Brees missed second half of Saints' win over San Francisco 49ers on Sunday; Carolina Panthers' Teddy Bridgewater sustained knee injury in loss to Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Monday 16 November 2020 22:15, UK
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees could be set for a period on the sidelines after sustaining a collapsed lung and several fractured ribs, report ESPN.
Brees sustained the collapsed lung when he was sacked by San Francisco defensive end Kentavius Street in the second quarter of the Saints' victory over the 49ers on Sunday. Street was flagged for roughing the passer on the play.
Brees finished the remainder of the half but was unable to continue in the second, with Jameis Winston taking his place.
An assessment of Brees' injury revealed he also picked up several fractured ribs during the Saints' Week 9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"I was not going to be able to be effective," said Brees, who threw for 76 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. "It had nothing to do with pain. It was simply just what my body was going to be able to do or not be able to do."
Saints head coach Sean Payton said: "He took a heavy shot in the first half. As he came out in the second half, he felt it was really impacting him.
"His back felt sore. As he tried to throw, he just came up to me and said, 'Hey, I don't feel like I'm capable of playing.' And so, quickly, we made the switch and, you know, that happens sometimes.
"He felt strong enough about letting me know and I know when he does that, which is probably going to be the first time in 15 years, that it was significant enough where he felt like he couldn't function in the second half."
It is unclear how long Brees will be unavailable for - if at all - but he has been told to be cautious with the lung injury.
Carolina Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is day-to-day with a sprained right MCL sustained in Sunday's 46-23 loss to the Buccaneers, according to NFL Network.
Bridgewater was injured in the fourth quarter against the Bucs. He exited the game in the final stages of the fourth quarter after being sacked by Jason Pierre-Paul.
Panthers coach Matt Rhule said: "When it comes to knees and stuff like that, I never know. I don't have a feel one way or the other. I have no idea."
Bridgewater - who is in his first season as a full-time starter since suffering a major knee injury during the 2016 preseason with the Minnesota Vikings - is likely to be limited in practice this week.
The 28-year-old could feature for the Panthers against the Detroit Lions in Week 11, but they will again be without Christian McCaffrey.
The star running back is still struggling with the shoulder problem that kept him out of Sunday's loss to the Bucs. He also missed Weeks 3 to 8 with an ankle injury.
