New Orleans Saints Quarterback Drew Brees - Post-practice Media Availability - Thursday, December 13, 2018
What did you think of Teddy Bridgewater's dance moves?
"Good stuff. Did you ask him about it? I think the inspiration was guys from his high school (Miami Northwestern). I think his high school team won their second straight state championship. So Teddy was kind of following it and might have even been this last weekend down in Florida and those guys were all doing the dance at the end of the (championship) game. Teddy showed me and a couple of the guys the video. I think it caught on (and) guys started doing in the locker room."
What has Teddy Bridgewater added to this team?
"He has been great. Everybody gets along very well with him. He is a really good teammate. He's a smart guy. He gets it, he understands football. He loves football, so he just fits in with our locker room great."
Do you feel like the offense found the rhythm in the second half against Tampa Bay on Sunday?
"Yes, we cranked it up a little bit. The bottom line is each and every game's the same, in regards to, establish tempo, take control of the game, get drives going (and) score points. That's how you build momentum and gain confidence."
Do you feel like you guys have moved into the second phase of the season after completing the first phase by winning the division and clinching a playoff spot?
"You try to climb right, continue your climb and keep stacking the bricks so to speak. Keep building on what we have already established, what we have already accomplished and yet understanding that each game becomes the most important game, right? Just because there's so much at stake. We want to continue to play our best football and be an ascending team going to the playoffs."
How did you figure out how to get the offense back on track after the Dallas game and first half against Tampa?
"We got away from our stuff. We were not doing our stuff. We were not playing with our tempo. We weren't playing with our sense of urgency. I think that was the cause of that and when we realized that we snapped back into the order."
How cool is it to see a guy like Mark Ingram one touchdown away for setting the franchise record for rushing touchdowns?
"Those are great moments. Obviously, for this organization, for those guys and I feel honored to have been here. I caught Deuce (McAllister) on the tail end of his career here, but to have basically been the guy to hand off those majority of those balls to Mark that's pretty awesome."
Do you think this Carolina defense looks the same?
"Yeah, it is the same scheme even though they have had different coordinators. They have had a few different coordinators and moved on to become head coaches. (Sean) McDermott in Buffalo and Steve Wilks now in Arizona and regardless of who is calling the defense I think the scheme's the same and yet there might be a little nuance There's little nuances from year to year just based upon your personnel and then obviously there is game plan specific stuff just because they're (a) divisional opponent. We face these guys twice a year, but they're a great defense that has great players. They fly around and play with a ton of energy and emotion. Obviously, (Luke) Kuechly is one of the best to ever do it. He's the quarterback that defense and got a lot of good players around him as well."
Do you notice the difficulty or maybe confusion in your defense when Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara are out there on the field at the same time?
"Yes, I know every defense has a plan for those situations and there might be checks that are involved and so you get the communication that needs to take place in a lot of cases."
Do you realize what kind of positon you are in with the number one seed on the line this week?
"Yeah I mean we recognize it and that's why there is a great sense of urgency and it's great to be in a position where you control your own destiny. We don't need to be scoreboard watching, right. We focus on our stuff and all of it takes care of itself."
What makes Luke Kuechly so dangerous?
"He's extremely intelligent. In many cases you feel like he knows where the ball is going before the ball snapped and so you call that key and diagnose what's happening right and then he's moving before everybody else is moving right and then he his ability to make adjustments on the fly. Typically, if you get him with something once you're not going to get him again. His ability to help everybody else get lined up and you him talking and communicating all the time and then he's just a great football player. Even if he has a guy on him who's blocking him, in many cases he sheds that block and I can maybe count on one hand how many missed tackles I've ever seen him have in his entire career. I've watched a bunch of film on him. He's an exceptional player."
How do you continue to use the Brees Leap, when everyone knows it's coming?
"Well the point is that they do not know it is coming. You know you mix it up so much. There's so many things you can do in that goal line formation and everybody is so amped up and keyed in on their first step as to are you running it inside, are you running it outside, is a play action and then where are the receivers and what are they doing, am I getting picked? All kinds of stuff that defenses have to worry about down there and so occasionally when the opportunity presents itself you just try to make it easier on everybody and go get it."
Did you ever have a Brees Leap on high school or college?
"I can't recall ever jumping over in college or high school. I know never high school. I'm not sure college. I ran in a few (in college), my runs are a little more dramatic I think in college than they are now."
Were you mostly in shotgun at Purdue?
"Yeah, but we were running the option out of the shotgun. We were doing naked boots and read (option). All the Taysom Hill stuff so to speak."
How impressed are you to see Norv Turner still having success?
"I think he's done a great job. I've got so much respect for Norv. I have known him a long time. He had a great influence on me when I was a rookie that year. I think it's a sign of a great coach when you have a system that you've been running for a long time and I don't know what the terminology is. I assume it's the same with what (Norv's) he's been doing the whole time and yet you have to evolve to the pieces around you right and so you work to the strengths of everybody that surround you and to a degree. That's what's happened here from 2006 till now. As far as terminology and the things that we do, times change and you have to evolve and I think the great coaches do and he's done a great job there."
Can Alvin Kamara create a different element or advantage for the offense when he lines up in the slot?
"Yes, when he's out there he's pretty much like a receiver. He has that type of change of direction, explosive ability and ability to catch the ball and get in and out of cuts. So yes, he's a weapon out there for sure."
Can you turn to Alvin Kamara and ask him to be like a number 2 wide receiver?
"I think we have at times, haven't we? Absolutely. He is extremely versatile. We feel like we can put him in a lot of places and do things."
Is it harder facing a team in desperation mode and does it surprise you they are using last year as motivation?
"No, it doesn't surprise me. They're a prideful group. They're very well-coached and their backs are against the wall. We're going to get their best performance and it's Monday Night Football at their place right? All the reasons for them to play well and all the reasons for us to play well. We got a lot at stake. In many cases you say the most desperate team wins. We've created the sense of urgency around here that we know what's at stake. We know each and every game each and every snap is that important."
Cam Newton said Cameron Jordan sent him a bottle of wine after the sweep last year. Have you ever been sent anything by an opposing player?
"Did you confirm that with Cam? No, I have not."
Do you see similarities between Alvin Kamara and Christian McCaffrey?
"Yeah, they're both highly versatile players. Great in the run game. They've got great instincts and a great feel for making cuts, breaking tackles, just a level of elusiveness that's pretty unique and then their ability to catch balls outside the pocket and really be receivers outside the pocket is very unique as well."
Did you see the Fight Club cartoon video?
"Yes, I've been sent those. Bleacher Report puts those out right? They're funny. I laugh all the way through them. At times I do not know what they are doing and saying. They gave me a little bit chest hair in the most recent one. I thought that was funny. I was actually going to respond and say here are my three observations from this and that was going to be one of them. I think they are really funny."
