New Orleans Saints Running Back Mark Ingram
Conference Call with New Orleans Media
Monday, November 7, 2016
What is the next step for you to keep progressing this season?
"I just have to continue to improve, continue to get better. Try and build off a good performance, that's the key man, just getting in here beginning of this week get familiar with Denver and prepare ourselves to go out there and have a great week of practice so we can have a great game on Sunday vs. Denver."
What gives you the confidence that this season you can get above .500?
"It's a new year, new team a lot of guys with great character, a lot of guys are resilient and I feel like our team is just getting closer, we all love each other, care about each other and we go out every week trying to prepare ourselves to win each day, each rep and ultimately win the day so we can continue to improve and continue to get better and like I said we have lots of character, lots of those things in this locker room, coaching staff. I think our entire team, our entire locker room is great and we're just hoping to continue to improve, hoping to continue to get better and keep this thing going in the right direction."
How much did the locker room lift you last week and did you need lifting?
"Yeah, like I said man everybody close to me from my family, to my friends, to my teammates all their support, all of them being crutches for me to lean on. That means a lot you can't overcome things alone. When people you care about (lift you) that means the most to you like my family, my friends, my teammates they had a lot to do with me being able to just push through a tough time and come out on the other side."
Where is your personal confidence level after going through all of this?
"I'm always confident in myself even after two games with fumbles. My confidence never wavers, I'm always confident in myself. I am always tough in what I can do on the field with the ball in my hands when I have opportunities so I continue to work, continue to push myself to be the best I can be and be the best player I can be and that's what I strive for every day."
What was the look you saw on your long touchdown?
"Right side of the line, I know the d-line kind of did the stunt and the offensive line did a great job of collecting it, had a huge hole and I was on the safety immediately and he was kind of flat-footed so I just did like Brandin Cooks says I tried to turn it into a track meet. The offensive line did a great job getting me to the second level and I was able to finish the run."
Do you think it benefits you and Tim Hightower to split carries?
"I mean whatever the gameplan is I'm all for it. It worked out real well last week and like you said guys can stay fresh, so when you are in there you're 100% and it worked out well for us so whatever is best for the team going forward that's what I'm all about."
How would you describe the way the offense is functioning overall?
"I feel like we have a great offense. I think we are clicking well and only getting better. There are still a lot of things we need to improve on and still a lot of things that we have to clean up, but I feel like we are headed in the right direction and we'll keep growing and we keep getting better each and every day and each and every week. That's what all great offenses and great teams do, you just continue to improve and everything's not going to be perfect, but you learn from them and grow from them and you don't make the same mistake twice. I think that's what is so great about this team and this offense is that we just continue to improve, continue to grow."
Do you think this offense could be the best since 2011?
"I mean 2011 was a special team, I feel like that was a team that could have won the Super Bowl and I still feel like this team that we have all the goals and aspirations that we have of being a playoff team, being a championship team. I feel like we can accomplish those and it won't be easy at all, but we just have to continue to improve, like I said we have to win each day and all those good teams in November and December they separate themselves and that's what we have to do and continue to improve and we have to separate ourselves in these last two months."
What do you think is the key to approach two games in five days in the next two weeks?
"Yes, you just know what it is, I mean you know when you have two physical teams, two physical battles and every Sunday in the NFL is going to be physical, but especially playing the Broncos and Panthers on a short week, you just know mentally and mentally you have to be prepared and physically you have to be prepared for 60 minutes of battle. A physical battle and whatever you need to do to take care of yourself as far as stretching and recovery besides cold tub, whatever remedies you use to keep your body healthy you have to go about those things and make sure your body is fresh and staying right."
New Orleans Saints Linebacker Craig Robertson
Conference Call with New Orleans Media
Monday, November 7, 2016
Did yesterday's interception work out exactly the same way that you thought it would?
"In a way, yes. I was just a hole-dropper and reading (Colin) Kaepernick's eyes. His eyes took me right where I needed to be."
What did you see in the second half that enabled you to slow them down offensively?
"I think the most important thing was that we just wanted to limit their explosive plays. Their explosive plays were mistakes on our end. I think in the second half we really tightened up and made sure that we didn't have any mistakes so we can finish the game the way that we wanted to finish the game."
Was there something that they were doing that was kind of unexpected that created those explosive plays against you guys?
"No, it was just mistakes on our end. It wasn't anything that we didn't expect. It's just something where we're still growing as a defense week-by-week, meshing together and you're going to have that where you just have mistakes like that. It's our job as a defense to limit those mistakes because mistakes in this league go for touchdowns. That was evident on both those plays."
Do you get the overall sense that this defense is not only getting healthier but is moving in the right direction?
"Yes, I do feel like we are growing. I also feel like this team is playing complementary football. There were times when they had a couple of long drives – sometimes you get a little gassed when the defense is on the field for a while. Our offense did a great job of running the ball, controlling the clock and letting us have time to rest. When you have that, you have a chance to be good when you get back onto the field and you're fresh."
How big was that strip fumble and recovery by Nate (Stupar) with your backs on your goal line in the third quarter?
"That is huge. That was very big on that play. It was definitely big for us as a defense."
Now that you are at 4-4, what is your approach as a team as you go through this second half of the season?
"To be honest, it's a one-game season for us. We have to take it week-by-week. We did a good job working our way back to 4-4. It doesn't mean anything if we don't capitalize. We have to keep the same focus that we have these past few weeks. It is just one game at a time and one play at a time."
You guys have two pretty tough opponents in a five-day stretch coming up; what do you think will be your guys approach?
"We are not focused on the two opponents. We are focused on just one at a time. We will focus on the next one when that game comes around. Right now, we're just focused on the Broncos. We are focused on just trying to play the best football that we can play."
What are the biggest differences that you have seen between the first quarter of the season and the second quarter of the season?
"The confidence you see in guys. Guys know that something is going to happen for us and we just have to fly around to the ball and just make something happen. Guys trust that and guys really believe it. It is something that they believe even in practice as well. Just the confidence, in not only older guys but young guys too, has really grown between the first half and the second half of the season thus far."
