While quarterback Drew Brees was smashing the single-season record for passing yards, the New Orleans Saints’ running backs were putting together an impressive season of their own.

In fact, it may surprise you to find out the Saints’ running game finished sixth in the NFL, gaining 129.9 yards per game. On a per carry basis they checked in at fourth in the league with a 4.9-yard average.

“It’s a huge part of our offense,” Brees said. “Typically, I’d say when you look at an offense, it would probably be hard to be top ten passing and rushing because there are only so many plays in a game and so you’re running it more you’re throwing it more. I think it’s great that we’ve been able to sustain the efficiency in both and create for the other, especially when you look at the overall yardage, both passing and rushing. It’s pretty unique.”

Perhaps the biggest reason the New Orleans’ rushing attack doesn’t get the proper attention — aside from Brees dominating the headlines — is because the team doesn’t have a traditional featured back. Instead they had a committee of four players sharing the load over the course of the season, ranging from 79-122 carries.

In terms of carries, the Saints were led by rookie Mark Ingram, yet he had the lowest yardage per carry (3.9) of the four players. New Orleans will be without Ingram on Saturday after the team was forced to place him on IR with a toe injury.

Picking up in Ingram’s absence is Chris Ivory. 

Ivory, who burst onto the scene last year as an undrafted rookie out of Tiffin University, missed the first seven weeks this year while recovering from  lisfranque and sports hernia surgeries. Since returning to the lineup, he has rushed for 374 yards on 79 carries, including a 127-yard performance in the Saints’ Week 17 win over the Carolina Panthers. 

In addition to Ivory, the Saints have Pierre Thomas (562 yards, 110 carries) and the always-explosive Darren Sproles. 

A versatile free agent pick up from San Diego, Sproles has effectively replaced Reggie Bush in the Saints offense. He finished the regular season with 1,303 total yards, 86 receptions and a ridiculous 6.9 yards per carry. 

Not much else going on in the NFL world today.

New Orleans Saints individual records (non-Drew Brees) and notes from the win against Carolina on Sunday.

· TE Jimmy Graham had eight receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown. He set a franchise record for receptions in a season with 99 and tied another mark with his 11th touchdown reception. The previous mark for catches was 98 by Marques Colston in 2007. Colston, in 2007, and Joe Horn, in 2004, are the other receivers in Saints history with 11 touchdown catches.

· For a brief moment, Graham held the NFL record for receiving yards in a season by a tight end (1,310), before New England’s Rob Gronkowski caught a 23-yard pass in the final two minutes to up his season total to 1,327.

· Running back Darren Sproles had 168 combined net yards (40 rushing, 29 receiving, 45 punt returns, 54 kickoff returns) Sunday to improve his season total to 2,696, an NFL single-season record. The previous mark of 2,690 was set by the Tennessee Titans’ Derrick Mason in 2000, and the second-highest total (and previous Saints franchise mark) of 2,647 was set by Michael Lewis in 2002.

· Colston caught Brees’ first pass on Sunday to go past the 1,000-yard mark in receiving yards for the fifth time in his six seasons with the Saints. Colston, who had 10 catches for 145 yards against the Panthers, ends 2011 with 80 receptions for 1,143 yards.

· Graham, Sproles and Colston all finished with 80 or more receptions.

· Colston and Graham are only the second set of teammates in franchise history to each have 1,000 or more yards receiving. In 2001, Joe Horn finished with 1,265 receiving yards and Willie Jackson 1,046.

· Cornerback Patrick Robinson’s second-quarter interception was his team-leading fourth of the season, two of which came off Carolina’s Cam Newton. Robinson is the seventh different Saints defender to lead or co-lead the team in interceptions since 2007.

· Rookie linebacker Martez Wilson’s third-quarter sack of Newton was the first of his career.

· Punder Thomas Morstead broke his own franchise history for punting average at 47.9. He averaged 45.9 yards per punt a year ago.

· Kicker John Kasay’s 144 points scored and 63 points after touchdown extended his own franchise records

What are your opinions.

The Saints will play to win Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.

Although they could opt to rest some starters in the regular-season finale, Coach Sean Payton said he doesn’t want to give up the Saints’ chance at the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs, and he doesn’t want to mess with the momentum they’ve built during their seven-game win streak.

“We’re playing some of our best football here the last few weeks. There’s some value to that,” said Payton, who said he doesn’t plan to keep an eye on the scoreboard to see what’s happening between the San Francisco 49ers and St. Louis Rams at the same time Sunday.

The Saints need the 49ers to lose at St. Louis to have a chance at the No. 2 seed and the first-round playoff bye that comes with it. That’s obviously a long shot, because the Rams are 2-13. But as Payton reminded, the Rams beat the Saints in St. Louis in Week 8.

“I’d hate to make that decision, (then watch the 49ers lose),” Payton said. “Our league is a league where every week, any team that lines up can win. A perfect example is the team we’re talking about is a team that beat us.”

Safety Roman Harper said he’s glad the Saints are playing to win, saying he wouldn’t want to turn off the switch at this point. But he was skeptical that the Rams will be able to hold up their end of the bargain.

He said in their situation, they probably have their bags packed for the offseason already.

“If they really wanted to help us, they wouldn’t have beat us in the first place. That’s how I look at it,” Harper said. “But we really can’t worry about what St. Louis and San Francisco are doing. We can only focus on how we’re going to control Cam Newton and Steve Smith and the Panthers.”

Fearing the injury bug

If Payton had any hesitation about playing his starters this week, it’s because of what the Saints experienced firsthand in Week 17 last season.

The Saints were in the same position, needing a victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons to lose to a struggling Carolina Panthers team in the final week to have a shot at the No. 1 seed. So the Saints played their starters, and they lost three key players to injuries in the first half — tight end Jimmy Graham, safety Malcolm Jenkins and tailback Chris Ivory — before losing the game.

All three players missed the playoff opener at Seattle the next week, which the Saints also lost. And Payton later said that playing his starters in Week 17 was one of his greatest regrets of the season.

Payton said this season is different, though, because the team is well-rested after a Week 10 bye. And, he said, “knock on wood, we’re healthy.”

Quarterback Drew Brees agreed with Payton’s decision to go all-out this week, saying it didn’t work out last season when they were essentially straddling the fence.

“I think we all found ourselves scoreboard-watching a little bit as to what was happening in that other game (last season),” Brees said. “And therefore I feel like, not that we took a step back in that game, but we just didn’t progress. And our mindset is we want to continue to progress and get better. I think there’s things that serve you well in this game if you can continue to stay on the rise as you go into the playoffs, whether they’re just confidence builders or situations that come up that you fight through.

“So I think we’re taking on a little bit different mindset than we did last year at this time in a very similar situation.”

Records within reach

Payton’s decision likely would have been the same under any circumstances this season. But it would have been an awkward choice to bench Brees.

Brees broke the NFL record for passing yards in a season in dramatic fashion Monday night in front of the frenzied crowd at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and a national-television audience. But he remains only 190 yards ahead of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, so he probably needs to add at least another 150 yards or so to secure the record.

Brees said that wasn’t the reason for the decision to play the starters this week. Neither was the team’s chase for the all-time yardage or first downs records, or Graham’s chase for the all-time receiving yardage record for tight ends, or tailback-kick returner Darren Sproles’ chase for the NFL all-purpose yardage record.

“Listen, there’s a lot of records out there that we could potentially set, break, what have you in this game,” Brees said. “I think our mindset, above and beyond that, was, ‘How do we put ourselves in the best position to play well and win in the playoffs?’”

Not that those records aren’t special.

Kudos flow in

Brees was emotional about breaking the passing record Monday night, as were his teammates, coaches, members of the organization and the fan base. He fought back tears as he addressed the team in a postgame speech, sharing the credit with everyone from his receivers to the equipment managers. And he even went out and celebrated with teammates after the game, not part of his usual routine.

“I figure life is too short. You have to appreciate these moments,” said Brees, who figured he received hundreds of phone messages, texts and emails from friends, family and heroes of his own.

One of them, he said, was a hilarious message from Metairie-born entertainer Ellen DeGeneres, who suggested that her coaching and advice had paid off during her visit to the team’s training camp practices in Oxnard, Calif.

Another came from the former record-holder, Dan Marino, whose mark of 5,084 yards had stood since 1984.

“Dan Marino called me yesterday and we talked for a little bit, and that was obviously a very classy move on his part to reach out and tell me congratulations,” Brees said. “We talked for a while. Obviously I have a ton of respect for him, not only what he accomplished as a player, but the way he has handled this whole situation. I heard from him last week saying he was rooting for me.”

Although Brees had tried to compartmentalize his emotions during the record chase, he said he also tried to prepare for what the moment would be like — especially in case it happened during a tense moment in the game.

That wasn’t the case in the Saints’ 45-16 rout of the Falcons, though it did come down to a late drive in the fourth quarter.

“Mid-fourth quarter we felt like the game was in hand, but the record was still out there,” Brees said. “It was obviously important to a lot of people, I know everybody in that stadium and everybody watching, that we did it that night and in the fashion we did it. But I guess the moment itself was surreal. You still kind of pinch yourself that it really happened. But maybe just because we’re so locked in with where we’re at and what we still have to accomplish.

“It’s not necessarily time to reflect. We can do that after the season. We’re thinking about what’s ahead.”

••••••••

Mike Triplett can be reached at mtriplett@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3405.

That’s all for today.

New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton said his team will play to win on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. He said he will not bench any starters for the regular-season finale.

“We’re going full speed ahead,” said Payton, who said he doesn’t even plan to pay attention to the score of the San Francisco 49ers-St. Louis Rams game, which will be played at the same time.

The Saints need to win and have the 49ers lose to earn the No. 2 seed in the NFC.

Payton said he decided to play his starters this week, both because of that shot at the No. 2 seed and because he feels like his team is well-rested and has a lot of momentum going during its current seven-game win streak.

“We’re playing some of our best football here the last few weeks,” Payton said. “There’s some value to that.”

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On the night after Christmas, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees broke an NFL record that had stood for nearly three decades, and New Orleans beat its archrival Atlanta 45-16 to clinch the fifth division crown in franchise history. The victory keeps the Saints (12-3) in the hunt for the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs, and its convincing nature offered further evidence no team in football is more explosive than New Orleans.

The Saints, undefeated at home this season, have now won seven in a row.

All of those heartwarming holiday milestones the team reached paled, however, to Brees breaking Dan Marino’s record of 5,084 passing yards in a season. Brees threw for 307 yards in the game, but it was a 9-yard scoring pass to running back Darren Sproles with 2:51 remaining, and the Saints already holding a commanding lead, that gave him 5,087 for the season.

Brees thrust a fist into the air exultantly and then was mobbed by teammates led by guard Carl Nicks. Even referee Jeff Triplette came over and shook Brees’ hand. The performance also left Brees as the only player in NFL history to throw for more than 5,000 yards in a season twice.

“It was a big win, a special night for us with all of it kind of culminating in one game,” Coach Sean Payton said.

Brees’ record overshadowed a more sustained assault the Saints are putting on the NFL’s offensive record book, in an outing that left the already playoff-bound Falcons (9-6) completely outclassed by the divisional champ. For example, Brees also extended his streak of consecutive games throwing a touchdown pass to 42 as he chases a mark even older than Marino’s — Johnny Unitas’ 47. Similarly, the Saints amassed 463 yards, leaving them with 6,857 yards for the season and 219 short of the all-time record set by the St. Louis Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf.”

“There’s a lot still to be written, and we look forward to that,” Payton said.

The Saints now host the Carolina Panthers on New Year’s Day in a game that holds significance only if the San Francisco 49ers lose at St. Louis on the same day. In that case, a Saints’ victory would give them the No. 2 seed and a bye in the playoffs before hosting a home game.

From the outset Monday night, a setting in which the Saints traditionally play superb football, it was clear New Orleans was a team on a mission.

While opening a 21-10 halftime lead, the Saints converted eight of eight third-down opportunities and scored touchdowns on three of their four trips inside the Falcons’ 20-yard line. Running back Pierre Thomas began what would be the most points scored against Atlanta since 2004 with a 4-yard scoring run, and Atlanta sandwiched a field goal and touchdown around that to hold a 10-7 lead.

However, Brees then marched the Saints 81 yards in 10 plays, the last of them an 8-yard scoring toss to wide receiver Marques Colston, and though 70,086 in attendance didnt yet know it, the rout was on.

“It was a huge deal,” Colston said of Brees’ record and the win. “To be able to do it against the Falcons and for the division and on Monday night, all those things just make it more special. It was a huge win, and to be able to achieve that is obviously a great thing for us. But we’ve got higher places to go.”

With just 24 seconds left in the first half, Jimmy Graham collared a 9-yard touchdown pass from Brees, a catch that made Graham the first Saints tight end to have 10 touchdown catches in a season.

In the second half, Brees added a 24-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Robert Meachem and then the record-breaker to Sproles, giving Brees four scoring strikes in the game.

Brees said that, after the Meachem score, he overheard a voice on the sideline saying, “you’re really close,” and it struck him as an improper vibe.

“Like jinxing a no-hitter,” Brees said. “I mean, we were rolling at that point. Like a pitcher — don’t talk to him, leave him alone.”

Yet, from a purely statistical standpoint, it wasn’t his finest effort. Brees also threw two interceptions, one of them a bizarre pass to the end zone that Falcons safety William Moore batted high in the air and back toward the goal line, where it was caught by cornerback Dominique Franks.

The first of those picks ended a streak of 233 passes by Brees without an interception, the longest such streak of his career, and the second helped hold his quarterback rating for the game to 96.8. But all of that could not blemish the uncontestable fact Brees was commanding one of the best offenses football has ever seen.

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who completed 34 of 52 passes for 373 yards, managed to move the ball at times against a Saints defense that appeared to play with more and more emotion as New Orleans’ lead widened and Brees closed on Marino’s mark. Despite the Falcons best efforts, they managed two field goals by Matt Bryant in the second half — the first a 51-yarder that made the score 28-13 and the second a meaningless 30-yarder that finished Atlanta’s scoring.

The Saints’ defensive spirit burst into flower after Bryant made that second field goal. After the Saints, playing conservatively with the big lead, went three-and-out, linebacker Scott Shanle stripped Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones of the ball. New Orleans safety Malcolm Jenkins scooped up the bouncing ball and raced 30 yards untouched for a touchdown that made the score 38-16.

That score also provided Payton the cushion he needed to give the green light to Brees push for the yardage record in the closing minutes. With the game and the divisional crown in hand, the team cast its steely gaze at Marino’s venerable achievement when they took over on downs at the Atlanta 33 with 5:08 left.

Brees insisted he didn’t know the exact number he needed at that point. Leading up to the game Brees said he strove to compartmentalize the record and the game itself, and that mindset carried over into the fourth quarter.

On a third-and-9, Brees went to Colston on the left side for 12 yards, then hit Devery Henderson for 11 more. After a bullet to Henderson on the next snap went incomplete, Brees and Sproles hooked up for the memorable touchdown.

“That’s when I knew I had done it,” Brees said. “Just an amazing feeling.”

Nicks said the pretzel he put his quarterback in when he “bum- rushed” him after the record was set was a labor of love.

“If Hollywood were to make a movie I don’t know if Tom Cruise could play him,” Nicks said. “This guy is out of this world. Probably one of the best guys I know, period. If I could put him on my shoulders and parade him around the whole stadium I would have done that.”

Afterward, even the media broke into applause when Brees entered the postgame interview room.

“Not as tough a crowd as I thought,” Brees joked, before immediately turning to the rewards the team had reaped. “It feels great to be division champs. It feels great to have done what we just did, especially on Monday night before a national audience.”

But he did permit himself a personal note.

“I haven’t had a whole lot of time for reflection,” he said. “For now, I just feel like there’s still so much to be done. I do feel life his short and you have to enjoy these things. I’m never going to take it for granted.”

James Varney can be reached at jvarney@timespicayune.com or 504.717.1156.

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The New Orleans Saints have won six straight Monday Night Football games, dating back to 2008, which is the longest streak in the NFL according to ESPN.com. That streak includes a dominating 49-24 victory over the New York Giants last month, and they Saints are hoping to keep it alive Monday against the Atlanta Falcons in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Saints Coach Sean Payton has a simple explanation for the Saints’ Monday night streak: The Saints have simply been a good team in general over that stretch.

“I think we’ve been able to that because I think we’re a better football team than maybe in years past,” Payton said. “And we get comfortable to a schedule or a routine, I think, like all the teams do. I think it comes down to the execution and understanding how to focus for that three-hour period to play your best football. And chances are the team that does that this upcoming Monday night will be the team that’s most successful.”

There is the quick update of the day.

There won’t be much in this game that the New Orleans Saints haven’t seen from Atlanta, and vice versa. The teams know each other very well and are bound to play a close game. With both teams playing at a high level, it is becoming one of the most recognizable rivalries league-wide.

This time around, the Saints are playing for a chance to clinch the NFC South championship for the second time in three seasons and the third time under Coach Sean Payton. A New Orleans victory would also keep intact that no team in NFC South history has won back-to-back division crowns.

Payton has had much success against the Falcons, going 9-2 against the Dirty Birds since becoming the Saints’ coach in 2006, and New Orleans has taken five of the past six meetings. The Saints look to have an advantage because the game is being played on Monday night. The teams have played five times on “Monday Night Football,” and the Saints are 4-1. This is the third consecutive season the teams are playing on “MNF.”

FALCONS OFFENSE

Matt Ryan passed for 351 yards the last time they met, but historically Ryan hasn’t been at his best against the Saints. In six career starts against New Orleans, Ryan is 2-4, and the Saints are one of the two teams Ryan has played more than once against whom he doesn’t have a winning record (Philadelphia is the other).

Still, Ryan is having a career season and has more than receiver Roddy White to thank for it. In the offseason, the Falcons gave up a lot in the draft to get Julio Jones, and the rookie receiver is paying off. He has 42 catches for 755 yards and five touchdowns and is developing into a deep threat. And Tony Gonzalez, the ageless wonder at tight end, is second on the team in receptions (74), yards (755) and touchdown catches (seven).

White is again looking like one of the top receivers in the game. He has had three 100-yard receiving games in his past five after having just one such game in his first nine. In his past five games, White has 38 receptions for 537 yards and five touchdowns. He had 10 catches for 135 yards and two scores in last week’s 41-14 win against Jacksonville. He’s third in the league in catches (85), eighth in yards (1,100) and ninth in touchdowns (eight).

But running back Michael Turner is still the key figure in the Falcons’ attack. In Atlanta’s nine wins this season, Turner has averaged 90.3 yards per game and scored eight touchdowns. However, in the Falcons’ five losses, he only has averaged 63.2 yards per game and scored one touchdown. Taking out a 10-carry, 100-yard performance in Week 1 against Chicago, Turner is only averaging 3.4 yards per carry in the losses. Turner did rush for 96 yards the last time he played the Saints.

FALCONS DEFENSE

John Abraham is coming off one of his best games after posting 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles against the Jaguars. He was the NFC Defensive Player of the Week. Abraham needs just 1.5 sacks to have his seventh season of 10 sacks or more. He anchors a defense that is ninth in the league in yards allowed per game and fourth against the run. The Saints struggled in this aspect last game, gaining only 41 yards.

Sean Witherspoon, a player many Saints fans coveted in the 2010 draft, has 107 tackles and is tied with Lawrence Sidbury for second on the team, with four sacks. Curtis Lofton leads the team in tackles with 124, fifth in the league. Lofton finished with nine tackles against the Saints last time and has made 10 or more tackles six times.

Atlanta’s secondary is primed to get a boost, as Brent Grimes and Kelvin Hayden are looking to return from injury. Grimes has missed three games because of a knee injury, and Hayden has been out since Nov. 20 with a toe injury. Grimes has one interception but leads the team with 12 pass deflections.

FALCONS SPECIAL TEAMS

Eric Weems was one of the best return men in the league last season but has been mediocre this season, as the Falcons rank 18th in punt-return and kick-return averages. Weems is averaging 23.3 yards per kick return and 9.9 yards per punt return and has yet to return one for a touchdown.

Kicker Matt Bryant has been a steady force this season. After making 90.3 percent of his field-goal attempts last season, Bryant is hitting 92 percent (23-of-25) this season. Bryant, who once kicked a 62-yarder with Tampa Bay, has a long this season of 50.

Matt Bosher has placed 26 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line, sixth-most in the NFL. He’s averaging 42.1 yards per punt and a 39.1 net averag,e and only three of his punts have been touchbacks. Opponents are only averaging 4.7 yards a return against Atlanta this season.

LAST TIME THEY MET

Nov. 13, 2011, Georgia Dome

John Kasay kicked a 26-yard field goal in overtime to give the Saints a 26-23 victory. New Orleans seemingly had things in control when Kasay kicked a 44-yarder to give the Saints a 23-13 lead with 7:13 remaining, but the Falcons stormed back. Ryan threw a career-high 52 passes for 351 yards and two touchdowns. Harry Douglas gave the Saints’ defense fits and finished with eight receptions for 133 yards. Saints safety Roman Harper finished with a season-high 13 tackles, including a sack, two tackles for losses and one pass deflection and was credited with two quarterback hits. 

There is the quick update of the day.

What should be appreciated most about these Saints, if it isn’t already atop the list, is they’ve made winning so routine that significant milestones are expected, rather than marked by second-lines and songs.

On Sunday, the Saints posted their third consecutive 10-win season, a first in franchise history, and they also clinched their third consecutive playoff berth, something that had happened only once before (1990-92).

Yet, it would be hard to know that that level of achievement had been obtained at all with this team and its core of players who simply believe that this is the way it’s supposed to be.

“Unfortunately, because of the history of the franchise, I don’t think that doing things that have never happened here is a cause for immediate celebration,” New Orleans right tackle Zach Strief said. “Now, if it’s two straight Super Bowls, yes.

“But other than that, we’ll wait for the big celebration.”

It’s hard to counter that logic.

And, too, another cause for the muted response is that New Orleans (10-3) is in a heated playoff race, tied with the San Francisco 49ers for second place in the NFC, trying to secure a first-round bye and home field advantage for a divisional playoff game.

As untouchable as the Saints have been this season in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, hosting a playoff game after a bye would be huge. And if, somehow, the Green Bay Packers finally hiccupped and lost in a playoff game, that result (coupled with a Saints win) would allow New Orleans again to host the NFC championship game.

So it’s understandable that the focus for Saints players is on the “now,” and it doesn’t allow much time for reflection.

But when the time comes to reflect, they’ll like what they see in the mirror.

New Orleans has become one of the league’s model franchises, among its most consistent winners, a legitimate pick to reach the Super Bowl each season since it made its stunning run to the NFC title game in 2006, Coach Sean Payton’s first in New Orleans.

No, Payton’s Saints haven’t been so fruitful that they have been able to erase the memories of their predecessors. References to the Mike Ditka era are rare nowadays, but few have forgotten how helpless and directionless the Saints were.

But those remembrances give Saints fans all the more reason to celebrate the new franchise order, which places New Orleans among the most attractive free agent destinations and successful teams in the league.

“That’s a big accomplishment, especially with the history of this team,” Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins said. “This being the first time we have done that, jump-start the organization and become a winning culture, I think that’s big for us.”

Absolutely, it’s big.

But not so big that it has been overcelebrated, or even celebrated as much as you’d think it would be in New Orleans, where accomplishments spontaneously combust into festive occasions more than anywhere else on Earth.

That’s what happens when success becomes the rule, rather than the exception. Jenkins, in fact, has no idea what it’s like to be on a ragtag Saints team, no concept what it’s like to play meaningless games for a month to finish out the season.

As a rookie, he won the Super Bowl. Last season, he was in the playoffs — though the result, at Seattle, was one to bury. And this year he’s back in the playoffs, likely as a member of the NFC South Division champions for the second time in three years, eagerly anticipating another postseason appearance so the team can atone for the shocker last season in Seattle.

Because he joined the program during its ascension, the New Orleans he knows is one that understands winning, and little else.

“Really, this city has become spoiled really quickly,” Jenkins said. “We feel the pressure. It has changed really fast as far as the culture.

“They expect us to win 10-or-plus every year. It all happened with the Super Bowl. It’s good when expectations are that high.”

They’re so high that milestones can pass virtually unnoticed. There’s no bigger sign of excellence than that.

••••••••

John Deshazier can be reached at jdeshazier@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3410.

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Posted: Sunday, December 11, 2011, 8:10 PM

Mike Triplett and James Varney discuss the Saints performance on offense in the team’s 22-17 victory Sunday over the Titans in Nashville.

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

ALLEN PARK — At one point during Detroit’s game against New Orleans, the Saints put double coverage on Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson.

It’s a pretty typical strategy for everyone this side of Cris Carter. After all, few cornerbacks can handle the 6-foot-5, 235-pound Johnson’s combination of size, speed, strength and jumping ability – especially in the red zone.

What was atypical of Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ s approach was that he had two defensive backs cover Johnson as if he was a gunner on the punt team in an effort to take away the many weapons he has in his arsenal near the goal line.

“I think everybody from the beginning has keyed on Calvin Johnson,” said Lions head coach Jim Schwartz. “He is hard to hide. Particularly in the New Orleans game this week, they tried their very best to double him on every single play.”

It wasn’t a surprise to see the two Saints defenders lining up on Johnson right next to each other.

“I’ve seen that before,” said Detroit offensive coordinator, who held the same position for the Vikings. “They did that to (Randy) Moss. Not the Saints, but I remember back when I was with Minnesota – third down, we used to get that from the Packers when we played them. It’s probably a good way to make sure you go somewhere else (with the ball).”

Schwartz, who was a defensive assistant under Williams in Tennessee, had seen him use the strategy before. He even had Linehan practice attacking that defense, specifically.

“Jim said Gregg’s done that when he worked with him years ago,” Linehan explained, “and I’m like, ‘I’ve got to see that to believe it.’

“And then we got down there, and I said to Jim, ‘There’s your look!’”

What are your opinions.

New Orleans Saints tailback Mark Ingram was optimistic that his turf toe injury will heal sooner than later. His toe was only lightly wrapped Wednesday, and he didn’t rule out the possibility that he could play Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

“I’m feeling better. Better than I did yesterday,” Ingram said. “It’s an injury that can vary. For some people, it can linger for a while. For others, it can turn the corner fast. Hopefully these next few days, it feels better and I can be ready to go.”

When asked if he will try to persuade the Saints to let him play or if he thinks they’ll be extra cautious since backup Chris Ivory is available to replace him, Ingram said, “at the end of the day, whatever’s best for the team.”

“If I feel like I can bring my best to the table, I’m gonna go,” Ingram said. “If I can’t, I’ll sit if that’s what’s best for the team. But I always wanna try to go.”

As for Ivory, who has been a “healthy inactive” for the last two games, he admitted that it’s “always hard when you want to be out there. But all I can do is sit back and wait til my number’s called.”

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Following is the full transcript from New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton’s Monday press conference, minus what he said about receivers coach Curtis Johnson. Paytons’ thoughts on Johnson being hired as Tulane’s new head coach can be found here.

New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton

Media Availability

Monday, December 5, 2011

Opening Statement:

“Just on some thoughts on the game yesterday, there were a lot of good things.  One thing that was pleasing was the week before we committed 11 penalties and it was something we wanted to address.  I thought our players responded pretty well to a number of situations in that game where maybe there was a point at which a post-play scrum escalates and there’s offsetting penalties.  I thought we did a really good job of keeping our poise.  We ended up with three penalties.  If you just look at yardage differential, it’s close to 80 yards or 70 yards in yardage differential.  That’s really no different than yards differential in the kicking game or offensively or defensively.  If you believe in hidden yardage, then you equate 100 yards to a touchdown and you equate yardage to points.  You have to.  I was encouraged with that aspect.  I think there are a handful of things we have to continue to work on.  I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but we’ve gotten on a run here and won some football games and yet we’ve won despite not being consistent in some areas.  I though we gave up some big pass plays yesterday that weren’t necessarily earned catches.  Those are plays we certainly need to be better at or in better position to defend.  I thought offensively again, this has happened now in a handful of games where we have a chance to put the game away and we’re unable to do that and turn the ball over on downs.  In the kicking game, we’ve got one of the better returners in the NFL and we’re having trouble getting him some yardage both in the punt return game and in the kick return game.  I think he’s been closer in the kick return game.  I thought he was close in Atlanta.  I thought last night we had a couple of opportunities, more than that the punt return aspect or element of what we’re doing.  Those are things specifically that you point to that you want to look at with your team in that quest for improvement and trying to be the best team you can be.  Our effort was good and our energy was good.  It was an important win for us.  We go on the road for two weeks now and prepare to play what seems like has been a while since we’ve played on grass and outside.”

Do you look at the wins that you’ve had recently over teams that are fighting to get into the playoffs as an advantage certainly with the head-to-head competition?

“I thought when we started the third quarter of the season, every one of us just on paper looked at four good football teams.  When that quarter began, it was Tampa Bay who was playing well, Atlanta, the Giants, and Detroit.  All four of those teams played or were playing good football.  The goal was to see where we stacked up and where we measured.  I like the way we responded to that.  We still have a quarter of the season left.  We have another important stretch of games here now with two being on the road and two at home.  Those are good football teams and you get some confidence when you play well against a good football team and you’re able to win.”

Are you better than you were last year?

“We’ll see.  We got on a run last year similar to what we’re doing now.  We won however many games in a row.  Ultimately, the great thing about our game is we get to see.  In other words, we don’t finish with a how would you evaluate that performance.  We finish with a tangible here you are and here’s what you did in the postseason and then we could just throw it up on the wall and it sticks.  I think we’re a work in progress.  I think we have some areas where we’re better.  I think there are some areas where we’re not playing as well particularly, but I do think we’re playing with confidence and I think that time will tell.  We’ll have a chance here to see how this team stacks up to not only last year’s team, but to team’s prior period.  That’s the great thing.  There’s a turnover element to our league every year.  The teams are different.  There’s turnover with the staffs.  This team this year gets to make its own mark.  That’s exciting.”

Would you like to see your team play better on the road?

“We’ve been a good road team.  Let’s step away from the home wins.  We’ve been a good road team.  We’ve won on the road.  We’ve lost a tough game at Green Bay and we’ve lost a tough game at Tampa and St. Louis, but what’s more bothering is just the areas regardless of whether it’s home or away that we just need to focus on.  I like our road routine.  I like this team in regards to how we travel and what wins when you travel.  To answer your question, I would lose more sleep over some fundamental things that happened to us both home or on the road as opposed to the overall record.  Some of our tough losses happened on the road this year, but I think our history shows that we can travel.  More importantly, it’s the specific things within the framework of a game that I think lead to winning and losing regardless of whether you’re at home or on the road.”

Do any of the Titans’ strengths stand out more than others?

“There are two things that you would look at immediately: it’s a team that’s quietly gone under the radar and is playing good football and I think in league circles we would recognize it, look at the tape and see that these guys have won a lot of football games and there’s been a formula, and certainly Mike (Munchak) has certainly embraced being steady on defense and having that balance offensively.  I think Chris Johnson is playing probably his best football of the season.  Those would be a few of the things, and then just getting back to being away from the dome and travelling and being ready for another itinerary.  If we went back this four-game stretch that we talked about in this third quarter, three of these games were at home and the fourth one was on the road but all four were played inside.  It’s transitioning to the cleats (grass field), to the elements (outdoors), to a different team in the AFC, a team that’s playing well.  Those would be the initial thoughts before we really identify the pertinent statistical information.  Those would be the challenges.”

How much of Matt Hasselbeck do you remember from the playoff game last year?

“I think he’s a guy that is experienced and understands the pressure packages of defenses.  It’s going to be hard and it typically is hard to fool a veteran quarterback like that where he just gets hit and doesn’t realize he’s unprotected.  He has an ability to get the ball out.  Even in the game at home last year that we won, he had a tempo and a rhythm in that game.  He’s a quick decision maker and I think a good leader and certainly a guy that you have to recognize can beat you with his arm.  I think there are some valid points there of concern where you recognize he’s a veteran player who has won football games.”

Did you get to watch any of the SEC Championship and what are your thoughts on LSU making it to the National Championship game?

“I watched a little of it but not a whole lot.  The significance of the history of their program and understanding this is the first time they’ve finished 12-0 and unbeaten in the SEC, that’s amazing.  Just in the framework of the history of LSU football, so the opportunity to embrace that and potentially win a National Championship and then put that record against any other prior team is pretty strong.  Les (Miles) and his staff and his players have done an outstanding job and we pull for them.  Sometimes we’re able to catch the games, sometimes we can’t.  That’ll be exciting and certainly for the city that there’s the Sugar Bowl, the BCS game, the Final Four and then the Super Bowl.  That’s pretty strong when you really look at the season they had and you just match it against their history, that’s the thing I think is always exciting is how you separate yourself and I think they’ve done that.”

Will you be on the sidelines with no crutches next week?

“I’m probably another week.  I could walk without them like I’m walking right now.  I just don’t know if it’s safe to do that on the sideline, but we’re getting close.  Hopefully it’s sooner than later.”

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New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton addressed the media after Thursday’s practice. Provided by the team, here is a transcript of his remarks:

Opening statement:

“Today’s injury list: DE Turk McBride (left ankle) did not practice, LB Jonathan Vilma (left knee) was limited, CB Jabari Greer (right knee) was full, and DT Tom Johnson (left elbow) as full. Most of the work today was in our nickel and third down.”

Is it easier when you have just one wide receiver like Calvin Johnson on a team to focus on defending him and shutting him down?

“Certainly the challenges always shift to run and pass as to how you’re going to support the run and if you’re going to play with safety help over the top of a receiver, then there’s an area there that you’re giving up. I think more importantly than anything you have to have that mix. There may be times when you won’t have safety help over the top, then you have to understand clearly what you have to do underneath if you’re the corner defending him. The challenge when you watch him on tape is the earned receptions where the coverage is good and he has the stature to go up and make a play above his head. He runs extremely well. With that combination of size and strong hands, those are the challenges. When you’re in the right spot and he’s able to elevate and make a play.”

Does it help that their running game may be a little weaker than it was a couple of weeks ago?

“I think when you’re offensively looking at what teams are trying to do to take away a player like Calvin, you want to have that balance. Typically you get into seven or seven and a half man fronts instead of eight man fronts when you’re playing with safety help over the top of the receiver. Again, it just gets back to the mix and I think more importantly than anything else is doing your best to prevent the big plays, the ones that change momentum in games and the ones you see that he’s made in big spots for them. It’s easier said than done, but certainly it’s a point of emphasis when you’re defending a player like him.”

What is it that the Lions do so well to have one of the best pass defenses in the league?

“I think there’s a direct correlation in their pass defense as it pertains to their ability to rush the passer. They’re a team that does a very good job within the four-man rush of hurrying and pressuring quarterbacks, so when that clock is shorter for the QB, I think it benefits everyone in coverage. I think they’re a great example of that. They’re playing very well on the back end, and yet they’re able to really speed up that clock. I think that becomes more challenging. I think they’re by far the number one team in third down defense. They’re holding opponents to a really low number in regards to conversions. I think it starts with the rush.”

Has it been impressive that they’ve come such a long way as a defense from ’09 when the Saints last played them?

“It has been. It’s a credit to what they’ve done with their draft picks and what they’ve done with their free agent signings. They’ve done it in a relatively quick manner and turned the program around. We’re a little familiar with that and understand the challenges and how difficult that is to do. Certainly you see a new attitude and a team that is playing for something at this point in the season and it’s a credit to those people involved. There’s a lot that goes into that.”

Do you think it’s a big point of emphasis for the Lions to do well in this game, especially on Sunday Night Football to show how far they’ve come?

“Early in the week in our PowerPoint presentation really outlining the team we’re playing is the very first or second screen up on the board was just the drastic improvement in all areas, not just one specific area. They’re playing better defense and they’re playing better on offense and in the kicking game. I think our players when they put the tape on are smart enough to see the challenges they present. They’re the first team in the history of the league that’s come back on three different occasions down by 17 points. It’s never happened before in a season. It’s a team that has a lot of confidence in playing not only with a lead, but a lot of confidence in getting back into games. We try to highlight those things and make a point of emphasis on those areas. Each morning, we kind of hit the emphasis of the day that really correlates to what we’re practicing that day. Today’s points of emphasis were all on third down. It’s pretty impressive when you look at their third down numbers, especially defensively when you look at what they’re holding opponents to. When you’re holding opponents to that low of a percentage, after week two or three you might just say we haven’t gotten that much statistical information in; but ten weeks in, that’s pretty impressive.”

Do you think Jo-Lonn Dunbar’s natural position is middle linebacker, or do you think he’s a very versatile player that can play all the linebacker positions?

“I would say he’s probably more at home or more comfortable playing at the Mike, and yet he’s a very smart player. The two positions that we’ve seen him at through the years have been Sam and then Mike. He’ll play in our package with four linebackers. That versatility is valuable to a team for the very example we’ve seen now with Jon Vilma being injured and him being able to come in and communicate and call the plays defensively and handle the formations, handle some of the audibles that Jon would handle. It’s not something we take for granted. We talk about players that have earned their way in and have fought their way in and he’d be a great example of that.”

Do you have to be a really bright guy to do what he’s doing?

“Yes, I think so. To be the Mike and to handle the play calls that come in and to get the defense set up and do it in a very quick manner and do it against the no-huddle looks and do it against the two minute looks, I think so. I think it’s a tough position to play when we’re talking about Mike. I think instincts are key at that position and intelligence certainly plays a big part of that.”

Do you think you could throw him in there at weak side linebacker?

“We certainly could, although we’d certainly pass a couple of players that we would put in there first. I think it’s Mike or Sam for him. Certainly he could play the Will, but there would be two other players with Scott Shanle and Jonathan Casillas and a guy like Ramon Humber that I think his niche would certainly be the other two positions.”

How much do you point out to your team when teams like the Texans or the Lions come in and are playing barometer games in which they compare themselves to your team?

“With respect to where they’re at, I think they’re kind of past that point where they feel like they need to make statements in regards to where their program is at. They’ve played very good football teams and have had success against Dallas and they play Green Bay in their own division. I think it’s a little bit simpler than that in that it’s late in the season and we’re playing for an opportunity to get into the post-season, and I think that’s the same thing that this club is doing.”

What is Jonathan Vilma’s status in his recovery?

“This is a big week for him in that I think he’s turned the corner. He’s limited. Just the work he’s getting, we’re encouraged with where he’s at.”

With the reports you have right now on him, do you think you should get him as close to one hundred percent before he comes back?

“That’s what we’re hopeful for. His progress has been on pace I would say. Last week we felt would be not a stretch, but we were somewhat guarded with where he’s be at headed into the game against New York. I think he’s felt better this week in regards to his movement skills and he’s looked better with the reps he’s taken. Tomorrow will be another important day for him with another full practice and really the last of the full practices.”

How much does not having him in there alter what you do?

“I think it can. Hopefully we’re versatile enough and we have enough depth, and back to Jo-Lonn, with his ability to step in and have a pretty clear grasp of what the Mike is doing. I guess it would be different if your alternative wasn’t as different or wasn’t someone that picked it up as quickly as Jo-Lonn. We’ve tried to have each game a handful of packages that certainly feature not just the Mike linebacker position, but a handful of packages that involve different players at linebacker. It helps to have someone with some experience like Jo-Lonn that can come in and not prohibit you from certain looks that you’d like to be in based on that opponent.”

Did it take Jonathan Vilma’s injury for you guys to focus on playing in a 3-4 defense more?

“No, I don’t think so. I think if you went back and studied our 3-4 snaps, the idea that you have an injury at linebacker and now you’re going to put four on the field, I don’t think it had anything to do with Jon’s injury. I think it’s been something that Gregg (Williams) and our staff defensively have incorporated going back into ’09 with our snaps. There have been a lot of snaps in games where it’s a package that we like and because we have a guy like Jo-Lonn where we’re able to keep it in, you might say with an injury to a linebacker you might move away from putting four on the field. But I think we’re deep enough there where we feel confident when we get into that package that we can still play it and not lose that effectiveness that maybe we would’ve had when Jon was healthy.”

Do you think it helps since the other team has to prepare for it a lot more?

“It’s another aspect that there are only an ‘x’ number of snaps that you can work under in the work week, so it’s a part of it that the opponent would work on. They’re going to call a dozen plays versus that front coverage.”

With Darren Sproles in your lineup now and with the Wildcat, would you think about running out of that formation with him?

“I’m certain that Darren could run that, and yet we still get back to having a hard time getting away from the ball leaving the center’s hands and not going to Drew (Brees’). I think he could run it.”

Have you thought about returning to play-calling duties?

“It’s been kind of a work in progress. Pete (Carmichael Jr.) has done a great job and progressively there will be times during the game where either I’m trying to help him or saying, ‘Hey, let’s get to this.’ Logistically, being back on the sidelines has been certainly a plus for me and getting back down. When it comes to calling every play, the trick now is that Pete’s wearing the headset communicator, and with two crutches and the hand that goes to the headset and one holding up the call sheet, I have an assistant that works with me now and can hand me that sheet. Right now, I don’t know that we’re midway through the rehab process, but we’re making a lot of progress and sooner than later, probably by Christmas I’ll be without the crutches. I think that transition has gone pretty smooth, but right now I think the approach still with Pete is he goes in and he’s prepared to call the offense and the most important thing is that I’m not slowing down the process. There were times last week where I called a handful of plays just situationally. It’s a little bit easier as the game’s flowing for me to look down and interject when something comes up that I think is important. He’s done a great job. He understands exactly what we’re doing in the week and what the points of emphasis are. As the plan gets put into place and it’s a process each day, I think there’s really been no change as to how we want to attack our opponents. Certainly when someone else is calling plays, there will be some tendencies and there will be some changes ro things that are just uniquely different. That’s something that gradually will work it’s way back to where it’s something that I’m comfortable with and it’s something that I like to do. Most importantly, it’s the team right now and what’s best for our team. As the head coach, I try to step away from it and evaluate me being down on the field and then trying to make sure we don’t lose anything from an efficiency standpoint as I’m working with the crutches and that kind of thing. It’s gone well. I think each week it’s been a little different, and yet I think Pete has done a good job with it. He’s done an outstanding job.”

When we watched the feed from Monday Night Football when you were all in the same room, it seemed like you were all on the same page.

“The thing that’s interesting for the fan who may not be as aware of how the process works is all of these different categories of third-and-two to three, or red zone 15 to 10, or red zone five to goal line, or short yardage third and ones, theses are small categories on the call sheet that are boxed in down to four or five specific plays. Then the days leading up to the game, our players will know on Saturday night what the first goal line call is going to be. They’ll know what the first short yardage is going to be. They’ll know what the feature third-and-two to three calls are going to be. By the time you get to the game, certainly you have to make those calls but there’s a lot of information that’s been processed where you almost know what the question on the test is going to be. There is that instinct to not get away from those categories, but which of the four plays in the second quarter. We’ve begun to look at halftime into scripting five or six plays to start the second half. For ten weeks, we were starting the second half with the football so we began to script five or six plays to start the second half. I think the bigger part of the game plan is really the work that’s done Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Those are critical plans that take place during the evenings and then practices the following day. I think that’s the key to the success and everyone kind of being on the same page.”

Would you like to be back by Christmas doing the play-calling?

“I’d like to be back by Christmas just without the crutches. I think that process will handle itself. We just try to take it each week at a time. Atlanta was a week ahead of schedule and I came down and I thought it was important for us as a team. Logistically just trying to place yourself in a safe spot on the sidelines is another challenge and it’s probably easier when the ball’s in between the 30′sbecause you can kind of get behind the ball. The more challenging spot is when the ball is at one end of the field or the other and you’re in a position where the play can potentially come to your bench area. It’s kind of a work in progress.”

Would you become comfortable if Pete were calling the plays the rest of the way?

“Absolutely. He’s someone that not only myself, but all of us have confidence in doing that. I think realistically it’s something that I’ll be back involved with more and more each week. I’ve said this before, we’re in our sixth year and he’s been here all six years. He’s very smart. He’s extremely dedicated and a hard working guy that will be here late at night. By the time the game begins, not only with Pete but the offensive coaches and myself all kind of understand how we want to play a game and how we want to attack an opponent and what our thoughts are that week. That’s all worked out well.”

Do you have any say in whether you get flexed to a night game especially coming off of a Monday Night Football game?

“No, we don’t. I think it basically gave us a few more hours between being on the field from the last game. I think moving from Sunday to Sunday night especially when it’s a home game is not a big transition. I think certainly the players and all of us get excited to play in a spot like that where it’s a national TV game. No, that’s something that’s done with the networks and the league.”

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

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Coming off this season’s bye week, the New Orleans Saints insisted Tuesday the lag unusually deep in the season should not derail their momentum. The schedule tends to bolster their claim. New Orleans (7-3) returns to action on a two-game, intra-division winning streak, and the team now faces back-to-back games against NFC playoff contenders in the New York Giants and the Detroit Lions. Both games will be nationally televised, on Monday and next Sunday night, precisely the kind of bright spotlight under which Coach Sean Payton’s teams have traditionally performed their best.

The team’s history and its opponents, therefore, indicate a letdown is unlikely, quarterback Drew Brees said.

“I think it’s definitely different having the bye later,” Brees said, noting the long time between the opening of camp and 10 weeks of regular season football. “You’re kind of itching for that opportunity just to take a deep breath and get away a little bit, rest your body, rest your mind, recharge the battery and then get back.

“I mean, it was a pretty spirited practice today,” Brees continued. “We’re excited for the opportunity we have going into the second half of the season. Obviously, the Giants coming to town, huge game on a Monday night. So as you look at it, hey, we’ve got a tough schedule, a lot of very good teams on the docket, and this is our opportunity to try to separate ourselves and establish our position both in the division and in the conference.”

The Saints’ position vis-a-vis the Giants improved greatly in the past few days when New York (6-4) turned in a lackadaisical performance and lost to the Eagles at home 17-10. Like New Orleans, the Giants have tough games remaining on their schedule, and thus a win by either team Monday night could prove crucial in terms of head-to-head or conference records when the playoff picture sorts out.

Regardless of the opponent, Payton has tinkered with his bye week schedules the past few season, largely in response to disappointing performances after an off week. The Saints lost to Baltimore at home after their bye in 2006, to Carolina at home in 2007, and then on the road to the Falcons in 2008. Ironically, New Orleans turned its post-bye week blues around in 2009 when they annihilated the Giants in the Superdome.

This year, with the Monday night contest offering an additional day of rest, Brees said Payton essentially gave the team a vacation after its stirring overtime victory in Atlanta, and the time off has paid mental and physical dividends.

“You know, Coach turned us loose after that big Atlanta victory,” Brees said. “And then the fact we’re playing on Monday night gave us an extra day as well — this is the most time off we’ve had … ever.”

Healthy for homestretch

Certainly the team re-engages with a reasonably clean bill of health this late in an NFL season. For perhaps the first time all season, the Saints will have a full complement of four healthy running backs, creating what Payton dubbed a “good problem” for the staff in determining who will be on Sunday’s active roster. While key players like defensive end Turk McBride were not visible at Tuesday’s practice open to the media, other players, such as middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who is recovering from apparently minor knee surgery, were.

Payton said each situation is different, but he appeared satisfied with the state of affairs Wednesday.

“There are some variables,” Payton said. “This is I think the first time we’ve been on the last bye weekend, and I think it came at a good time. It’s helped us after that stretch to get away from it a little bit. I think it’s a little bit more challenging when that bye falls in week four, or week five, and all of a sudden you’re off and you just got going. In our case, we prefer the bye to be later in the schedule.”

Practice did include more conditioning than it normally would in late November, Payton said. The team will be off today and return to practice Thanksgiving Day.

“I thought we were fairly sharp,” he said. “We ran after practice. When you’re off a period of time you want to get back, and today was really like a bonus practice for us. We’ll have a chance on Thursday to review some of the stuff we did today.”

‘The important times’

Payton also looked to the schedule, noting key games against division rivals, followed by key games against conference teams vying for the same playoff slot as New Orleans — and the chance at getting a playoff game at home — helps hone concentration.

“It really fell on the third quarter of the season, and when we outlined that quarter three weeks ago I think our players, every one of us, understood we were getting ready to play four real good teams in this quarter,” Payton said. “And so you get a chance to measure yourself and see where you’re at, and it’s a big challenge. Our players recognize that.”

That sort of recognition, in fact, is one of the things Payton does best, according to players. Although it could in part also be a root of the team’s inconsistency, it is the Saints’ ability to pull the big game out of the mix and focus on its implications that helps explain why the team has performed at its best in nationally televised games.

“I think Coach Payton is a really good, I guess motivator, but more so he’s good at emphasizing the important times in a season,” offensive tackle Zach Strief said. “There’s certain weeks that are just big games. It might be a game that you didn’t expect at the beginning of the year, but there are games that are big and more important. And for us I know especially this month in general, November’s a big month for us because it’s where teams separate. Hearing that every day makes it part of your thoughts all of the time. And these Monday night games are big because everyone’s watching and you can make statements to other teams. I think for us more than anything he gets us ready to go, and this week will be no exception.”

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James Varney can be reached at jvarney@timespicayune.com or 504.717.1156.

There is the quick update of the day.