New Orleans Saints Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan
Post-Practice Media Availability
Saturday, December 13, 2014

Was there anything you could put your finger on after dissecting the Carolina film?

"There was a lot obviously.  When you play that kind of style of game against Carolina and play right in their hands it is going to be a long day.  Usually we have pretty good success with them but we control the down and distance.  We weren't ready to play and that is just the way it is.  No excuses.  That is not what we are looking for.  We have to get better.  We are sick of saying that.  We have to start doing it.  On a big game that we needed, that wasn't good enough."

What do you put your finger on most, intangible things like effort and energy or X's and O's?

"I think it was everything.  I think everybody had their hands in that.  It was terrible.  I have been coaching a long time.  Giving up 41 points is inexcusable I don't care who you are playing.  That was ridiculous."

Do you reach a point from a personnel standpoint where you need to change something or try someone new?

"I think everything is looked at especially here.  This is a well-run organization.  It is one of the best in football.  Right now we have lost some games.  We haven't held our end up on defense and whatever has to happen it has to happen.  We can't give up 41 points and expect everything to stay the same.  Who the hell wants them to?  Whatever has to happen we have to change and it has to be done now.  We have to come out with a great game this week playing a high-powered offense with a great quarterback, a great receiver and a great running back.  We have to be ready to go and we will.  We are ready."

Can you talk about Kenny Vaccaro being "benched"?  Last year you had said he was playing like one of the top safeties in football.

"We are not benching him.  You guys benched him.  However it is I know one thing, last year we had him doing a lot of different things and in my opinion Kenny (Vaccaro) was the best safety in football.  I think this year, hell like all of us, me included, we haven't been that same person.  We are breaking down at the end of games which we have never done.  That is completely on the defensive coordinator.  When you we go from the best tackling team in football to the worst it is not going to look right.  That is what has happened.  We have to get better than that.  We will get better.  We are all committed to this.  It is every player.  It is every coach.  We are just working as hard as we can to get it right."

The parts that are on you, do you think you need to do a better job of putting them in the right positions or do a better job of lighting the fire?

"If it takes a Knute Rockne speech (we'd do that). I mean we have tried them all.  I've tried crying at them.  I've yelled at them, (and) cussed at them.  But the bottom line is if you are the coordinator and it is not going well then you start with you and that is the way it is.  That is my fault because right now this defense hasn't played up to par and it is killing us.  That is just the way it is."

Is this new since you've had success with these guys last year?

"It's new.  I've had struggles before but I've always improved every defense I've ever coached as you guys all know.  When I take over they usually rank 32nd or 31st in the league and that is documented but we have improved.  Have I had a couple of bad seasons? Yeah.  Have I had one this bad?  No.  And you can look that up and you know it.  Will we work out of it?  Yeah.  We are a long way from being done and we are going to keep fighting.  We are going to get this thing right and that is the way it is."

Do you expect the Bears to run the ball more because of the weather?

"To keep our offense off the field? Absolutely.  We have a premier offense and Chicago has a good one.  They can run the ball.  They have a great back.  That guy is fantastic.  He can run it.  He can catch it out of the backfield.  He does a lot of good things.  I don't know what we are going to get for weather-wise maybe it will be 60 mph winds or whatever it is.  Jay Cutler can throw the ball and so can Drew Brees.  I don't think that will slow them down much.  They picked up a fullback, we understand that and we have been working on everything.  If it is a running game that is fine.  If it is a throwing game we will be ready."

What are your impressions of Jay Cutler?

"I think he's been the same quarterback.  I faced him with a lot of different decals.  I've faced this guy in a lot of different places.  He has been at a few himself, a couple of them himself.  The bottom line is he has a huge arm.  He is a smart guy.  He throws the ball well.  He knows right where he is throwing the football.  Has he had some bad bounces?  Yeah.  I think all of us have.  When the ball bounces off a receivers hand and gets picked off.  He is tough enough to take the heat."

Would you like to see the defense play with a bit more emotion?

"As compared to last week yeas."

Has that been a problem all season?

"No I don't think so.  I don't think it has been a problem all season.  I think we started flat last week and it wasn't good on any stretch.  You can take it schematically, playing-wise, effort-wise, I think that whole last one was, that has not been us and it is not going to be us ever again.  I've been here for two years and that performance was not right."

How have they responded this week in practice?

"I guess we are going to find out.  That is the way it is.  We are tired of talking about.  We are ready to go."

What are your thoughts on Alshon Jeffery?

"He had a huge game against us last year.  He's a big talented guy.  He goes up and fights for the ball.  If you have one guy in a fight (with him) that is tough you better have a couple guys around him.  He is an excellent football player.  Him and (Brandon) Marshall, (who) I know he's not playing, are probably two of the biggest threats around.  But they have other capable guys.  (Martellus) Bennett has had a hell of a year for them, another football player.  You do not hand pick these opponents.  This team is pretty difficult on offense but at this point we are just ready to play good solid football.  That is what we need to play."

Has the level of Jamarca Sanford's prior experience starting in the NFL kind of helped him integrate better than maybe a less experienced player would?

"Yes I think he's really smart.  He's picked up the defense right away.  It's not like he has to know the entire playbook.  He comes in.  He gets the game plan.  He learns it just like everybody does.  He is a smart guy.  He takes good notes.  He works hard and we are excited about him."