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SPORTS Friday 27 december 2019
Amid hotshot passers, old men Brady and Brees roll on

By BARRY WILNER while Green Bay and San
AP Pro Football Writer Francisco lose, the Saints
Between them, Tom Brady will be the NFC's top seed.
and Drew Brees have A simple victory over the
played 38 pro football sea- Panthers earns a bye.
sons, 39 if you count 2008 New Orleans could wind
when the New England star up in an odd position for
wrecked his knee in Week 2020 at quarterback be-
1. Both probably should be cause Bridgewater will be
long retired and counting a high-demand free agent.
the days until their induc- The Saints would love to
tion into the Pro Football hang on to the 27-year-
Hall of Fame. old Bridgewater, who went
Instead, they're still slinging 5-0 replacing Brees. But at
away — and could be do- what price if Brees is still
ing so against each other around? New England has
on Feb. 2 in a little thing similar questions to answer,
called the Super Bowl. and they will magnify af-
No, 40-year-old quarter- ter the playoffs. Brady has
backs should not still be set- had an inconsistent season
ting NFL records. Yet Brees with little established talent
always seems to be doing around him. His only de-
so. pendable veteran target
And certainly 42-year-old is Julian Edelman, and the
QBs don't even belong on protection has been spotty
the field. But Brady has the at best. Unlike Brees, who
Patriots in position for — not still has the mobility to make
that most of America wants plays outside the pocket,
to read this — a fourth Brady is pretty much sta-
straight trip to the Super In this Aug. 22, 2015, file photo, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) and New Or- tionary.
leans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) greet each other after an NFL preseason football game
Bowl, and his 10th overall, in New Orleans. He's also perhaps the great-
with six wins. Associated Press est pocket passer ever.
The influx of hotshot arms, Surely, the fiery, often com-
from Patrick Mahomes to beating Brady to the re- quarterback of this team to Teddy Bridgewater while bative (on the field) Brady
Lamar Jackson, from Car- cord in part because New put us in the best position Brees was sidelined for five is the most accomplished
son Wentz to Deshaun Wat- Orleans has a more dan- to succeed," Brees says. games with a thumb injury. quarterback with his six
son, has captured so much gerous, dependable and "With that, I guess the sta- The presence of Thomas, rings. To ever dismiss him is
attention through the foot- varied attack than does tistics come, and maybe running back Alvin Ka- foolish, and the Patriots are
ball galaxy. Still, it's the two New England these days. they add up, and then all mara, a solid offensive line 12-3, just like the Saints.
40-somethings who lord Brady is at 539. of a sudden, you're close and coach Sean Payton But there are more nega-
over the quarterbacking While neither passer is a enough to be within striking could be enticing enough tive vibes around Brady
universe, possibly for their stats freak, they certainly distance of some of those for Brees to come back than ever. His passer rat-
final seasons. are aware of the numbers things." next year. Or he could walk ing could wind up his low-
Adding spice to their con- they have compiled. With Michael Thomas run- away from the NFL with est since 2003. His contract
tinued presence center "Obviously, before the ning routes for him, Brees nothing to prove, particu- ends after this season. There
stage are the stats. Consid- season you know you are could always be closing in larly if the Saints can win a have been rumblings he
er the career touchdowns a certain distance away, on unthinkable numbers. second NFL title since he wants out of New England,
passing mark that Peyton but then once the season Thomas already has broken ventured to the Big Easy in whether by retirement or, if
Manning held until Brees starts, you just focus on the single-season record for 2006. That's certainly do- you can imagine, by join-
broke it in Game 14 for the winning games and do- receptions with 145, and able: If New Orleans beats ing another club as a free
Saints. He now has 544, ing what I need to do as a he caught 42 of those from weak Carolina on Sunday agent.q

Scallywag and Comanche lead Sydney to Hobart yacht race

SYDNEY (AP) — Hong Kong extensive repairs after it Jack as four super maxis
yacht Scallywag had a sustained mast and rig- held the leading positions.
narrow lead over Coman- ging damage in early No- The 628-nautical-mile race
che early Friday as the vember. InfoTrack was the takes the yachts down the
Sydney to Hobart race was first boat out of Sydney south coast of New South
slowed by light winds on its Harbour on Thursday af- Wales and across the Bass
first night at sea. ternoon. The yacht, which Strait to Hobart, the capital
Nine-time line honors win- took line honors in 2016 as of the island state of Tas-
ner Wild Oats XI, which led Perpetual Loyal, got a fly- mania. Scallywag was still
late Thursday, fell back ing start as the race began about 390 nautical miles
to ninth and was in the in winds of 15 to 18 knots, from Hobart.
worst position of the five or around 30 kph (18 mph). Two-time winner Coman-
super maxis. There was InfoTrack was in fourth che set the race record of
no immediate indication place on Friday morn- Wild Oats XI heads up Sydney Harbour during the start of the 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes
of any problems on Wild ing, one spot behind the Sydney Hobart yacht race in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Dec. in 2017, a record that is
Oats XI, which underwent Monaco-registered Black 26, 2019. certain to stand this year.q
Associated Press