Leave it to Drew Brees to raise the stakes. The Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback set a legendary standard in his years with the New Orleans Saints, and he's challenging Tyler Shough and the modern-day team to live up to it -- at least in Monday night's prime-time game with the Atlanta Falcons. Competing against the team's oldest rivals on the twentieth anniversary of the "Domecoming" game after Hurricane Katrina puts a lot of pressure on the black and gold. But Brees is confident they'll see it through.
"I think we're in good hands tonight," Brees said at the Team Gleason second line parade, via ESPN's Katherine Terrell. "I think this team knows what tonight's all about. I think they recognize the sacrifice and the inspiration that has come
before them and they're ready to carry the torch. I like what I see."
Brees hosted Shough and more than a dozen teammates for offseason workouts in San Diego, doing his part to impart some wisdom and show the young gun what it takes to succeed at the game's highest level. He clearly learned a lot about the team's new franchise quarterback in that experience. Few athletes have built as strong a connection with New Orleans as Brees did. It's obvious Shough is working to follow in his footsteps. Beating the dirty birds on Monday night would go a long way to tightening that connection.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Drew Brees raised the stakes for Saints' prime-time game vs. Falcons
