Drew Brees Says Taysom Hill's 1st Saints QB Start vs. Falcons Was 'Magnificent'

Sidelined with rib fractures and a collapsed lung, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees gave way to Taysom Hill for the team's 24-9 defeat over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

His review of his replacement? 

"Listen, I thought he played great," Brees told team reporter Mike Nabors (h/t ProFootballTalk). "I thought he managed everything about this week, about the preparation and then obviously just the way he played. I thought it was magnificent."

Hill threw for 233 yards on 18-of-23 passing without an interception and rushed for 51 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries. 

His performance helped the Saints crawl back from a 9-3 deficit for the win. 

Hill has appeared in all 10 games for the Saints this season, starting four, but Sunday marked his first start at quarterback. Before Sunday, the former BYU QB ran for 186 yards on 34 carries, caught 74 yards on six receptions and passed for 86 yards on 4-for-5 passing. 

In three previous seasons on the Saints, where he has played since 2017 after the Green Bay Packers waived him from their practice squad, the 6'2", 221-pounder moved around on offense and appeared on special teams. In 37 college games, he tallied 6,929 passing yards with 43 touchdown passes with a 58.2 completion percentage (609 of 1,047) while adding 2,815 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns on 534 carries.

The 30-year-old credited Brees with helping him prepare for his first NFL start under center (h/t Deseret News):

"I didn't fully understand what it took to be a starter in the NFL until I got here and had the opportunity to learn from Drew. Drew was with me every step of the way this week as we watched film. He was constantly asking me what I needed and how he could be helpful. He was so critical, such a comfort for me to have around."

With Brees on injured reserve, the Saints will look to Hill for at least the next two weeks in outings against the Denver Broncos and a rematch against the Atlanta Falcons. After Sunday's outing against Atlanta, they can be confident in doing so.