New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees
Video Call With Media
Thursday, September 17, 2020

When you looked at the game tape from the day, were there opportunities to take more shots that maybe you didn't? And is that something you feel like? The team needs to do more?
"I mean, if the opportunities are there, then absolutely. I mean, listen, we're always ready to move the football to sustain long drives and score points that way. It's always nice when you can make big plays along the way. I said we had two opportunities for big plays where we just had breakdowns and we just weren't able to get the ball out. Maybe three opportunities. So man, those would have been nice. And so as you look at the tape, you say, all right, we got to maximize those opportunities when we get them."

How have you guys have been able to navigate without key contributors over the years yourself included? How do you manage to do that as a team?
"Well, I mean, I think we definitely have a next man up mentality. I think everybody's
always ready to step into a role and fulfill that role. I think our coaching staff does a great job of putting guys in the best position to succeed and building a game plan and around the strengths of the guys that we do have."

Jared Cook was saying last week just about how patient you are when bringing along new players in the offense and some other guys that he has been around in the same system for a while are known for being a little bit more sink or swim. Well, why is that more patient approach you think the right one and how does that work for you?
"Well, at the end of the day, what's my job, my job is to put everybody in the best position to succeed so that we as an offense can succeed and so I understand that
within the framework of our offense, we have a lot of different guys and depending on the game plan, we're asking guys to do certain things fill certain roles. And I think just that constant communication, that ability to pull them aside, talk to them and tell them, hey, this is what I'm expecting, hey, let's get some extra work after practice, whatever it might be, so that they have a level of confidence. I have a level of trust and confidence. So that when we get out on gameday, we just feel like man, it's going to be automatic."

Or obviously, you've been around long enough, your original franchise relocated, you've seen other franchises relocate? You had to catch yourself from saying Oakland Raiders this week. And is there something nostalgic about playing the first game to ever in a new NFL city in a new stadium or is that just something to think about way down the road?
"No, I mean, listen, it's absolutely a historic moment, right, first professional football team in Vegas, the opening of this new stadium, which I'm sure is tremendous. So yeah, there's a lot of unique things to it and then obviously, the game itself as this is an up and coming team with a lot of talent. And it's Monday Night Football. Obviously we want to continue to get better and take the next step ourselves as a team."

Just curious now that you played a game with no fans in the stands and kind of the impact that it did or didn't have at the line at etc. How does that sort of impact how you prepare now for the rest of the season? Now that you have that experience under your belt?
"I think bottom line is this, you do not have the problem hearing or communicating based on the 70 decibels that they're playing the white noise. The no fans was weird. You know, it was really weird. You're used to just moments in a game where you make a big play, whether it's offense, defense or special teams, and there will be this eruption from the fans. And so there's energy and emotion and excitement and momentum that's created with that. Obviously, I look back and there's like three or four plays in this game that were huge plays in the game. And it's just silence. I don't know, it's like, you got to visualize people jumping up and down at home or something like that. But yeah, you got to worry about what we can control. You know, create your own emotion and lock in on the game."

Does that lack of fans make it maybe a little bit easier for you to kind of take advantage with the hard counts, especially in a road venue when there's not the crowd noise.
"Listen, it's great when you're on the road. You don't have to worry about silent counts.
But, you know, obviously it takes away the home field advantage, so to speak, with crowd noise for the home team, I guess."