ATLANTA FALCONS VS. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2016
SAINTS HEAD COACH SEAN PAYTON
Opening Statement:
"Obviously, it's a disappointing loss. Credit Atlanta, they did the things, obviously, that were necessary to win this this game. I think many of the things we had to do, or felt like we needed to do to give ourselves a chance to win, we weren't able to do that. It's disappointing and obviously frustrating."
On the punt return early on from a momentum standpoint:
* *"It's a terrible play. Fair catch, the hammer is going down, he (De'Vante Harris) has to avoid the contact. It's two mistakes, runs into the returner and tries to pick the ball up. It was bad. That is two weeks in a row now that we got a play in special teams that resulted in seven points. Our margin for error isn't that, the worst thing that can happen to us is the game finished and we don't know how we lost. It's our job, my job, it starts with me, as coaches to make sure we understand and re- correct things that keep us from even having a chance to win a game. Obviously, you are getting the ball back up seven (if there isn't a turnover on the punt play) so it was a significant play. Not real smart."
On how you teach this team to finish:
"It is not about finishing. We have to stop the run better than we stopped the run (tonight). There were over 200 yards in situations when you knew the run was coming, even at the end of the game. We have to play better in the kicking game. Offensively, we tried to be a little bit more balanced. We have to be patient & understand what we are seeing. We'll see the film. I'm going to watch the tape before I comment, but I would say you are not going to win many games if you can't play better in some of those areas. You are not going to win many games if you can't hold someone under 200 yards rushing, I know that."
On giving up touchdowns on five straight possessions:
"We are going to watch the film and not just speculate. We'll have a chance to do that."
On Drew Brees throwing the interception after not having one in 305 straight passes:
"Listen, it's into a zone coverage, defender kind of sat on the route and when you become one-dimensional like that late, it becomes a little bit more difficult. We have to look at (not) getting into those type of games (situations) because it is not going to play to our strength, not this team."
On injuries taking a toll on this team:
"That's not going to be an excuse, though. That is not going to be an excuse for not playing smart."
On score at 35-25 after getting the two-point conversion, are you thinking we just need to get one stop:
"Yes, that is early enough where it is not really an onside kick situation there. Yes, absolutely."
On bouncing back from 0-3:
"We have got to do tape work and get these guys in and obviously, we will have to monitor and watch how much we do from a contact standpoint, but it's what you do. It is what you are paid to do."
