Transcript - New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton postgame quotes | Saints-Falcons 2020 Week 13

Get postgame reactions from New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton

Dec 06, 2020 at 05:45 PM

SAINTS COACH SEAN PAYTON

On what the Saints have done to improve in the red zone defensively over the past few weeks:
"Well, look, I think the first thing, it starts with defending the run. Those were big stops we had in the game, forcing the field goals. That was the difference in winning and losing. Obviously, it's fitting the run correctly and then playing your red zone defense. It might be two or three different calls you're playing but getting real comfortable with the route combinations."

On QB Taysom Hill's performance on Sunday and his ability to convert on third down:
"I think his third downs all game were strong. I thought his performance was strong. He made a lot of throws. I don't like the position I put him in late in that game with the turnover, but that's what I saw. I thought, man, we converted a number of third downs. I don't know what our final percentage was. I think we were 9-something, 9-13. I thought he played well."

On the blocking of the offensive line on Sunday:
"Yeah, look, it's a tough run front. There's a lot of movement. Those guys do a very good job. They're well coached. They play with leverage. And man, they make some of the stuff you want to do very difficult. I was proud of how we just kind of hung in there though and grinded and battled it out and I thought that ended up being part of the difference, the time of possession, I think was significant, especially in the first half."

On CB P.J. Williams performance at cornerback on Sunday:
"I think he did well. It's great to have that depth. When you're out one and you're out another, a lot of times, especially against some of the receivers that we saw today, that could be challenging. I thought he competed his tail off though."

On clarifying what he meant by he didn't like the position he put QB Taysom Hill in at the end of the game with the fumble:
"Well, I don't like my call there. I think it was on second down. And where we're at in the game, yeah, I just, every once in a while I'll have regrets on the situation and that one certainly will be one of them."

On whether Hill's fumbles are something that's easy to correct:
"Well, we're talking about two topics here. The turnover down in the red zone was when he was trying to -- we just need to, like I said, handle that situation better. The ball security one, he's a runner, all right? That has to get fixed and, look, he'll start figuring it out, but, yeah, that obviously when we're in the four minute is real important."

On what happened on RB Todd Gurley's seven-yard loss on 3rd-and-2 near the end of the game:
"Look, I thought, man, the play skipped outside and sometimes when that happens on that scheme, and I know the scheme, it goes to the corner, I thought we kept our leverage well. We tackled well. And he's someone that's dangerous if he gets outside. You see that happen with backs, but that was a significant play."

On whether there's a reason the Saints are 8-0 without QB Drew Brees over the past two seasons:
"No, listen, these -- look, it's the position everyone folks on, but, man, our team's playing well and man, we're fortunate to have depth at a number of positions and that's including quarterback. So I'm proud of how we played, we knew it was going to be a tough game, playing a team like this the second time around in two weeks, the numbers aren't really good for the team in the past that have won the first game, when you look back on 15 years, 10 years, any study you want. So, but, yeah, relative to -- I just think we're doing a number of things that give us a chance to win, obviously there's some stuff that we have got to clean up."

Photos: Game Action | Saints-Falcons Week 13 2020