Drew Brees was back under center for the Saints against the Cardinals in Week 8 merely 42 days removed from the thumb injury he suffered against the Rams in September, and there were no signs of decline from the future Hall of Famer in their 31-9 victory at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

The 40-year-old quarterback completed 34 of 43 passes for 373 yards and three touchdowns with one interception for a quarterback rating of 116.4 in his first real test after undergoing surgery in September to repair a torn ligament in his right, throwing hand.

Most of the game plan for Brees in his return focused on the short to intermediate ranges of the field and then stretched vertically as he got comfortable.

One noticeable difference in Brees’ passes came when he targeted intermediate to deep passes outside of the hashes, where he sailed passes several feet above his intended receiver’s head.

Was that a byproduct of Brees having to adjust to the new grip he had on the ball?

There was no discernable differences in his footwork, platform and overall mechanics. Dr. David Chao, a former physician for the Chargers who has become a popular in-game analyst on social media, agreed with that assessment and added that he noticed more quick/short pass designs for Brees in the game plan. Let’s take a look at a couple of those throws.

Brees’ first throw was a deep shot to the right to tight end Dan Arnold outside the hash marks. Arnold is operating as the middle receiver at the numbers from trips formation, and his route takes him about 25 yards downfield from where Brees is throwing. Normally, this is a throw that’s on the money, but it curiously sails on Brees.

Another example came on Patrick Peterson’s interception. When one of the league’s most accurate gunslingers takes a shot downfield, it often goes unquestioned … until it’s a deep shot to a fullback who is being covered by one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL.

While the decision was vintage Brees, the throw was not. Once again this is a pass outside of the hash marks that sails a bit high, which allows Peterson to track in and bring it in.

Most of the game plan kept the game short. According to Next Gen Stats, Brees finished with a 3.4 average completed air yards number, which was only higher than the Broncos’ Joe Flacco that week.

Brees’ ability to read, progress and find the open receiver showed no apparent rust. This alone should make Saints fans confident moving forward, and it’s possible that Brees’ early-season absence could be a blessing in disguise, as the offense stagnated in the fourth quarter of the 2018 season. In three games in December of 2018, Brees threw two touchdown passes with two interceptions, and his quarterback rating dropped almost a full 50 points from the previous month.

The Cardinals game, however, showcased the familiar quick zip and power from Brees’ throws. He was quick to set his feet, read, adjust and then deliver a quick pass even at intermediate lengths. A great example of this was one of Brees’ longest deep passes of the day to Ted Ginn Jr. The deep cross from Michael Thomas underneath out of the slot was spaced right above the underneath zone, while Ginn’s route took him high enough to avoid those. Brees checking to his right prevents the safety from committing to the trips side, and the result is a nice pass that moves the sticks.

Perhaps Brees’ best throw came on the last play of the first half that was negated by a holding call on Terron Armstead. Pressure to Brees’ right forces him to step up into the pocket, and every route except the quick out to the left with Thomas is covered.

The out route isn’t ideal due to the little time remaining on the clock. So now Brees enters into the “scramble drill,” and it’s an area of his game that has never gotten the recognition it deserves. Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers are all known as masters outside of the pocket, but Brees is not limited to being just a “pocket passer.” This play was the textbook definition of extending a play, without leaving the pocket, to allow receivers to extend their routes and get open. Even though it’s a short pass of only 20 air yards, it’s on the money and in a spot only his guy can get to it.

Brees’ efforts against the Cardinals pushed them beyond 500 yards of total offense for the first time since Week 1 against the Texans.

The bye week was well-timed for the Saints at the midpoint of the season. The offensive line is healthy, tight end Jared Cook and running back Alvin Kamara are expected to return to full power as well, and a fresh Brees bodes well for a strong second-half push.

(Top photo: Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images)