Chiefs preparing for both Drew Brees, Taysom Hill in Week 15 vs. Saints

Even with reports of Drew Brees returning to action in Week 15, the Chiefs are prepared to face both quarterbacks for the Saints.

For the second consecutive week, the Kansas City Chiefs find themselves preparing for two different quarterbacks. Last week, it was the challenge of preparing for left-handed Tua Tagovailoa and Ryan Fitzpatrick. This week they get two different quarterbacks with very particular skill sets.

This time around, they’re tasked with preparing for both Saints starting QB Drew Brees and their backup QB Taysom Hill. Even though a new report says that Brees will be the starting quarterback on Sunday, all it takes is one play during the course of the game for Hill to come in and take over. They’ve often utilized Hill in packaged plays too, so it’s best to be prepared for both players in this situation.

Hill has been the starter for the New Orleans Saints since Week 11 after Brees was discovered to have suffered rib and lung injuries. He brings an entirely different dynamic to the Saints’ offense, offering mobility and a different type of toughness.

Chiefs HC Andy Reid is familiar with him because he used to be the starting quarterback for his alma mater.

“Well, he’s a BYU guy, I think that’s probably all we need to say,” Reid said of Hill on Wednesday. “He’s a good player—strong, a good runner, a good thrower—he represents well. But unfortunately, he’s on the other team, so we’ve got to get ourselves ready to play against him.”

Brees, of course, brings an entirely different type of playstyle to the table. He’s a savvy veteran and a rhythm passer, who gets things done from the pocket. He won’t be gashing you on the ground with his legs the way that Hill will. Because of the differences between the two players, Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo is having his players attack the scheme this week in their preparations.

“No question they’re different,” Spagnuolo told reporters on Thursday. “You’re talking about a future Hall of Famer and a guy that’s playing really good football that gives us the added threat of running the ball. We need to defend the scheme. They do really well with whoever they put back there. There’s a lot of other weapons there besides the guy that gets the ball on the snap. We’ve just tried to defend the scheme this week and we’ll try to make in-game adjustments. We’ve got a staff of coaches that I think do a great job of that. That’s how we’ll approach it.”

One Chiefs defender has a great deal of respect for both players and it’s one that’s quite familiar with New Orleans.

“To take you way, way, way back, my rookie year, my first interception was off Drew Brees,” Chiefs DB Tyrann Mathieu said. “Actually, it was in the Superdome, but we lost the game, so I don’t really remember it too fondly. But yeah, my first interception was off Drew Brees.”

This time around, Mathieu is hoping to get the win in addition to the interception. Winning this game could do a lot to validate the Chiefs’ season and their Super Bowl title defense. That’s why it’s so important for the team to hone in on their preparation and to be prepared for whoever may be out on the field on Sunday.

For Mathieu, both quarterbacks are incomparable types in their own right. He found himself impressed with what Hill brings to the table for his hometown team.

“Taysom Hill, I think he just brings that extra factor to the offense,” Mathieu said. “He’s a tough, hard-nosed quarterback. I don’t think I can really compare anybody to him, I think he’s like in a bracket of his own. I think he embraces contact. So, we’ll have to do a great job on all three levels if we really want to play a decent football game on defense.”

No matter which quarterback is out there for the Chiefs on Sunday, the defense will have to play at the top of their game. On one hand, you could get a future Hall of Famer, on the other a rising young star that Saints believe can be their quarterback of the future. It’s a great challenge, but one that the players and coaches in Kansas City relish.

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