QB Drew Brees
Postgame at Giants, September 18, 2016
Q: It was such a different game from the last one you two teams played last year. Was that something you were expecting?
A: I mean, both teams know what happened last year. Both teams went out and made improvements on the defensive side of the ball. Both sides came in with a great game plan and so we knew it was gonna be a hard fought game. We thought our output would be better offensively than it was today. We had the opportunity to sustain some drives and get some big plays that we weren't able to capitalize on. Would have gotten us some more points but I don't think we were coming here expecting to score 52.
Q: What is the biggest regret as you look back on missed opportunities in this game?
A: I will just start off by saying this—if you told me prior to the game that we would get three takeaways defensively and not allow an offensive touchdown, I'd say our chances today are pretty good. The unfortunate thing is that the blocked field goal that gets returned for a touchdown is a ten-point swing. So that's pretty devastating when you look at the way the game unfolded and then the way it finished. Obviously that's something that can tip the scales in a totally different way, despite the fact that our defense played outstanding and got a few takeaways. One of those was in their territory. That felt like there was a big play opportunity there to [Coby] Fleener to throw a touchdown; I'll put that on me. I think that I didn't do a great job of handling some of their third-down pressure stuff to sustain drives. We got into some third and long situations, or third and longer than probably we should have. So first and second down efficiency can be better and then obviously just the ability to sustain drives and keep them on the field and keep our defense off the field and get points at the end of it.
Q: Is the more frustrating thing being 0-2 in two close games that could have gone the other way?
A: Yeah, that's frustrating because I feel like there was one play in each. It always comes down to a few plays, but literally if we make one more play in each of those games, then we're potentially sitting here at 2-0.
Q: How do you tilt the scales with a young team? How do you teach them to make that one more play?
A: You practice it. You know, you try to put yourself in as many situations as you can in practice to mimic those situations and what's going to be called and the play that's going to be made and you just got to keep grinding.
Q: With it being that close, do you notch it up just a little bit and you can turn the season around in a hurry, can't you?
A: Yes, you can, absolutely. Listen, we're one game at a time and we're not focused on overall record or anything else. It's a long season and a lot of things can happen. A lot of good things can happen.
Q: Passing Dan Marino for third all-time in passing yards—what does that mean to you?
A: Well obviously under the circumstances… listen it's just a great honor to have been able to play this long. You play this long and to have played with the teams and the people that I've had a chance to play with, you know, I guess those numbers stack up.
