HC Sean Payton on Week 13 vs. Commanders: ‘We’ll have to be ready for this team’

HC Sean Payton on Week 13 vs. Commanders: ‘We’ll have to be ready for this team’

Today was, you know, pretty much a normal Wednesday for us. Um, base and, uh, any questions? Couple extensions. Roach first, just sort of what what did it mean to get that? Yeah. You know, when we left, um, for the buy, George and I talked about there were, you know, a handful of opportunities to at least um, visit with these guys. Um, you know, speaking on Malcolm, you know, his his versatility and and there’s a lot of a lot of things, his flexibility positionwise, um, and then all the other things that he brings to the team, it was a a good fit. And then Wenberg without him and then the continuity you have on the offensive line moving forward. Yeah, good. And and I think uh it’s a credit to Luke. you know, we lost a real good center to free agency um a couple years ago. And so um again, you know, there’s a vision, good young player, and it’s important to keep um those guys in your building. Um I’ve been in a position where you’re you’re trying to draft a center and and it’s it’s one of those unique positions. If you say in the draft, we’re going to draft a center that we feel like can start year one, man. um that becomes difficult and so um we’re we’re excited for him. Um and then of course Will uh all three of those guys. You guys have handed out extensions to so many members of this offensive line and defensive line. Just just how how key how important has that been to building this? I I think it’s real important and and I think it’s not easy sometimes. You’re identifying traits um and And I think I I said this, you know, internally when I when I came here, I I think that um really the those two key positions are so important. You know, you’re building your front on defense and on offense. Um and if you don’t pay attention to it, um you know, it it becomes challenging to do a lot of the other things you want to do. And so, um I feel, you know, the offensive line can kind of permeate the building and and then the defensive line, the way they’re playing, including the outside backer, you know, um it’s it’s hard to find those type of players in free agency every year or without paying a hefty fee. So, um keeping that continuity, I think, is important. Coach, coach, how pleased and maybe even surprised you that Alex Singleton’s already back out here? I think we felt and and look, you know, we didn’t get into it, but I I think we felt realistically when we obviously the scans and all of that stuff were important and when those came back positive, um man, the relief just uh for Alex, never mind the football player. And then um but that news came prior to the buy. we felt confident um you know with he and Patrick and a few of these guys we’ve been without um this was kind of a target game. The uh the fourth quarter point differential that that you have, how much do you think that’s related to to winning a line of scrimmage and having that? Yeah, great question. Um look, I I I love that number relative to, you know, the way this team plays. They feel like they’re in every game. Um, I want that number to get better in the first half. Um, and and start faster. Uh, I thought we did a little bit a couple weeks ago against Kansas City. You know, we were going to take the ball. They won the toss, so we ended up with the ball. Um, but um, yeah, so there was a number of things selfcout wise we look at and try to implement here going into this stretch of six games. Sean, obviously you’re week to week, but when you have the big picture and it’s so close to you and you’re up two games with six to play, do you have to reel in a team at all? I I think look on Monday, all I tried to do was just I can’t assume everyone on this team understands the playoff format. It switched in 20, right? We added the seventh team. So, beginning in 2020, there was only one team. But analytically, 25 years of the one and the two seed that didn’t play. Um, and then, you know, the goal obviously is the is the endgame. and and so you’re in a position where they can kind of see like, hey, you know, if if if you’re able to capture the one seed and it it used to be the two seed, you know, you eliminate a game and and that’s significant. you know, those early years for me in New Orleans, we were the two seed and ended up at Chicago as the one seed and, you know, in tough weather and and I remember after that loss feeling like, man, we got to find a way to play this game at home. Um, and then there was a few years later um in the NFC Championship game. So, just from the studies um and and look at that that doesn’t mean have to. you know, we’ve seen years and years of teams shoot Tampa most recently on the road on the road on the road and then won the Super Bowl. But, um, you know, each week um, you know, we build up this equity of where we’re at and and I think, um, certainly the buy in and these guys are smart enough to know what each of these games um, counts for. Coach, what did you want your players to take advantage of this great action that you guys? I I think look mentally it’s I think it’s important to get away. The guys that were rehabbing were here. Um that’s really it, you know. Um look, I’ve told you this before. Those first two or three years in New Orleans, I don’t know what what our record after the buy was. Andy was at Philly. I called him. He had a real good record after the buy and and he kind of told me um what what he did and I adopted that and it helped you know um when you’re young you’re looking at all right what else get you know when really these guys needed to just get away and so um yeah I remember that conversation and then you know hearing that and then playing them a couple weeks back after the buy I didn’t really enjoy but But his numbers are have been real good. Coach, we might get some bad weather on Sunday night. They say it’s going to rain hours. How does that change? It’s a great question is one of the topics today. You know, new new sided field. No one’s played on it. Um and then we got the my cause my cleat. Well, what if those cleats aren’t the right shoes, right? And so, um making sure we understand the field conditions. Um, you know, we’ll do wet ball dr, we’ll do a lot of that. Temperature is similar. It’ll be a little colder there. I think it was last 60 some% chance of rain. Um, I can recall playing games there when it was rainy and cold. You know, almost that borderline like why isn’t it snowing? It’s so cold, but it’s raining and like an hour later it might be snowing. Um, you know, whatever the conditions are wherever we play, um, you know, good defenses, rushing, you there’s a lot of things that travel and, uh, um, we’ll have to be ready for this team. Sean, going back to Watburg, what where have you seen his game sort of grow since since Well, his football IQ is real sharp. Um, he’s athletic. He does a good job into the second level. Um, he’s really improved in his protections. Um yeah, all all of it like you you just you see the curve still going um going going upward. So um those are a few things, but do you anticipate any possible more extensions this season or is it difficult for the final? It’s hard to say. Um you know that would be something that you know would be an internal discussions and and uh um we kind of would go from there. Coach, you shared the story about when you faced when Demarcus Square, you didn’t know if he was going to play or not and the lesson learned there when it comes. The exact story was he didn’t practice Wednesday on this, didn’t practice Thursday, didn’t practice Friday and so and then he comes running out for introductions and you three sacks, two fumbles caused. So, um, we prepare for the system and their system really, you know, there’s a reason Marcus is there. you know, he um can run this very fluently and and and it can beat you with his legs and and so um you know, we prepare for what we’re seeing scheme wise, but in this sometimes when there’s a quarterback change, there can be a a move in what they want to do. And in this case, I I think there’s a reason he’s there because it fits with very much what they’re doing at the line. Um, you know, he can beat you with his feet. He’s athletic. Um, all of those things. Do you rate games more that Quinn called on defense, I suppose? Yeah, we looked at all those numbers. I I know he’s just started calling, so we’ve looked at those. They’ve had some injuries. Um really honestly going back to Dallas, you know, the last two years in Dallas and then his early years with their defensive coordinator calling plays, all the pressure percent, man percent, zone, they were like dead on. Um and so we look at we look at all of it. Um and then you know you look at the opponent they’re playing. Sometimes it might be an opponent-driven game plan. Um, so they do a number of things well. Um, they do a good job disguising pressures and um, so that that’s that’s the key thing in this week is making sure we have answers. Um, much like a week ago, different system, but you know, with Spags, there’s a lot you got to cover. And, um, and I would say that that’s the case this week. Sean, it looked like Chad had some good reps on on Kelsey a couple weeks back. What have you seen, you know, across the last? Yeah, look, he’s a twitchy mover and gives you good flexibility. Um, he’s got high football IQ, which helps when it comes to leverage, understanding the defense, and I think he’s just, man, he’s just so, you know, when you lose a guy like Pat um, and you draft to your strengths, it’s one of the reasons, you know, you do that. and and so that additional playing time is just more time on task for him. And and uh but but we knew skill set, good ball skills, you know, he has the pick six the other day. Now um yeah, I mean I’m I’m pleased with his progress. When Pat was out, was I judicious there? Holy cow. When Pat was out the last three games, what kind of stuff did he do to help the young defensive backs, guys? Um, look, I think his presence in the room, you got to know this. You got to pry words from Pat to begin with, right? And so, um, but I I think, uh, you know, any of these guys that miss miss time are still involved in the meetings and and so that presence, um, in the meeting would be the same, you know, whether they’re playing or not, you know, and and so, um, certainly it’s great to get someone like him back in the lineup and and ready to go. Sean, when you extend a player during the season, does the boost it gives the team a lot of part? I I think yeah, I mean, we just finished playing that song as you guys were leading in money, money, money, money or whatever, you know. Um, yeah, I think the guys want to see other guys have success and and also um be financially well off and I I think um the consistency and how we want to approach that I think is important. Sean, are you maybe a little off the beaten path, but are you still hoping to see Drew Sanders this year? Yeah, but it’s going to be later, but yes. Yes. Um, and you we monitor the progress. Bo goes through the report. Um, and I don’t I don’t have the game, but um and honestly, the same could be said with Dobbins. Yeah. You thinking that may not he might get a chance to Yeah. Um, you know, it wouldn’t be soon, but that has a chance to to happen in this time without JK. You guys obviously know kind of have traditional maybe bigger back on on roster. Is that Are you comfortable with the group you have? I am. Uh, and you know, look, I felt like we had limited snaps to some degree, but um, man, Jal’s played a lot of good football for us. And so, meanwhile, you know, he and RJ both are are coming on. Um, Adam did a good job in some of the subp protection stuff. We felt with with with Kansas City, you know, there’s some looks where you’re always paying attention to the size of the back in in third down pickup. And so, um, he had a few Rhino tags where he was in on third down and and was fantastic.

Head Coach Sean Payton discusses the team’s recent contract extensions, the upcoming game against the Commanders and more.

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