Panthers coach Rivera doesn’t expect Saints to change offense if Drew Brees is sidelined

Panthers coach Ron Rivera has been adamant for years that teams forced to play without a key player rarely changes how the Panthers play.

In the case of the New Orleans Saints, Sunday’s opponent, he doesn’t expect their offense to change whether quarterback Drew Brees (shoulder) plays.

“I think the thing more so than anything else, as an offensive football team, they do what they do,” Rivera said Monday. “You still see the same route combinations. You still see the receivers running the same routes. I think right now it’s working into a rhythm.”

The Saints are 0-2 and come to Carolina this weekend looking to avoid going 0-3 for the first time since 2012. And working against New Orleans is the uncertainty regarding Brees, its All-Pro quarterback who suffered a shoulder injury in Sunday’s loss to the Buccaneers.

Game film of the season’s first two games shows a Saints offense that depends on quick decisions by Brees and playmakers at receiver. But it also shows how much New Orleans is missing players from previous teams, like tight end Jimmy Graham and running back Darren Sproles.

With a banged-up Brees and new pieces on the offense, will this Saints team that visits Charlotte resemble the offense that’s been so dominant for the past nine years?

What’s wrong with Brees?

Brees injured the rotator cuff on his throwing shoulder during the second quarter of Sunday’s 26-19 loss to Tampa Bay. He didn’t miss a play that game, and reports this week have differed on the severity of his injury.

If Brees does play against Carolina, the Panthers should expect quick, short throws like usual, but even in greater abundance.

Brees is known for releasing the ball quickly to avoid the pass rush. But that didn’t matter much to the Panthers last season when they sacked Brees six times in two meetings for a loss of 44 yards.

If it’s not an underneath crossing route, Brees also likes screens and other passes that develop behind the line of scrimmage. Through two games, his 16 passes to pass-catchers behind the line of scrimmage were completed 13 times for 139 yards.

Brees also struggled with velocity after the injury. His first pass went into the dirt, and though he seemed to have more zip on the ball after halftime, he lost velocity as the game wore on.

The shoulder injury could prohibit Brees from throwing too many passes downfield and might focus him more on short and intermediate routes.

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