DETROIT LIONS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2016 ● MERCEDES-BENZ SUPERDOME
QUARTERBACK DREW BREES
On not converting on third down on the first possession of the game:
"I don't know if it set the tone, but it kind of defined our day, unfortunately. The first one, listen, I just have to handle the snap. I kind of took my eyes up to see what was happening and mishandled it. That's on me. The next one, third and one, you feel good about making those. We get stopped twice in those situations. Before you know it, the first quarter is over. We run eight plays, I think. Then, really, going into that two minute drive at the end of the half, we really hadn't possessed the ball that much at all. Credit to them (Lions), they did. And we didn't. We went down and had a chance to do something. We got some points and made it a one possession game at that point. We've got to do a lot better."
On his three interceptions today:
"Well, the first one was third and long and I was just trying to fit one down on the sideline. The guy made a nice play. The second one was a two minute situation where we are trying to get chunks and I just tried to get it up and over to the sideline to Willie (Snead). The same thing (happened); the guy just tipped it up and made a nice play."
On missed opportunities:
"We had some opportunities. I know that I am going to look at the tape. Just from what I saw on the sideline on the tablet, I know that there were some windows to throw balls in there that I didn't attempt today. (There were) a couple that I maybe forced down the field when I had something that was a better option that would've been a big gain underneath. Sometimes, you pick and choose when you are going to take your shots and when you are going to put one up there if you've got to make a play. Unfortunately, we just didn't have those go our way today."
On losing the time of possession battle today to the Lions:
"They did a nice job of possessing the ball. We did not. You have to convert third downs and keep drives alive in order to possess the ball. We did not do that. We didn't do that in the start. I don't even know what it was in the second half, but I know that it was pretty abysmal in the first half."
On the Saints challenging the Brandin Cooks catch in the end zone:
"I looked up on the board and I felt like I saw his arm touch (out of bounds), so I said, 'No, I would save it.' I think that it was one of those where you have to act fast (to make a decision) because the clock is ticking down, you have 15 seconds left and you have to run the next play. If you are going to use a timeout anyway, then maybe you felt like it's worth it."
On if the team had the same energy level as last week:
"We did. We just didn't play very well. I thought that our defense did a great job of making them just kick field goals. We gave up one of five in the red zone. That is a great job, with all of the weapons that they have on offense. Offensively, we have to convert third downs and you've got to score more points. We didn't do that today."
On where this loss leaves the Saints:
* *"It leaves us with this next game on our schedule that we are going to focus on and we are going to put together the best plan we can. It's a divisional opponent, Tampa on the road. They are playing good football right now. It's a good way to get back on track."
On not being able to get over .500 over the last few years:
"We don't like that. We don't like having that on our resume. We don't like the up and down. And, unfortunately, that's the way it's been the past few years and this year as well. We are just a little bit streaky right now. We are not real consistent. We just have to become more consistent."
