New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton - Conference Call with New Orleans Media - Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Does Cameron Meredith still have a little way to go in his recovery or is there another reason that he was inactive on Sunday?
"He is doing well. I think more than anything else, it had to do with just the reps…He was behind coming off training camp. We will see how he is doing this week. From a health standpoint, he is doing well. It is just getting him up to speed from a timing element and getting him the reps he needs to be ready to function and then go out and play consistently."

What do you guys need to do to be better at keeping quarterback scrambles contained this Sunday?
"I think it's a good question. Part of playing the quarterbacks in each week it varies some weeks more than others. Last week we saw someone that could create, be it a little differently, but nonetheless make plays with his feet. Certainly our rush plan and how we play Tyrod (Taylor) is going to be important. He is a dangerous player inside the pocket and outside."

How do you feel like you guys went about the run game? Was game one more a situation where you got into a catch up mode and you had to throw it more?
"Yes and not just that. We also wanted to throw it when we began to see how we were getting defended and then what was happening relative to our offense. We'll look closely at the best way we think we have to move the football in this game and understand the type of defense we're playing is quite a bit different than what we just saw."

We've never asked about the use of Taysom Hill on that first drive, the snap where he played quarterback. Just what does he add to the offense and how much does he allow you guys to have some creativity?
"It was a part of a short yardage or red zone package. If the guy catching the snap is a runner potentially then you kind of get a number back when you look at how you're going to block things."

That was an RPO right?
"I'm not going to define an RPO (laughter). It was more of an R and RO run or you run O."

Are you impressed that he handed it off? I feel like some guys might want to take it themselves in that situation.
"I was impressed you asked me if that was an RPO. That would involve a pass. I think there's an element to a read involved in a simple read option."

Across the league there were plenty of roughing the passer penalties and one which was corrected by the head of the officiating where Marcus Davenport shouldn't have been assessed he said. What do you tell the players and how do you coach that, given there were so many of those penalties in week one?
"Just working with our effort, trust the process, trust that we'll get the right call. That's all we can do."  

What about with someone specifically like Marcus Davenport? He's making his first play, he seemingly makes a good play and he's called for a flag when he shouldn't have been?
"You keep coaching him hard and keep going." 

What did you see from the Browns in week one?
"It was an unusual game. First off, a (bad) weather game with the amount of rain. That is evident when you watch it. A lot of turnovers, especially by Pittsburgh. I can't recall seeing a game quite like that. I thought Cleveland fought back. If you watch that game on film you feel like throughout the course of the game that Pittsburgh's going to win this game and then Cleveland fights back and hangs around long enough, goes into overtime and at that point neither team can win it in (the end of) overtime. I thought both defenses played well. It was an unusual week one game."  

You guys used a lot of different linebackers in the second half rotation in that nickel package you employed. Was that part of the plan to kind of rotate guys through or is there a reason for that?
"Yes, that's part of the plan."

What did you think of Austin Carr's performance in that first game?
"I thought he played well. We felt he graded out well. When the ball came to him, he made the plays he needed to. He blocked well inside. We thought he did a good job."