Game Thread: Week 11: Redskins @ Saints

[skinsdad62]

http://www.redskins.com/videos/Jay-...ry_Small/1e2008cd-bd62-440a-a08f-45ad46aad6b7

KC part 2

 

[Mitziman]

I will be at the game & will have a good time regardless. Hopefully I don't run into dbag so called fans like you while I am in NO. Please, please go shopping again during this time.

Can't wait for Saturday, and Sunday in The Big Easy...HTTR!

 

[Krusheasy]

this weeks crew

New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton


On keeping the team focused during the winning streak:

“Well, look, I think each team, each game you play presents a different challenge in the type of team you’re playing. We have got a lot of young guys playing in our starting lineup, a lot of guys from this draft class and some younger guys that have had maybe one or two years of experience. But we’ve got, I would say, a good presence leadership-wise. We get through that Monday and it’s on to the next week. Now, I think still the process Wednesday through Friday is the key and the preparation and attention to detail.”



On RB Alvin Kamara:

“He’s got some versatility. Both he and Mark [Ingram] are guys that can block the blitz. They are guys that are comfortable in the passing game. We felt when we evaluated him coming out of college, he was someone that we knew was very intelligent. He has comfortable hands and he’s picked things up, a number of these young guys have. When you look at [Marshon] Lattimore and [Ryan] Ramczyk and Marcus Williams, there are four or five of these guys that are playing a lot of snaps as rookies. I think their football instincts have served them well.”



On the success of the defense and if it is a function of a few years of building or if it was more overnight:

“Well, look, it’s probably somewhere in the middle. Obviously the influx of players this offseason we are relying heavily on. Part of it is gaining confidence after the second loss against New England and I thought our road trip to Carolina was really one of our better defensive games. We took the ball away and then you can talk about confidence and you hope for confidence, but it generally starts with some demonstrated ability. I think then over in London against Miami and each week trying to correct the things that are still hurting us and improve overall as a unit. I think that that two-week road trip was important for us.”



On if he has noticed a difference in how QB Drew Brees manages games:

“Well, I think collectively between what we do and how we are approaching the game each week it can vary to some degree. What’s most important – for him and any one of us – is winning. He understands that and I think that… Look, each week you want that balance and there are some weeks where it may tilt one way or the other, and I think that you are prepared to play and adjust during the course of a game. I think he is smart enough to do that.”



On concussions and how difficult they are to manage during a game:

“Look, we have got a great medical staff. Of course, it has happened over the years here and I would say we are definitely on the conservative side. It’s happened in the playoffs. It’s happened where any sign of a player being dinged or nicked, we are going to follow the procedures and be smart about that. Obviously it’s an important topic right now concerning our game and I think that the players themselves are a big help that way as well. Fortunately, when something like that comes up, we’ve been on top of it and able to get the proper diagnosis.”



On if he has ever had to get personally involved to keep a concussed player from playing:

“That’s come up occasionally because in a critical moment, a player might at that moment feel like he needs to… but I think we are passed that with our current protocol. I think that we rely heavily on our group here on the sidelines and the spotters but our guys do a great job that way.”



On if he thinks there is a difference in the NFL today in how rookies have been able to make an immediate impact:

“I think there are a lot of differences between today and 15 years ago and yet I think one thing that would be constant would be [that] you’re always hopeful when you have a draft that this class can contribute early. I would say over the years, the players that have that football instinct and the makeup that learn quickly probably have an advantage. Yet there are some players that might take a couple of years and we’ve seen that happen where all of a sudden they come on and become real big contributors. So you’re measuring that in the evaluation process and I don’t think that in itself has changed, but certainly the way rosters change today versus 15-20 years ago, that’s entirely different.”



On what was special about the Saints’ draft class this year:

“Well, the first four or five were grouped in a position where you rarely… it’s not often that you’ll take four players that were graded in your first 32. I think to your point, the rhetoric after the draft is always interesting. You hear the head coaches and the GMs, you always got who you wanted and yet you wait until you really have a chance to evaluate them. This year’s class – having two first-round picks, Lattimore was one and then Ramczyk in the [Brandin] Cooks trade. Marcus Williams was the safety we had real high grades on from Utah. Kamara, Alex Anzalone, who actually started for us at the beginning part of the year until his injury in Week 4, Trey Hendrickson, these guys are guys that when we selected them at the time we felt real strong about and to their credit they have come in and picked things up and contributed.”



On how high Kamara was on their draft board:

“He was real high. We had… The runner right up the road here, shoot, is playing extremely well in Jacksonville. There’s these tiers of players but we knew that he was going to get taken early. I think for us having been at the workout myself personally and having a private workout that there were a few targeted players at running back. He was one of them. The young player up at Chicago, Tarik Cohen, was another guy we liked, but Kamara certainly was high enough to where we traded back into the third round to get him.”


New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees


On Saints RB Alvin Kamara:

“Well, I think he’s obviously a great talent, but he’s a guy who is very intelligent and he’s mature beyond his years. I think he just understands his role and the opportunity that he has here. We do a lot with our running backs, and both him and Mark [Ingram] are very versatile players that can play in a lot of different situations and do just about anything for us. So it’s kind of plug-and-play with both of those guys.”



On if rookies are fitting into systems better now than they did previously:

“Yeah, I think everybody, and whatever you want to credit that to – 7-on-7 passing academies to just the style of offenses that they run in college, I’m not sure – but guys seem to come in even more prepared now than they ever have been. I think just the… what they’re able to do, I think their versatility is something that you see with so many of these young backs that come in. They can run the ball between the tackles, they can catch the ball out of the backfield, you can split them out and almost treat them as receivers sometimes. Just really talented players.”



On how having two versatile running backs helps him:

“Listen, it’s great. Obviously what they’ve been able to do in the run game and also the pass game, I think they’re matchup problems when you get them out on the perimeter and obviously they’re very effective at running it as well.”



On the biggest difference in the Redskins’ defense since the last time he faced them:

“Well, it’s obviously a new defensive coordinator, Greg Manusky, who I know from my Charger days. I’ve got a lot of respect for him and the defense that he runs. The times that I’ve played against him, I think they’re very talented, think they get good pressure with their pass rush, I think they’re very active in the secondary, lot of guys that have good ball skills, very opportunistic. You turn on the tape and you see them making a bunch of plays.”



On CB Josh Norman:

“I think he’s a very instinctive player. He’s very talented. Again, very opportunistic. You see him punching the ball out a lot and obviously he’s got great ball skills and instincts. Played against him in Carolina for a long time. I’ve always had a lot of respect for him.”



On how much it helps having played against Norman so many times:

“Obviously the schemes are different, you know, but then again, you know the player. You know he’s just a smart football player. He’s a smart, instinctive football player that’s going to study film and I think he’s going to try to anticipate what’s happening at times. So you’ve just got to be aware of that and ready for that.”



On concussion protocol in the NFL and improvements the league could make in the protocol:

“Well, it’s obviously changed pretty significantly over the last three or four years. I think you see more and more guys going into the protocol just because that has become more of an emphasis. And I think that there is a much better system in place to make sure that guys are cleared to play and that they’re healthy and ready to come back and not come back too soon. In many cases, you’ll see guys even sit out for a week, two weeks, three weeks, sometimes four weeks or more before they’re able to come back and play. Again, I think you just… Different than when I first entered this league and certainly before that where I think the mentality was, ‘Just get back in there, you’re fine. Don’t worry about it.’ There’s obviously a system in place to make sure that guys are doing the right thing for their health – their short-term health and long-term health – when it comes to that.”



On how having an improved defense changes practices:

“It’s been highly competitive all offseason and into training camp and certainly during the season here. We’ve got a great mix of veteran guys, great leadership and some really talented young guys. Guys are competing, guys are flying around, there’s a lot of energy, a lot of excitement and enthusiasm. And obviously, the more that you win, the more that builds.” A

 

[gkekoa]

The key to this game will be turnovers.

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Unbelievable

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Want to see more of Mo on the field

 

[Caliskinsfan]

if Zack can't go...it'd be Spaight and Clemons and who?

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Guess that'd be Vigil

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Limiting the 2 headed run game appears to be more the issue than Brees to me. We simply don't have healthy enough players at this point to present much of a challenge against the run. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[deanpet21]

Unbelievable

wow. this is getting crazy

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Bright side...At least this guarantees Dox and Mo more snaps

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Caliskinsfan]

Jordan's health sitch is getting tiresome tbh

 

[Caliskinsfan]

 

[Sharkinva]

The next week we go into a game where we dont have some major injury questions might be the first week we have that.

 

[skinsdad62]

i would sit reed again vs saints and aim for thursday vs giants

 

[Sportster 72]

I had to laugh to myself realizing how banged up we that we have to turn around and play on short rest. They better expand rosters. Hopefully playing the Giants will help, they are pretty banged up also.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

I had to laugh to myself realizing how banged up we that we have to turn around and play on short rest. They better expand rosters. Hopefully playing the Giants will help, they are pretty banged up also.

& they don't even get the benefit of extra rest after the Giants game. They are playing back-to-back Thu nt football games. Ditto pretty much for the Cowboys. Who the hell makes these schedules?