New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton
Media Availability
Friday, November 11, 2011

[Turk McBride (ankle) did not practice; he's out for this game. WR Lance Moore (hamstring) did not practice; he's questionable. CB Patrick Robinson (stomach) did not practice; he's questionable. RB Chris Ivory (hamstring) was limited; he's questionable. CB Tracy Porter (neck/chest) was limited; he's probable. RB Mark Ingram (heel) was limited; he's probable. TE John Gilmore (neck) was limited; he's probable." Can you talk about your team struggling a little more on the road this season than we've seen in the past? "I don't know if anything specifically has changed. Obviously we opened the season with a real good football team, last year's Super Bowl winner. We weren't able to win that game. It just so happens our three losses have come on the road. We think we have a pretty good road routine. Whether you're at home or on the road, it still comes down to the specifics that we value and put a value on in winning football games." Do you find that your team struggles with the same things that other teams struggle with when they play in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome? "I would say so. I think it's a loud venue. Certainly it becomes more challenging when the team you're playing is having success like Atlanta has. You generally get a full crowd rather than two-thirds of a stadium. I think all of those same issues in regards to cadence, pass protection, all the things that we value when we play at home are things that we have to work on handling when we're on the road." Does it make it easier for you to play in another dome since you guys play in a dome at home? "I think you get used to a certain environment. That being said, you guys see each week that noise machine we have is running. If we're playing at home, it's running when the defense is taking snaps. If we're playing on the road, it's running when the offense is taking snaps. I think by and large offenses have become not more comfortable, but more proficient I would say at handling the silent snap count and the things you have to do when you're in an environment when you can't hear." Are you optimistic that Jon Vilma will be ready to play after the bye since this is his second week not playing? "I am. The decision for him to be out in this game really wasn't because we have a bye. It really was (a decision) based on where we felt he was at. I think with a couple of these guys, Turk McBride the same way, the week ahead in rehab and getting ready for the stretch of the season following the bye is going to be important." Can you talk about the thought process with Jon Vilma since he's been dealing with this injury for so long? "We were hoping that gradually it would get better and better, and unfortunately it had just remained the same kind of stagnant. All of a sudden he's trying to play and not playing up to his standards and not getting all the work he needs to during the week as well." How much has Julio Jones brought to their offense? "It's significant in that you can kick a coverage one way with Roddy White, and then when you have an additional player like Julio Jones on the other side, it becomes more problematic. As you try to fit the run game with whether it's a down-safety defense or a seven and a half man front, having that threat opposite of Roddy White is very difficult to defend."" href="New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton Media Availability Friday, November 11, 2011 Opening Statement: Let me go through the final injury report and statuses for this week. LB Jon Vilma (knee) did not practice; he's out for this game. DE Turk McBride (ankle) did not practice; he's out for this game. WR Lance Moore (hamstring) did not practice; he's questionable. CB Patrick Robinson (stomach) did not practice; he's questionable. RB Chris Ivory (hamstring) was limited; he's questionable. CB Tracy Porter (neck/chest) was limited; he's probable. RB Mark Ingram (heel) was limited; he's probable. TE John Gilmore (neck) was limited; he's probable." Can you talk about your team struggling a little more on the road this season than we've seen in the past? "I don't know if anything specifically has changed. Obviously we opened the season with a real good football team, last year's Super Bowl winner. We weren't able to win that game. It just so happens our three losses have come on the road. We think we have a pretty good road routine. Whether you're at home or on the road, it still comes down to the specifics that we value and put a value on in winning football games." Do you find that your team struggles with the same things that other teams struggle with when they play in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome? "I would say so. I think it's a loud venue. Certainly it becomes more challenging when the team you're playing is having success like Atlanta has. You generally get a full crowd rather than two-thirds of a stadium. I think all of those same issues in regards to cadence, pass protection, all the things that we value when we play at home are things that we have to work on handling when we're on the road." Does it make it easier for you to play in another dome since you guys play in a dome at home? "I think you get used to a certain environment. That being said, you guys see each week that noise machine we have is running. If we're playing at home, it's running when the defense is taking snaps. If we're playing on the road, it's running when the offense is taking snaps. I think by and large offenses have become not more comfortable, but more proficient I would say at handling the silent snap count and the things you have to do when you're in an environment when you can't hear." Are you optimistic that Jon Vilma will be ready to play after the bye since this is his second week not playing? "I am. The decision for him to be out in this game really wasn't because we have a bye. It really was (a decision) based on where we felt he was at. I think with a couple of these guys, Turk McBride the same way, the week ahead in rehab and getting ready for the stretch of the season following the bye is going to be important." Can you talk about the thought process with Jon Vilma since he's been dealing with this injury for so long? "We were hoping that gradually it would get better and better, and unfortunately it had just remained the same kind of stagnant. All of a sudden he's trying to play and not playing up to his standards and not getting all the work he needs to during the week as well." How much has Julio Jones brought to their offense? "It's significant in that you can kick a coverage one way with Roddy White, and then when you have an additional player like Julio Jones on the other side, it becomes more problematic. As you try to fit the run game with whether it's a down-safety defense or a seven and a half man front, having that threat opposite of Roddy White is very difficult to defend."">Watch Payton's Presser

Opening Statement:
Let me go through the final injury report and statuses for this week.  LB Jon Vilma (knee) did not practice; he's out for this game.  DE Turk McBride (ankle) did not practice; he's out for this game.  WR Lance Moore (hamstring) did not practice; he's questionable.  CB Patrick Robinson (stomach) did not practice; he's questionable.  RB Chris Ivory (hamstring) was limited; he's questionable.  CB Tracy Porter (neck/chest) was limited; he's probable.  RB Mark Ingram (heel) was limited; he's probable.  TE John Gilmore (neck) was limited; he's probable."

Can you talk about your team struggling a little more on the road this season than we've seen in the past?
"I don't know if anything specifically has changed.  Obviously we opened the season with a real good football team, last year's Super Bowl winner.  We weren't able to win that game.  It just so happens our three losses have come on the road.  We think we have a pretty good road routine.  Whether you're at home or on the road, it still comes down to the specifics that we value and put a value on in winning football games."

Do you find that your team struggles with the same things that other teams struggle with when they play in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome?
"I would say so.  I think it's a loud venue.  Certainly it becomes more challenging when the team you're playing is having success like Atlanta has.  You generally get a full crowd rather than two-thirds of a stadium.  I think all of those same issues in regards to cadence, pass protection, all the things that we value when we play at home are things that we have to work on handling when we're on the road."

Does it make it easier for you to play in another dome since you guys play in a dome at home?
"I think you get used to a certain environment.  That being said, you guys see each week that noise machine we have is running.  If we're playing at home, it's running when the defense is taking snaps.  If we're playing on the road, it's running when the offense is taking snaps.  I think by and large offenses have become not more comfortable, but more proficient I would say at handling the silent snap count and the things you have to do when you're in an environment when you can't hear."

Are you optimistic that Jon Vilma will be ready to play after the bye since this is his second week not playing?
"I am.  The decision for him to be out in this game really wasn't because we have a bye.  It really was (a decision) based on where we felt he was at.  I think with a couple of these guys, Turk McBride the same way, the week ahead in rehab and getting ready for the stretch of the season following the bye is going to be important."

Can you talk about the thought process with Jon Vilma since he's been dealing with this injury for so long?
"We were hoping that gradually it would get better and better, and unfortunately it had just remained the same kind of stagnant.  All of a sudden he's trying to play and not playing up to his standards and not getting all the work he needs to during the week as well."

How much has Julio Jones brought to their offense?
"It's significant in that you can kick a coverage one way with Roddy White, and then when you have an additional player like Julio Jones on the other side, it becomes more problematic. As you try to fit the run game with whether it's a down-safety defense or a seven and a half man front, having that threat opposite of Roddy White is very difficult to defend."