New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton
Conference Call with New Orleans media
Monday, Dec. 14, 2020
*After you've looked at the tape now, defensively, did you see I guess a little less discipline than you've seen in previous weeks? *"Yeah, look, it was a completely different type of attack offensively. And so there were a handful of things we probably would have done differently looking at this tape. But we didn't handle the quarterback run, the quarterback contain. Obviously, when you give up 240 yards rushing, there aren't a lot of things you did well."
When you talk about preparation, and I know no yesterday you sort of mentioned that the team may not have been prepared. Was that mostly just game planning and scheming or is some of that mental?
"No, listen to what I'm saying, all right. I didn't say the team ever wasn't prepared. I said, man, we look(ed) flat. We didn't look ready to play. And that's a reflection on me and it is upsetting. And so I've got to do a better job of making sure…I don't think we played well in any phase. I'm watching it again right now. Offensively, it's sloppy. Screens, the naked, the run game, it looks awful. And defensively, they're still running, the quarterbacks outside the pocket. All the things we didn't want to allow happen happened in that game. We can't (miss an attempt to) kick a field goal early in the game two weeks in a row. That's a problem. So that's where we start."
On the offensive line, is there anything you guys could have done different? Or is that some type of game where you kind of got to win your one on ones since they're just sending four?
"Listen, (Andrus) Peat's got to play better. He's got to play better. I don't think any one of them played particularly great, but we'll keep working here."
On the containment mistakes on Jalen Hurts getting outside, would that be something you would say, in retrospect, a different scheme would have been the way to go or playing it somehow different?
"It's a fair question. We were slow playing the zone with the ends. It's a fair question. The thing, the more upsetting element, there were some times with a five-man rush we were rushing to contain and we didn't do that effectively. And so that should be easier to do when you're rushing five is to keep the quarterback where you want him. And we didn't do a good enough job of that. So obviously, we didn't get enough good work at it."
*I know this might be looking ahead a little bit, but when you said Philadelphia had kind of a non-traditional offense yesterday, do you expect more kind of traditional from Kansas City or is it just too early? *"They give you a number of (looks). They give you everything formationally, they give you a lot of movement. The quarterback is very good at extending plays. They give you a bunch of looks. So it's on to a different type of attack, obviously, a challenging one."
*I wanted to go back to the onside kick. What went into that style of onside kick and did you talk to your players? Did you all get a recovery or what did it end up in the Eagles hands? * *"We did not. I talked to Craig (Robertson who) I trust, as honest as the day is long. He was right there and he's the one that we thought recovered it. He said he was close, but he didn't get it. So look, it ended up being close to being an opportunity, but we weren't able to get it."
Why haven't you guys featured Taysom Hill's running ability more? Obviously, he's done some good things throwing the ball. But could you get more out of this special ability to run the ball?
"Yeah, a lot of it is the look you're receiving. We ran up once with him on fourth down, we're caught short. A lot of it depends on what type of defense we're getting and what we're willing to run. There were a couple plays run, zone reads yesterday handing one off to Alvin (Kamara). So, a lot a lot of is predicated on what you're getting."
How'd you think Taysom played yesterday?
"I thought he played all right. I'm watching the tape, he's still slow on a few decisions. He's to the wrong side of the field a few times relative to making decisions. And I don't like the fact that the ball was out again. The screen pass I'm watching right now needs to be out quicker with a little bit less velocity, a little bit easier. As they're rushing, there's a blitz he's faced with back up and just dump it off to the running back. So there's some things that that he has to clean up."
When he's in the pocket and pressure closes in, what is the balance for someone that can run as well as him with keeping his eyes down the field slash just tucking it and going?
"Yeah, that's a good question. I mean, there's a clock in your head relative to down and distance and typically on your normal early downs, you get a feel pretty soon of when your time's up and you're going or when you're staying with the read."
Is Drew (Brees) at a point his recovery where he can return to practice this week?
"We'll see."
