NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS vs. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS Monday, November 30, 2009
SAINTS HEAD COACH SEAN PAYTON
"Obviously, a big win for us, to get to our 11th win. I thought we played a complementary game. I thought defensively, with the injuries, we did a good job. With the depth at corner, some new guys really stepped up.
"That's a really good team we played. We've got a lot of respect for them.
"We've got a tough, short week this week. The key will be to get our legs back and get ready for next weekend.
"When you're in that area where you're just outside of field goal range, I didn't view it as anything but four-down area. That wasn't anything significant. That was to be expected.
(on Brees) "You guys can write about the hierarchies and all that stuff. I thought he was outstanding tonight; I thought he was special. Let's just say he's playing real well. It was a great job by him. Magnificent.
(on defense) "I thought we had to do some different things. I thought Gregg (Williams) and his staff put together a great plan. Mike's interception was key because it led to points. I thought his interception was a pivotal play in the game. I was proud of how our defense played.
"We're always going to try to push the ball down the field. Drew did a good job of locating some throws. Our receivers did a good job of working, and we ended up making some plays.
"We're glad we won. We're excited about the win, but we've got to move on. We're on a short week. It's good to play well. With the schedule last week, and Thanksgiving, I thought we handled it well. I thought our guys were focused.
"I thought we had decent balance. Once we started going, we were protecting pretty well. The way (Brees) was playing, that made it easy to do.
(on McKenzie) "I thought he did a good job. The interception was a big play. Mike kind of undercut the throw that was headed for Moss. We ended up scoring on that possession.
(on receivers) "Between the location and the confidence they have, that's something they've done a good job with all season.
(on TD pass to Henderson) "I think on that play, if I'm not mistaken, there had to be a busted coverage. Part of it is to push it one way. I'd have to go back and see it. It was a good play by him."
(on emulating Patriots) "We've got a lot of respect for what they've been able to achieve. When we first got here, it's just common, good business to pay attention to teams that have done it for as long as they have. Ultimately, it comes with championships, but their formula has been good. That's something we recognized early on. We just paid attention to the success they've had. We'd be silly not to.
(on defending Patriots) "We knew it would be a challenge. Gregg and the staff did a good job of mixing up some looks. Fortunately, we were able to get a little bit of a lead and then separate from them. It's a credit to our guys on defense. That was significant. I thought we rushed the passer well and got a hand in his face. That's a special offense.
(on 5 passing TDs vs. Belichick defense) "You're going into the game with so many unknowns as to how you're getting defensed. You try to see early on. That makes it hard to practice during the week and prepare, because you're really uncertain of the looks you're going to get. That makes it challenging.
"The fans were loud. It was unbelievable. It's helped us a lot."
PATRIOTS HEAD COACH BILL BELICHICK
Opening Statement) "You have to give New Orleans credit. They were obviously the better team tonight. It wasn't a competitive game like we thought it would be or like we needed it to be. We got to coach better and we have to play better. We have to do a lot better than we did. You have to give them a lot of credit because they are a good football team. We have to do a better job than we did tonight. We have to do a lot better to compete with a team of this caliber." (On what the Saints did defensively) "They did a good job defensively. They did what they do. They mixed it up. They ran a lot of the same coverages that they have been winning with. They played a lot better defense than we did. You have to give their players and coaches a lot of credit. We have to do a better job to be competitive."
(On what they did to contain Randy Moss) "They do what they do. They played zone. They double covered. They played man. They rushed. They did what they do and they did it pretty well."
(On deciding to go for it on fourth and three at the 10 in the third quarter) "It was no doubt that we needed some points at that point. I thought that we were running the game well at that point offensively. I thought that we needed more than a field goal the way the game was going. (Mike) McKenzie made a good play over there."
(On if the Saints offense was confusing) "They mix it up a lot. They do that. They do a good job of keeping you off balance with personnel substitutions. They change up the tempo of the game. They do a good job and have good players. They are very well coached. They capitalize when you make mistakes. You can't make many against them and you can't make big ones. We made some big ones."
(On if the defense was able to get Tom Brady out of sync) "They were better than we were in every phase of the game. I don't know how to put it any other way. They were better coached. They played better on offense and defense. They were better in the kicking game. They covered better than we did. They were obviously the better team."
PATRIOTS PLAYERS
QB #12 TOM BRADY
"They played really well and they played well as a team. We obviously didn't play up to their level. They played a great game and we didn't play so well. There's a big gap between us. It wasn't as competitive as everyone expected. But that's what happens when you don't play very well against a good team on the road.
"We did have a lot of opportunities out there tonight. But its not going to help when you score field goals when you get into the red zone like we did early in the ballgame. So we have five games left starting with a big game in Miami this weekend."
(are Saints as good as '07 Patriots?) "You know, that was so long ago. I will say it's good to be in that position. They are the ones who are 11-0. And they are a really good team who played really good tonight. You have to give them all of the credit."
WR #81 RANDY MOSS
"To lose in a game like this, it really hurts. Everyone saw it out there that they (Saints) put it to us. It just felt like we never really got into any rhythm. There really isn't anything for me to say. They (Saints) played real good football, something we really haven't seen on film from anyone we've played so far.
"We have a lot of expectations and we know we can play better. I know Bill (coach Belichick) will put it to us on Wednesday and we have to prepare now for Miami for another big game."
DL #75 VINCE WILFORK
"They (Saints) are a very, very good football team. Tonight we got beat in all phases of the game; offense, defense and special teams. If we continue to play like that, we will have this losing feeling a lot more. All we can do is regroup, watch film and prepare for Miami on a short week.
"Like I said they are a real good football team; probably the best we've played all season. For us we have to take this loss in stride and move on."
DL #99 MIKE WRIGHT
"All of you saw it out there. They (Saints) do what they want to do, and they do it well. We just came up short tonight. Everyone in this locker room knows we can play a lot better than we did out there. But they (saints) are a real good team."
