Drew Brees has glowing praise for his offseason workout partner, who happens to be an Eagle

METAIRIE, La. -- New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees has never been shy about his affection for Darren Sproles. A couple of years ago, he said that he “still shakes his head” at the Eagles running back’s unceremonious departure from the Saints. Last summer, he predicted that Sproles would be named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year. On Wednesday, Brees talked at length about his admiration for his former Chargers and Saints teammate with whom he still works out each offseason.

“He’s my guy, man,” Brees said. “He’ll always be my guy. He’s a stud. One of the greatest teammates I’ve ever had the chance to play with. I’ve said it before, I think he’s a once-in-a-lifetime player, and what he’s been able to accomplish now over the course of his career. For the type of player he was, man, just full speed all the time. That running-back position takes a beating and what he was able to do on the running the football, catching the football in the return game. I mean, he’s just been the consummate teammate. I love working with him in the offseason. He makes me better. A great friend. I mean, I always root for him.”

SAINTS O-LINE INJURIES: The Eagles' pass rushers will be going up against a Saints offensive line that yesterday practiced together in full for the first time since Week 10. Left tackle Terron Armstead missed six of the Saints' last seven games with a pectoral injury but was on the field on Wednesday.

“I got back out there on the field today and got some really good reps in," Armstead said. "Just gotta keep doing it, gotta keep testing myself in a lot of different situations and circumstances, as close to game-like as I can.”

DOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The last team to beat the Saints in New Orleans in the postseason? The Eagles, under Rich Kotite, in a 36-20 victory in January 1993. Since then, the Saints have won six straight playoff games at the Superdome, five of them with Sean Payton as coach.

Before the Saints' Week 17 loss to the Panthers in which they rested a number of key starters (including Brees), their most recent home loss was in the season opener against the Bucs.

“I think it’s the nature of the crowd,” Armstead said. “It’s the people that’s in the crowd. Some people wake up and get their daiquiris going -- it’s the people that’s in the crowd in New Orleans that makes our dome such an advantage.”