New Orleans Saints Offensive Coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr.
Media Availability
November 11, 2011

Can you discuss how it seems like Atlanta has turned their defensive performance around the past few games?
"They're defending both the pass and run really well. We've obviously looked at the last few games and what you see on film is a good defensive football team and their linebackers are making a ton of tackles. Their secondary has a lot of good ball skills, all those guys, so they're playing a high level right now."

Does having Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston, does that change defensive coverages, since normally you would think they would have a big corner or slot guy cover one or the other?
"At times when Jimmy Graham's on the field in our base 20, or what we call our 21 personnel with two backs, two receivers and a tight end, at times, teams may bring in an extra DB, because they feel Jimmy's a threat in the passing game. That's happened to us this year and we wouldn't be surprised if they do both. We have to be prepared whether they bring an extra DB or stay in their base defense."

Are you finding certain guys like a Charles Woodson type who might cover a Colston over the years, are you finding that some of those guys will now cover Graham instead because he's more of a big receiver threat?
"I think we find that. The thing we find offensively is that Drew (Brees) really spreads the ball around so much so there are times when you're not too sure who they're going to matchup on this guy and who they're going to match up on that guy and you really try to get a feel for that early in the game, but you try to anticipate as well that this is what they think they'll do for this personnel grouping and we think they'll try to match up on whether it's Jimmy or maybe Colston."

How do you prepare for the noise in a place like the Georgia Dome?
"Just like any team you have to prepare out there by blasting those speakers going to practice and it just changes maybe a little bit of what you do as far as your cadence. We're expecting it to be loud this weekend for sure."

Do you go to the silent count?
"Yes we can go to the silent count and really Drew (Brees) early on in a game gets a feel for what it's like and we go from there, but we go out to practice and have those things cranked up loud. That's what we're anticipating every snap."