Saints Head Coach Sean Payton
Opening Statement
"Obviously it's a difficult loss. There are not going to be a lot of things that we like when we watch this tape. The game unfolded in a manner where, I just finished telling the players, you don't know how it's going to go, but certainly, offensively, we weren't able to keep up with the points New England was scoring. Credit those guys, they did a great job of execution and we didn't play like I feel we are capable of playing."
On if issues on defense were same as last week...
"No, it wouldn't be the same, we'll look at the film but we were probably in a little bit more man coverage than we were zone from a week ago. We dropped two coverages. This wasn't as noticeable, obviously there were some guys open, but before I'd comment I want to look at the film."
On his reaction to how open targets were getting (for New England's offense...
"It's a good offense. We've got to get better, not just on defense, like I said, we've got to be better offensively. We're not playing a complementary game. We are not turning the ball over, but we are not creating any turnovers either. Obviously, we didn't do enough good things today to give us a chance."
On Willie Snead IV's absence and it if affects the offense...
"I don't know if it's one specific player. It's Week Two. I don't know what the third down numbers were today but we've got to find a way to stay on the field. Especially when you are playing a team that is keeping their offense on the field. We didn't run the ball well enough today, obviously. We attempted to a number of times. We had three penalties in the front. Those are going to be drive killers, you had two holding, hands to the face; it's tough to overcome those when you get one of those calls."
On the ability to affect the passer...
"Look, the ball comes out quick with Tom (Brady) and it has week to week, when you watch him play there is a rhythm to his game. Ultimately, you have to disrupt the passing game, either pressuring the quarterback or bumping at the line of scrimmage the eligible receivers. There was a handful of big plays where he got too much time."
Did something happen to Kenny Vaccaro in the second half?
"No, We have to get more consistent play and that dates back to last weekend so we are going to play those guys."
On his reaction to reports that Vaccaro might be traded...
"It's Week Two and it's not unusual this early in the season for teams to call about teams that have depth at running back, like we might, or depth at safety. Outside of that, no reaction."
On the offensive line juggling...
"If it was just a week it might be a little different but looking at the time frame that we are operating on we felt like this was the best decision for us moving forward."
On an 1-11 record in September the last 4 years...
"We just finished talking about the sprint here that we are in to improve each week. Obviously, you start out like this and there is disappointment and yet, we have the right type of locker room. We are going to have to respond quickly, we play Carolina and then go on the road for another week so we will find out what we are made of."
On decision to go for it late in the second quarter...
"I thought it was an easy one based on how this game was unfolding. No different from the challenge, the challenge was an easy one too. If we lose it, the ball's on the 10, if we win it it's a touchback, but with regards to the way that happens we felt pretty good about a play and we just were not able to connect on it. I think a lot of it is pulse of the game. I do not know that I'd normally do that, a lot of it is just how this game was going."
On defensive penalties...
"The 12 (men) on the field, first off, it 's classic Tom (Brady) where there's a quick substitution being made and I have not seen the replay to see how close Manti (Te'o) was to getting off. Obviously, it's frustrating when it is a turnover. I thought, from a substitution standpoint, that wasn't our challenge tonight. They are in and out of a few personnel groupings, but settling in and eliminating some of the big plays, its two weeks in a row really where there have been too many quick strike plays that make it difficult to play consistently. Some of those drives are happening and all the sudden there is a third down. Earlier in the game we had a few third downs and we weren't able to get off the field and that hurt us."
Saints QB Drew Brees
How out of sync are you guys?
"I wouldn't say we're out of sync. I would say we've had some missed opportunities. I feel like we've put together some good drives. Unfortunately, not enough that resulted in touchdowns."
How determined are you to get a win?
"We're not concerned. It's only a matter of time. I felt like there are some things that were not there last week. Or that were better. It just hasn't been good enough yet."
There are a couple of instances where you expected routes to go differently?
"No, I wouldn't' (say that). I would say we had a good understanding today as to how we needed to attack these guys (and) where our big play opportunities could come. We did make some big plays. But unfortunately there were a few where we could have made, should have made, that unfortunately we didn't. Those become the difference-makers."
Is that a situation where a routes ends and you may have expected it to go another way?
"Listen, and I'll miss one. I'll miss one every now and then. Unfortunately, it's just been a little bit of everything at this point that has caused us to miss some opportunities."
On the O-line?
"I felt that the o-line played great especially the fact (that) we had to move puzzle pieces around. (Ryan) Ramczyk plays his first game at left tackle last week and first game at right tackle this week. I felt like together as a unit, it's always as a unit because those guys work together so much on everything. I felt like they played very well. They had a tough task today."
Does it change what you do at all when you see Tom Brady running the offense?
"We knew (with) the offense we were (facing we were) going to be trading punches with (them) on the other side. Unfortunately, they were more efficient than we were. They sustained a bunch of great drives. They had seven red zone opportunities, that's a ton. We knew that we had to be uber efficient. Unfortunately, we just were not efficient enough to keep pace with them."
Sean Payton said after the game he thinks he'll find out a lot about this team after this week, do you feel the same way?
"We only have one way to go, that's up. We go on the road in the division against a very good Carolina team. There's not much time to dwell on anything other than making the corrections that need to be made and focusing on a good gameplan for this upcoming week."
Is it discouraging that since 2014 the team is 1-11 in the month of September?
"It's put you in a little bit of a hole. But again we can't cry over spilled milk here. We have to press on and we have to find a way to get a win."
On Alvin Kamara's progression...
"Here's a rookie who obviously is very talented and has the ability to do a lot for our offense. I think you'll see from week to week his role continues to expand. The more time on task that we have and the more that we gameplan and find different opportunities for him (the more he will improve). He is definitely a guy you want the ball in his hands."
Linebacker Manti T'eo
On if their offensive mix confused the defense...
"It is not necessarily the mix. You have to try to understand what they're going to do. They have a certain flavor. I'm sure that we all saw that. They have certain plays they like to go to. They try to dress it up to keep us on our toes. It all goes back to executing. We just have to execute. We got outexecuted today. We're going to watch the film and come back. That's the thing about the NFL. We are 0-2 right now, but we have 14 more. We are going to learn from this and get ready for Carolina."
On if it was the defense's fault or Tom Brady's execution...
"I do not blame anybody. As a total unit we can be better As a whole team, we can do better As far Tom Brady, We all know (what) he can do. We understood that coming into this game that they're a well-oiled machine. As far as us, we need to execute. We have to win our one on one match-ups. We didn't do that today. That's football. You live or learn and move on."
Defensive End Cameron Jordan
On the 0-2 start...
"We knew that we couldn't let Tom (Brady) get hot and that's exactly what he did. There were times that we hit him and he still made some plays and still got the ball off. It's on us. It's not on him. He did a great job of stepping up in the pocket and releasing the ball quickly. They go hand and hand. We didn't get there fast enough. We have to turn on the film and see how we can get to the quarterback faster. It's not like we didn't hit him. We did pressure him. At the end of the day, he made more big plays then we did."
On the defense in the second half...
"We were looking for a rally. We were looking to bounce back. Some things got away from us in the first half. That's something that we have to look at."
WR Brandon Coleman
On the 0-2 start...
"It's frustrating, but it's a new season. I am not going to compare it to last year. Even though it might seem that way. I'm encouraged. It's still early in the season. I'm being optimistic about it."
On the touchdown reception...
"It was a play that we repped in practice. I'm just excited that we had a chance to execute it"
