NEW ORLEANS — Saints record-setting quarterback Drew Brees “looked good” in his first practices since returning from rib fractures and a punctured lung, and he’s slated to start against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Coach Sean Payton said.

“We went off how it felt as he went through a full practice week. And he’s done a good job,” Payton said after Friday’s practice.

Brees has missed four games since his injury, which occurred when he was sacked against San Francisco.

Taysom Hill has started in Brees’ place, going 3-1. Even before Brees’ injury, Hill would intermittently take snaps under center to provide New Orleans’ with a change-of-pace, read-option QB. So he could continue to see snaps at quarterback.

“We have a number of personnel groupings to give us some flexibility and we’ll go from there,” Payton said.

Payton said Brees would be wearing a protective vest over his torso, but the coach dismissed the idea that the Saints are rushing the 41-year-old QB back from injury.

“We wouldn’t be playing him if he wasn’t healthy and able to function and feeling good and recovered,” Payton said.

Brees is the NFL’s career leader in yards passing with 79,612. He has 565 TD passes to rank second behind only one QB, Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady, who has 571.

The Saints (10-3) enter the weekend tied atop the NFC with Green Bay, but the Packers would own the tiebreaker for the No. 1 playoff seed – and the conference’s only bye – by virtue of a Week 3 victory in New Orleans.

PATRIOTS: New England listed 14 players as questionable on its final injury report.

All 14 players were limited for at least two practices during the week, with running back Damien Harris and offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor being the only Patriots who were not limited for all three. Harris was a full participant on Wednesday, while Eluemunor was held out Thursday.

Most Patriots are expected to play, following the team’s long layoff after last week’s Thursday night loss at Los Angeles.

In Miami, wide receivers DeVante Parker and Jakeem Grant and tight end Mike Gesicki are listed as questionable.

49ERS: San Francisco will finish out the regular season practicing and playing home games in Arizona after a ban on contact sports in their home county was extended into January.

The Niners relocated to Arizona at the beginning of December after Santa Clara County announced a three-week ban on contact sports games and practices to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. That ban was initially supposed to be lifted on Dec. 21 but now has been extended until at least Jan. 8, meaning San Francisco’s home game Jan. 3 against Seattle will be played in Arizona.

The 49ers were expecting to be forced to stay in Arizona for the rest of the season and made plans for many families of players, coaches and staff to join them next week for Christmas.

LIONS: Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford is questionable for Sunday’s game in Tennessee, and Lions center Frank Ragnow has been ruled out because of a throat injury that has him trying not to talk to protect his vocal cords.

The Lions originally listed Ragnow as questionable Friday before downgrading him to out. Ragnow did not practice all week and met with a specialist Friday. Stafford also hasn’t practiced this week because of a rib injury that kept him from finishing Detroit’s loss to Green Bay last week.

TELEVISION: NBC broadcaster Al Michaels will not work Sunday night’s game between the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants in keeping with NBCUniversal’s COVID-19 safety protocols.

The network did not say if Michaels had tested positive or had been in contact with someone who had tested positive. Michaels said in a statement he feels fine and has no symptoms.

“My temperature this morning was 97.5. I look forward to returning to the booth as soon as possible,” he said.

Mike Tirico will take Michaels’ place in the booth. Tirico was to have called the NFL Network’s Saturday night game between the Carolina Panthers and Green Bay Packers, but Fox’s Joe Davis will step in.

JAGUARS: Jacksonville could be without both starting cornerbacks at Baltimore on Sunday.

Coach Doug Marrone ruled out Sidney Jones on Friday because of an Achilles tendon injury and wasn’t sure whether Tre Herndon will be cleared in time to make the trip. Herndon was placed on the COVID-19 list Wednesday.

WASHINGTON: Dwayne Haskins is set to start at quarterback for Washington on Sunday against Seattle because starter Alex Smith is out with a right calf injury.

Coach Ron Rivera ruled out Smith and standout rookie running back Antonio Gibson and named Haskins the starter. Smith had hoped to play despite not taking part in full practices this week.

BRONCOS: Denver canceled its walkthrough after strength and conditioning coach Loren Landow tested positive for the coronavirus.

It’s believed Landow is the second head strength and conditioning coach in the NFL to be infected with the coronavirus. Last month, Steve Saunders was reportedly the potential link in the COVID-19 outbreak that threw the Baltimore Ravens’ season into upheaval.

FALCONS: Julio Jones’ lingering hamstring injury will keep him from playing in Atlanta’s home finale.

The team ruled Jones out for Sunday’s game against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-5).