NFL Week 15 injury news: Drew Brees to start against the Kansas City Chiefs

The New Orleans Saints welcome back Drew Brees in Week 15

In NFL Week 15, the New Orleans Saints are welcoming the Kansas City Chiefs, the defending Super Bowl Champions. Two days before the game, fans of the New Orleans Saints received good news that quarterback Drew Brees will be making his return from injury. The Saints' doctors have cleared him to play against the Chiefs on Sunday.

---

Why are the New Orleans Saints playing Drew Brees?

There are three games left in the 2020 NFL Season. The New Orleans Saints dropped a tough game to the Philadelphia Eagles last week. This loss took the Saints out of first place in the NFC playoff race. It also moved the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers closer to New Orleans in the sprint to the finish.

From a seeding stand point, the New Orleans Saints cannot afford to lose another game. Starting Drew Brees at quarterback does not guarantee them a win. But it surely helps their chances at winning. New Orleans needs to stay close to the Packers in the event that Green Bay loses a game.

Drew Brees will be the Saints’ starting QB Sunday vs. the Chiefs, a source told @AdamSchefter. Mahomes vs. Brees 🍿 pic.twitter.com/VsbWaB2I1C

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 18, 2020

The Green Bay Packers own the tiebreaker over the Saints because they won a head-to-game game earlier this season. Also, if the New Orleans Saints lose another game, they could potentially face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card. It makes sense why the Saints are starting Drew Brees at quarterback for this final stretch.

---

The New Orleans Saints are taking a risk by starting Drew Brees

The reward to starting Drew Brees would be the New Orleans Saints keeping their place in the NFC playoff race. But there's plenty of risk in this decision. He could reinjure his ribs and miss the NFL playoffs. New Orleans Saints and Drew Brees have probably weighed all the potential downsides that come with his return to action.

Los Angeles Chargers v New Orleans Saints

Brees is tough, and it might have been hard for him to sit on the sideline and watch his team play without him every week. The meeting between the Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints will have a Super Bowl feel to it on Sunday, as both teams are contenders to make it to the big game. Naturally, Brees would want play in this significant match-up.

#Saints face biggest challenge yet in Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes 📖MORE on Sunday's matchup ⏩ https://t.co/pnzNwYVHty@JohnDeShazier | @Chevron

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 17, 2020

But if Brees takes a hard enough shot and gets hurt again, the Saints might not make it far in the playoffs. Starting Brees on Sunday is quite risky, but New Orleans may feel like it's the lesser of two evils. Still, many fans may be left wondering why they're taking this gamble when they could have rested Brees for the 2020 NFL Playoffs.