Drew's so called, "self-punishment." Brees often punishes himself for poor play where I saw it earlier in camp when he ran wind sprints on the practice field after an un-Brees like outing in the Black and Gold game. "I punish myself from time to time with conditioning or whatever. When you feel like you don't have something down and it needs some work and time." Ever the perfectionist, Brees even has a grading curve-call it a self punishment scale. "I usually pick a number and it means something. If I throw a pick, I might say for every pick I throw, I will run two extra gassers or for every incompetion or bad decision I am going to do this. If I ran a two minute drill that I am not happy with, I might go back and through it again and visualize the defense I saw and run through the routes that I wish I would have done or the throws I wish I would have made." You think this guy is content with one Super Bowl ring?
 
So the Brees bar is certainly high but so is his confidence. He knows this team has the core to win another Super Bowl and wants to make sure they follow his lead. His work ethic is contagious where this week I saw every starting receiver along with Reggie Bush stay late and work on goal line drills. Nobody is tougher on Brees than Brees- a super work ethic for a quarterback who knows if leaving the practice field last was a staring contest, he will always "blink" last.
 
WHAT TO LOOK FOR TONIGHT VS CHARGERS
 
DRESS REHEARSAL: Sean Payton hasn't said how long his 1's will play but expect at least a half's worth of action. After a strong performance versus the Texans, I'm thinking Brees and company will only see a half's worth if its productive.
 
SAINT PATRICK'S DAY: Chase Daniel delivered a week ago, now its Patrick Ramsey's turn to shine. Ramsey has looked sharper the longer he's been in camp and the veteran is poised to prove he's the backup of this team.
 
BACK-UP RB'S: We know Bush and Pierre are on the squad, what other RB is gonna step up? Big night for Chris Ivory and we'll see how Saints debut's from Ladell Betts and DeShawn Wynn turn out?
 
PLAYING IT SAFE-TY: Darren Sharper won't play but Malcolm Jenkins will get a long look against one of the best offenses in the NFL in Phillip Rivers and company. Gregg WIlliams told us this week that Jenkins doesn't have to be told anything twice, so he's expecting a big performance from his rising star.
 
ISN'T THAT SPECIAL?: Special Teams have been the dark cloud of the preseason. The release of Troy Evans proved nobody's is safe but veteran Pierson Prioleau has told his younger teammates that you can't worry about your job, just your play.
 
LINEBACKERS IN LINE?: With the first string defense getting a lot of reps, let's keep an eye on the recent switch of Strongside linbacker Scott Shanle an Jonathan Casillas to the weakside. Joe Vitt says this combo is still in the "laboratory phase." Another strong outing should make this lineup more secure.
 
UNTIL NEXT BLOG,
Mike Nabors
CST

By: Mike Nabors

An Emmy award winning sports reporter who covers a wide variety of events for CST. Primarily, Mike serves as the network's reporter for Saints coverage.

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