Drew Brees Says He's Willing to Cut His Star Running Back Reggie Bush Some Slack

It's a great week to be Drew Brees and a terrible year to be Reggie Bush.

The New Orleans Saints QB added Sports Illustrated's "Sportsman of the Year" award to his trophy case earlier this week, just days after beating the Dallas Cowboys with a couple of dramatic passes that will live on forever in Thanksgiving Day lore.

Bush, on the other hand, experienced a miserable return to the Saints lineup after breaking his leg 10 weeks ago in a win against the San Francisco 49ers.

Days before the 49ers game and under increasing pressure, Bush became the first man in history to return the Heisman Trophy.

Yeah, it sure hasn't been Reggie's year.

Back in the '70s, there was a local football publication called Gridiron Magazine.

Those were some lean years for the Saints. They had a Marine as a head coach and an astronaut with no football experience as GM.

After every game, Gridiron Magazine would choose its "Hot Dog of the Week"—an ignominious distinction given to whichever Saints player turned in the most shameful performance that week.

There's little doubt that if Gridiron Magazine was still around today, Reggie Bush would have been "Hot Dog of the Week" for his embarrassing effort against the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day.

"That was garbage," said former Saints QB Bobby Hebert of Bush's performance. "Are you kidding me? You're getting paid $8 million. I don't care if you haven't been playing. You've got to step up.

"He didn't break his hands. He broke his leg," Hebert told one of the callers on his WWL Radio show.

It all started in the second quarter when Brees plunked Bush in the helmet with a pass after Bush failed to turn around and look for the football.

Matters just got worse from there.

With the Saints leading 20-6 in the third quarter and driving for another touchdown, Bush dropped what would have been a sure six points, and New Orleans had to settle for a Garrett Hartley field goal.

After the Saints defense stopped the Cowboys on the next drive, Bush fumbled a punt on the 15-yard line, leading to a Dallas touchdown.

Brees told WWL Radio Wednesday that his star running back deserves the benefit of the doubt and as far as he is concerned, it is a relief having such a dangerous weapon as Bush back at his disposal.

"Reggie is coming off his first game in eight weeks...so, I think there's this adaptation that needs to take place—kind of getting back into the game and the speed of it all and the opportunities are going to come his way."

Bush has always been a class act in New Orleans and never has tried to duck criticism.

Said Bush, "Obviously, with the turnovers, you just can't have those types of mistakes in crucial situations like that in the game when the game is on the line."