New Orleans Saints Cornerback Marshon Lattimore
Video Call with New Orleans Media
Wednesday, October 21, 2020

How would you assess the season you're having? I know some of those statistical sites haven't been kind to you, but they never are aware of whose assignments are what on those deep pass plays in particular.
"Right. I do not really pay attention to that because they do not really know what is going on. The fans, nobody really knows what's going on. But I feel Iike I definitely could play better. I've got to make more plays. It is just small things as far as me and the secondary period. It's just small things becoming big things. We've just got to eliminate those big plays because it starts from everything before, like eyes and communication. It's really just small things turning into big things, we've just got to eliminate that and we'll be alright."

What can you attribute communication errors to, considering a lot of you guys have played together a while is that surprising to have so many communication errors so far?
"I mean, in the back end, there's only two of us that have been here together so we were going to have communication errors. Malcolm (Jenkins is) new, Jackrabbit (Janoris Jenkins) was here a little bit last year, but we all knew when it comes to playing a full season with each other. So it's going to be that, but we're good. We know we have one of the most talented back ends in the league. We've just got put that on tape and put that out there so people can see what we see."

When you're watching Panthers film, do you see many similarities to y'alls offense? And if so, does that give you an edge in any way just because you practice against it every day?
"I can't really say too much on it, but yeah, we see some stuff, but I'm not really going to say too much. We still have to play them. I'll tell you after."

It looks like you guys are playing a lot of quarters coverage this year. And I guess last year you guys use a lot of it to, but maybe not your first year in the league. What's the difference for you playing that versus like straight cover one? Are you as comfortable in quarters as one or is there a major difference?
"Of course there's a difference, there's more to it than cover one. Cover one is easy, guard your man and don't let him catch it. Cover four we have more adjustments like during the play and before the play. You've just got to be zoned in keep good eyes and just know what's coming."

Do you feel more natural just playing straight up man coverage, shadow the guy, stick with him?
"Of course, but I can't play man all game. People are going to exploit that. Cover one, people know how to beat that, but for me, I'll guard a man and you know he's not catching it for me in cover one. It is what it is. It's the defense we play so I have to buy in and just do my job as best I can."

Has that been one of the biggest adjustments for you just as a pro? I know you've been at it for a while now. But like did you play a lot of zone long before you got into the league?
"No, no zone. Straight man."

If I remember correctly, you and Teddy Bridgewater had some pretty epic practice battles when he was here. What stands out about those when you kind of think back on Teddy's time here?
"Teddy is one of the best. He's a good dude, he's my friend. There's still going to be battles with him being at the Panthers and playing him two times a year. He's a great quarterback and he knows I'm great corner so we're going to go at it. I'm ready for it."

This week, and you just mentioned the communication issues that you guys have had, did you kind of get back to basics, I guess last week, this week, and kind of clean some of that up you feel?
"Yeah, most definitely. We have to if we are going to be the secondary we want to be, we have to clean that up and just be on one page so we can go out there and play fast. A lot of plays is just communication and eyes. Small things that become big things like I said, if we fix that we'll be dominate. And we know that so we've got to go out there and we've got to fix it. It's easier said than done being out there. Outside looking in, people don't really know what's going on. But, we've just got to go out there and fix it and show people who we are."

With Teddy, what were the things about him that made him a fun teammate? Or a guy that everybody kind of gravitated to?
"He's a great dude, man. He's a real dude. He keeps it real and he's just a fun dude to be around."

What did you sort of think when you saw the film of the tackle you made in the Chargers game?
"I'm a grown man. We were in cover zero and I knew not to let him outside. I'll break on anything inside and tackle him for the game. That's exactly what I did and I knew I wasn't going to let him get the first down, especially after he made that play on me, there was no way I was letting him get that first down. Just trying to be a dominant player and being competitive, no, I was not letting him get the first down. Everything in me, I just made sure I had to stop him."

Through five weeks, your turnover numbers are kind of down. Is it something you can like focus on improving? Or is it is just a matter of making the plays when they're available on the field?
"I'm at corner, I'm not at safety and I don't see the whole field. I'm guarding one man so it's very rare that a corner (that) is playing press man a lot is going to get a lot of picks because my back is to the quarterback a lot."

I guess I was asking more about like the defense in general?
"Yeah, we've got to make the plays when they come to us. We have plays on the field that we left out there that could have been turn overs. We've just got to make the plays and when they come to us that's all."

You talked about kind of the small things turning into big things. Is that something that was reiterated to you guys during the bye week? And was that something the coaches really kind of focused on?
"Yeah, but we just know deep down that it's the small things. Everyone knows it's the small things that become big things. We've seen it on film. After we watched it, all the big plays that we've given up stared with the small things. We've been working on that, trying to improve it, we're going to improve it. We have to."

How have you seen C.J. (Gardner-Johnson) develop over the last year?
"He's just getting more comfortable in the system. That is really it. Coming in as a rookie, you really do not know too much. You have to learn on the fly basically, so he is getting more comfortable and just trying to be a better player. Everybody is teaching him, everybody is on him. We want him to be a great player, we know he can be a great player. That's why we're on him and he's doing that, he's showing that."

Any reason in particular for the smile?
"No, he changed his name. That's funny."