Saints’ Super Bowl Odds Fade to +2000 After Drew Brees Tears Ligament in Thumb

• Saints were listed at +817 on average across all sportsbooks prior to injury
• Bridgewater has 17-12 career record as starting quarterback
• Brees could make return by Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons

It looks like the New Orleans Saints will be without starting quarterback Drew Brees for an extended period of time.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Brees suffered a torn ligament in his thumb and is expected to undergo surgery, missing up to six weeks of action.

Brees was forced to exit Sunday’s game against the Los Angles Rams after jamming his hand following an incomplete pass.

From our breaking news segment on @nflnetwork: #Saints QB Drew Brees needs thumb surgery and is out for roughly 6 weeks. Teddy Bridgewater is the new starter. pic.twitter.com/x4g6yVVIZm

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 16, 2019

Sportsbooks released updated Super Bowl odds and they list the Saints at +2000 — down significantly from its +817 average across all sportsbooks heading into Week 2.

Are the Saints still a strong bet at that price?

2020 Super Bowl Odds

*Odds taken 09/16/19

Although Brees had his right thumb wrapped and remained on the sideline for the rest of the game, the former Super Bowl MVP admitted that he was “concerned” about the injury.

Brees, 40, has only missed one start to injury dating back to his high school playing days. That came in 2015 when he was ruled out of a Week 3 game against the Carolina Panthers due to a shoulder injury.

If the Saints decide to put Drew Brees on IR for the thumb surgery that is required, he would be unable to practice for six weeks and would to miss eight games. Saints also could not place him on IR and bring him back when ready.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 16, 2019

Bridgewater Takes Over As Starter

Where do the Saints go from here and are they still considered Super Bowl contenders?

With Brees out for an extended period, the Saints will hand the ball over to backup Teddy Bridgewater, who has some experience as an NFL starter. Bridgewater finished the game against the Rams, going 17-of-30 for 165 yards, but he’ll be under more pressure to deliver as the Saints hit the road for three of their next five games — including stops in Seattle and Chicago.

Bridgewater, who is the highest paid backup in the NFL, could eventually become Brees’ successor as starting QB. Bridgewater has a 17-12 career record as a starter — his best season coming in 2015 when he threw for 3,231 passing yards and 14 TDs with the Minnesota Vikings.

That same year, Bridgewater made his only playoff appearance as a starting QB, but lost to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Wild Card. A knee injury eventually sidelined Bridgewater for the next two seasons before the Saints took a chance on him.

Bridgewater — much like Brees — has the luxury of throwing to one of the best wide receivers in the league in Michael Thomas.

In just two games, Thomas is already among the NFL leaders in receiving yards (212) but has yet to find the back of the end zone so far. After catching nine TD passes in 2018, his first this season will come from Bridgewater.

Brees May Return By Week 7

If all goes as planned, Brees could be back in the lineup by early November, in Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons. The question is what will the Saints’ record be when Brees returns?

Making the playoffs will be more of a challenge now for the Saints, whose chances of locking up a post-season berth drops to 59.4% with nine wins, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index outlook. With an eight-win season, the Saints’ chances plummet to 22.2%.

RAW video:
Drew Brees talks about his thumb injury.

In his 19-year NFL career, Brees has missed just one game due to injury (2015 vs. Carolina)@wdsu pic.twitter.com/dmGQCorHt2

— Fletcher Mackel (@FletcherWDSU) September 16, 2019

If Bridgewater and the Saints go 3-3 in Brees’ absence — assuming he is out only six weeks — that will put a lot more pressure on the future Hall of Fame QB to get the team to 10 or more wins with just eight games to work with.

While +2000 odds to win SB54 may seem enticing, it will be a grind for the Saints going forward.