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New Orleans Saints Wide Receiver Lance Moore
Media Availability
Monday, October 22, 2012
With nine catches, six occurring on third down, have you ever had a day like that where you have made so many important grabs?
"Not particularly. Yesterday was one of those days where the ball was going to go in the air. With Jimmy (Graham) being out, there were going to be more touches for people. For me, a lot of those balls were coming my way"
How is your hamstring doing?
"It feels great. It felt good to be back on the field first and foremost and to feel good. The bye couldn't have come at a better time."
Do you talk to Tracy Porter much because of your connection with him on a Super Bowl Championship team? What is that like?
"I talk to Tracy now and then. It's not a regular dialogue. We don't talk everyday or anything like that. I check up on him. He checks up on me. Because, there are experiences here that we have shared that some teams don't get to share, the Super Bowl and him being such a big part of it. I think he'll be fired up. He'll be ready to go. He missed the last game and they're coming off a bye. He'll definitely be jacked up and ready to go, but so are we. We know him from having been around here with him for 4 years and it will be exciting."
How does the air in Denver affect you personally?
"I've only played there one time in 2008 and the first or second drive of the game David Patten went down and we were literally working with three receivers. It was me, Robert Meachem and Devery (Henderson). We literally had to play the whole game with three guys. I don't remember there being a point in time where I was overly gassed, needed to come out, needed oxygen, or anything like that. It was just another game. We didn't really think too much into it. Not to say it doesn't affect people, but I don't remember it doing anything to me."
Do you think players could psyche themselves out a little based on that or maybe how it is colder there than in New Orleans?
"I don't know that players would put more pressure on themselves, because there's nothing you can do about the altitude. We have to go out and play and if you are going to try to put pressure on yourself, you're foolish, because both teams have to play in it. We just have to adjust."
Were you surprised when Joe Vitt greeted you guys on the team plane?
"Yes, you really don't think that in a situation like that he's going to be right there waiting for us. It was awesome to see him. I can't really imagine what he's been going through the last six weeks going away and not having any kind of contact with guys. It's definitely awesome to have him back."
How closely have you followed the issues that Will Smith and Jonathan Vilma have had with the league?
"Whatever I hear. I'm not really actively investigating or trying to figure out what's going to happen or try to forecast. What's going to happen is going to happen. I have no control over that. Obviously we like to have our guys here if possible, but if not, the show goes on."
Has it felt a little awkward to have multiple transitions in coaches from Sean Payton to Joe Vitt to Aaron Kromer, back to Joe?
"No, you're hearing from guys who have been here for a number of years. It's not like they're bringing some foreign guy in and speaking a different language to us. It's Saints football, the Saints philosophy. Everything's going to remain the same. It's just a different face, but the same message."
What type of job did you think Kromer did?
"I thought he did a hell of a job. For a person who has never had head coaching experience at any level to be thrust into this crazy situation, a situation I don't think anybody's ever had to deal with. He did a great job. Obviously we didn't start off the way we wanted to, but we finished the last two games of his tenure off the right way. I'm just happy that he was able to get those wins under his belt. Those are things people can't take away."
Some people characterize you as a possession receiver. Do you have a view on that tag at all? Is it something you don't like or something you take pride in?
"Everybody wants to be the lead dog. But, once you understand your role and are okay with accepting it, that's when you can become the type of player you want to become. If I'm the possession guy and I'm catching nine balls for 120 yards or so, I'm fine with that. If I'm catching three balls for 27 yards and we're winning the game, I'm fine with that. As long as we're winning the game, it doesn't really matter to me."
Are you just grateful to be in the league for this long?
"I'm absolutely grateful, but at no time am I satisfied if that makes sense. I'm happy to be here, I've come a long ways, but the moment you become satisfied, you become stagnant and your performance suffers. I try to work everyday as if I haven't made it and get better, because the competition's getting better. In my eyes, It's going to be a constant grind."
Is there something special about playing in prime time, a situation where the nation and your peers are watching you?
"Yes, it's definitely exciting. Being the only game on at a specific time feels pretty good. But, sometimes people try to make it bigger than what it is. It's another game for us to keep things going in the right direction. There's going to be a few more people watching."
Even though the offense has performed well in Jimmy Graham's absence, won't be a welcome addition upon his return?
"Yes, that's a guy that's an instant matchup nightmare for defenses. We have a lot of different guys that can do a lot of different things, once we have everyone in there."
Is it reassuring that you miss a key player, but you are still smoothly able to move down the field as an offense?
"We've done it before. I missed a lot of games in '09 and the offense didn't really suffer at all. The motto of the league is next man up. Dave (Thomas) did a great job yesterday. Daniel Graham did a great job yesterday and obviously those touches were spread around to a number of different guys. That's what we do here."
Drew Brees doesn't like to talk about records a lot, but is that something that you guys as a receiver corps like to talk to him about or bring up to him, especially with this matchup with Peyton Manning where the two of them are in the top two in most active passing categories and in the top ten all-time?
"We don't really talk about it. If it's talked about, it's something we see on TV or something like that. We're worried about winning games and I'm sure Drew would say exactly the same thing that wins are more important than individual records, especially while you're playing. You're not looking at that you're trying to break this record or that record. Our goal is to win games."
With how you personally know Drew, even though they aren't playing against each other directly is he going to be trying to keep up with Peyton and his stats?
"I can guarantee you if we win the game he won't care. (If) we hold onto the ball and do what we're supposed to do offensively, I can almost guarantee 100 percent that he won't care."
You're still only 2-4, but do you feel like you're in a good position now?
"I told somebody yesterday that this is the best 2-4 feeling I've ever had. We're not where we want to be, but we're moving in the right direction. We have a lot of work to do. We know that. We have an uphill climb and a long ways to go in the season. We have a tough patch here coming up that's going to be grueling. But, if a team can deal with that and persevere, I think it's this team here."
