ITPV » brother.While the pair is grinding to return

METAIRIE Zach Brown Jersey , La. (AP) — Drew Brees is about to play his first game as a 40-year-old — and his biggest game in nine years.When the Saints host the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC championship game in New Orleans on Sunday, it’ll be the first time Brees, who turned 40 on Tuesday, has played for the conference title since the 2009 season. Brees turned 31 shortly before the Saints defeated Minnesota en route to the franchise’s lone Super Bowl.One of the enduring images from that championship season was Brees standing next to his wife, Brittany, holding aloft their son, Baylen, who grasped at confetti floating around them.Baylen was Brees’ first child, born on his father’s 30th birthday, and had recently turned 1 when the Saints beat the Colts in Miami in February 2010.Now Brees is a father of four —three boys and one girl, ages 4 to 10. They were all present on the sideline when Brees set the all-time NFL record for yards passing in Week 5 of this season, and Brees said after practice Wednesday that he has cherished the opportunity to share one of his best seasons with them.“They’re so football-crazed right now,” Brees said. “That’s what makes this so much fun.”Brees recounted that during some recent one-on-one time with his second child, Bowen, the quarterback asked his 8-year-old son what his favorite thing to do is.“He said, ‘Go to the Saints facility with dad,'” Brees said. “That kind of stuff is what memories are made of and you want them to enjoy that as much as possible and give them those moments as much as possible.“They love football. They love the Saints. They love our team. They love this season,” Brees said. “We’re just trying to stay in the moment and enjoy it as much as we can.”There has been plenty to enjoy. While leading the Saints to a 13-3 record and No. 1 playoff seeding in the NFC, Brees broke NFL records for completions and yards passing. Through 18 regular seasons, he has completed 6,586 passes for 74,437 yards. His completion record surpassed Brett Favre’s 6,300. His yards passing eclipsed Peyton Manning’s 71,940. Brees’ 520 touchdowns passing leave him 19 behind Manning — but also only three ahead of 41-year-old New England QB Tom Brady — for that record.This season was not Brees’ most prolific, but was his most efficient.While Brees’ 3 Kyler Murray Jersey ,992 yards passing were his fewest since he joined the Saints in 2006, but his 74.4 percent completion rate broke his own previous NFL record of 72 percent — set just last season. His TD-to-interception ratio of 32 to five was the best of his career.And after a slow start in a divisional playoff victory over Philadelphia on Sunday, Brees finished 28 of 38 passing (73.7 percent) for 301 yards, with two TDs and one interception.Brees underthrew two deep balls in that game, one of which resulted in his interception. And while observers might be inclined to connect those misses to age-related, diminishing arm strength, 29-year-old Eagles QB Nick Foles also had an underthrown downfield pass intercepted in that game.Brees still connected on a number of tough throws, including first-down conversions to Michael Thomas on second-and-20 and third-and-16 during a pivotal, second-half touchdown drive.The Saints did not have practice on Brees’ birthday, but he went to work anyway.“A very normal day,” Brees said. “Come in early and get grinding on the film, get home in time for dinner and hang out with the kids and have a little cake, read bedtime stories and tell them to quit talking and laughing and go to bed.”His wife, Brittany, had thrown a surprise party for her husband on Sunday night — after the divisional-round victory — at a brewpub owned by former Saints right tackle and current radio play-by-play announcer Zach Strief.Brees seemed to embrace the milestone birthday, enthusiastically donning a black baseball cap with a large No. 40 in gold numerals.As with the 41-year-old Brady, Brees’ teammates sometimes seem in awe of the discipline he demonstrates in not just maintaining health and fitness, as well as the work he puts in to studying game plans and opposing defenses, constantly refining his throwing mechanics and taking extra time after practice to develop chemistry and timing with receivers.And they weren’t surprised that Brees was widely viewed as one of the leading candidates for league MVP this season, along with Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who is nearly 17 years Brees’ junior.“There’s nothing surprising me just because I’ve known him, how he prepares, how he takes care of his body,” said Saints running back Mark Ingram, as he tried to put Brees at 40 into perspective. “It just says a lot about him and his character and the person he is.”Ingram went on to say that if anything Byron Murphy Jersey , Brees’ age is still an asset, because even seasoned pros can benefit from a more experienced team leader who still performs at a high level.“He’s what you want to be as far as having someone to look up to, as far as having someone to emulate,” Ingram said. “Taking care of your body, eating right, community, on the field, father, family — he’s everything you want to be, man. … He’s helped me grow a lot as a man, as a professional. I love him forever.”Notes: Newly signed defensive tackle Tyrunn Walker practiced with the club for the first time after filling the roster spot that opened when starting tackle Sheldon Rankins went on injured reserve with a torn Achilles. … Rookie receiver Keith Kirkwood missed practice with a calf injury and tight end Ben Watson did not practice because of an illness. HOUSTON (AP) — Last year at this time, Houston’s J.J. Watt and Deshaun Watson were rehabbing after serious injuries cut both of their seasons short and contributed to the Texans‘ terrible 4-12 season.Healthy and thriving this season, the stars lead the AFC South champion Texans into Saturday’s wild-card game against Indianapolis.“We talked about times like this when we were in the training room, what we wanted to accomplish and what we were working toward,” Watt said.“So, for it to be where we are now and to have everything in front of us, it feels really good. I think that we can both look back at all the work and all the tough times that we had and be happy and proud of where we’re at now.”On Sunday, moments after Houston clinched its third division title in four years with a win over the Jaguars, the quarterback and defensive end found each other amid scores of players celebrating on the field and shared a big hug.After neither of them was able to play a full season last year it was a moment to appreciate their journeys and the accomplishment of not only playing all 16 games, but helping the Texans to their fifth playoff appearance.Watson said they often meet up on the field or in the locker room after games, but admitted that this time it was different.“There was a little bit more because we clinched the division, AFC South champs,” Watson said. “We finished a full season together, so it was a special moment.”Coach Bill O’Brien said when he was at the stadium during the offseason he’d often find the two players together working in the training room.“They were together a lot,” he said. “They were side-by-side. Different injuries Andy Isabella Jersey , but kind of going through the same schedule of things … (and) it looks like there was a bond created there … and I think that was good for both guys.”Watson returned this season after playing just seven games as a rookie after tearing a knee ligament in practice. The 12th overall pick in the 2017 draft threw for 4,165 yards and 26 touchdowns this season to become the second player in team history and first since Matt Schaub in 2012 to throw for 4,000 yards. He added 551 yards rushing and five touchdowns to become the first player to have at least 4,000 yards passing and 25 touchdowns and 500 yards rushing and five scores in a season in NFL history.Watson hasn’t thrown an interception in 207 straight attempts, a franchise record and the longest active streak in the NFL. His emergence is a revelation for a team that has had a revolving door at quarterback since Schaub was traded before the 2014 season.Watt’s comeback comes after the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year played just eight games over the previous two seasons because of back surgeries and a broken leg. He was selected to his fifth Pro Bowl and first since 2015 in a season where he had 61 tackles, led the AFC with 16 sacks, had 25 quarterback hits, 18 tackles for losses and forced a career-high seven fumbles, which tied for the most in the NFL. It’s his fourth season with at least 15 sacks, which ranks second in NFL history behind Hall of Famer Reggie White, who had five.Watt feels as if their time working together to get back on the field helped build their relationship.And after seeing 11 different quarterbacks start a game for Houston since he was drafted in 2011, he loves the continuity Watson has provided at the position.“We have a great relationship. He’s an incredible talent,” Watt said. “He’s a great guy and I’ve been through a lot of quarterbacks here throughout my career. So, to have a guy back there who’s special and can do a lot of different things, it’s great.”Watson agreed that their time spent together when they were injured helped forge a closer friendship and he even went so far as to say that he now sees Watt like a brother.While the pair is grinding to return to pre-injury form, they had many conversations about the future and the 29-year-old Watt had plenty of advice for the 23-year-old Watson.“Just being able to be on the same page,” Watson said. “Like he told me back then, he’s going to be that leader on that defense, and lead that whole troop, that whole squad and I’m going to do the same for the offense and we’re going to bring this whole team up. We knew the work we had to put in to be able to come back and play a full season and try to get the team to this position, to have a chance.”And on Saturday they’ll try and continue their strong rebound seasons and get Houston a win to put the Texans in the divisional round for the fourth time and first since the 2016 season.