Injury Report: Saints starting cornerbacks miss Wednesday practice ahead of Rams game

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS WEDNESDAY INJURY REPORT

Did not practice

CB Marshon Lattimore (ankle)

CB Ken Crawley (abdomen)

Limited

LB A.J. Klein (ankle)

S Kenny Vaccaro (groin)

T Terron Armstead (rest)

LOS ANGELES RAMS INJURY REPORT

Did not practice

WR Robert Woods (shoulder)

CB Kayvon Webster (concussion)

CB Nickell Robey-Coleman (thigh)

LB Connor Barwin (NIR)

CB John Sullivan (NIR)

T Andrew Whitworth (NIR)

RB Malcolm Brown (knee)

LB Mark Barron (hand)

RB Lance Dunbar (knee)

Limited

LB Bryce Hager (calf)

Full

TE Derek Carrier (hamstring)

CB Troy Hill (hamstring)

New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton

Conference Call with New Orleans Media

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

You brought in two new cornerbacks in the last 48 hours, Sterling Moore and Dexter McDougle. What is it about McDougle that you liked to bring him in?

“There were two elements. Number one, he’s someone that’s excelled and played well in the kicking game. Number two, he’s experienced, he’s smart and can play in the sub inside if you want him to. The snaps you can get from him if you want to on the special teams, I think is a big plus.”

What about the decision to bring back Sterling Moore? Why was it important to bring him back up?

“He is familiar with our system and he is one of those players that knows what to do. He has real good instincts.”

How different does this Rams team seem from the last time you saw them?

“Entirely different. It’s a whole new coaching staff, new offense, new defense. There is some carryover in the special teams. John Fassel’s done a great job in that regard, so you have kicker, snapper, holder, punter and all that. But it’s an entirely different team.”

What are some of the things they do that are particularly challenging?

“Well the front is different on defense. The coverages they play on defense. It’s a system that’s entirely different. Where do you want to begin? It’s a completely different scheme and the staff has completely changed.”

What do they do well? What are some of the things that stand out when you watch them?

“Number one, they pressure the passer well. Their sack numbers are up. They are playing very good pass defense. Their overall scoring defense is in the top of the league. Offensively, they are in the top five of the league in almost every category. Scoring offense, they are two. Third down conversions are in the top five. Explosive plays, they are two. They are running the ball with (Todd) Gurley very well. You can look at any statistic. Their turnover margin is fantastic. They’re taking it away. I think they have 19 right now. They’re in the top of the league in that area. There’s a reason why this team has won seven games at this juncture in the season.”

What are some of the ways you have seen improvement in Jared Goff since last year as a rookie?

“The ball’s coming out quickly, I think decisively. He has a much better feel for what he is doing, where he is going. He is not taking a lot of sacks. He is doing a lot at the line. He is getting in and out of bad plays. All the things you want to see a young quarterback do. I think Sean (McVay) and the staff have done a great job with him. In fact with that whole team.”

I’ve seen some stuff out there trying to compare Sean McVay to you when you first broke in as a head coach. How many similarities do you see in how he’s handling his first year to when you first came in as a head coach?

“I know Sean, I do not know him too well. The first similarity would be S-E-A-N. Now, outside of that, he went to Miami of Ohio. I coached there. There are a lot of good friends on his staff I know, Aaron Kromer, Bill Johnson, guys that’ve worked here. I think there’s confidence you build. You go set up shop, you get your opportunity but I’ve never had a chance to work with him outside of that so I wouldn’t know. But he’s doing a good job there.”

Outside of the personnel upgrades on defense, what do you think were the one or two key turning points for the defense besides the personnel?

“I think we played a real good game against Carolina and had some takeaways and I think that at some point you want to see the results and I think we saw some of the fruits of our labor. We began to get a little bit of confidence after that week and then we shutout Miami and started building on it. It kind of started there.”

What did you think of Mark Ingram’s performance winning the NFC Offensive Player of the Week?

“I lose track of these FedEx awards weekly. I know we felt like he played a real good game, exceptional game. He had some good strong runs, real strong runs. They go differently each week and sometimes you could be sitting there in the second quarter and you feel you’ve only had eight snaps, you have an interception on your first series, so that takes away from your overall total (offensive snaps). You finish four of 11 or whatever we did on third down, that takes snaps away. They are (snaps) at a premium, but I think that he is running with that confidence and with pad level, all the things that you like and between him and (Alvin) Kamara we are going to have more FedEx plagues, or whatever it is. Maybe they get to use FedEx services for free for a year or something. That’d be a good deal, right? When you absolutely have to have it (a package) somewhere.”

What have you seen out of Rams defensive tackle Tanzel Smart, a Scotlandville High School product from Tulane who was a sixth round draft pick this year, when you watch the film?

“Number one he’s playing inside (and) here’s a (local) kid. They’re going to play eight, nine guys (in a rotation), you’ve got your nose (tackle), they’re also playing in their 3-4 front against most of a lot of your sub groups so it’s not like you’re getting them to substitute, but he’s doing well especially for a rookie. Now he’s only 6-1, but I see strength and you kind of see that on film.”

Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Sean McVay

Conference Call with New Orleans Media

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

I saw an ESPN article where you complimented Sean Payton’s play-calling. What else stand out about Coach Payton to you?

“When you look at the production year-in and year-out, I think there’s a very clear-cut philosophy, just what I know about him from people who have coached with him. They just can’t say enough about his leadership and feel for the game, ability to communicate. I worked with Ike Hilliard (in Washington), who he coached in New York. Ike’s a great coach and has a great feel for the game from a receiver perspective. He couldn’t say enough good things about him from when Sean coached him. We have Aaron Kromer here (who coached with Payton at Miami of Ohio and was his running backs and offensive line coach in New Orleans). I think when you just look at other people who are doing their job at a high level, you have a lot of respect for that. Certainly as an offensive mind and as a play-caller, there’s a lot of things that you can almost look up to and really admire about the way he’s handled himself and the success he has achieved being an offensive background guy.”

The comparisons have really been rearing its head the last couple weeks leading up to this game, but how many similarities do you see from when he was a young coach and you being a young coach?

“I think he’s accomplished so much I don’t think it’s fair to put me in the same category as Coach Payton. I think hopefully if you achieve even close to what he has in this league then maybe you start to get mentioned. I think in terms of looking at the trajectory and being around some of the same people, it’s certainly flattering words, but I definitely have not done enough to be mentioned in the same sentence as Coach Payton.”

Being a young head coach, how does it help in your ability to bond with a young quarterback like Jared Goff?

“I think it helps, but I think whether you’re a younger coach or an older coach with more experience, guys know how to connect. There are examples of that on our staff right now. Wade Phillips is a little bit older than me, but he’s got a way about himself in terms of how he reaches and connects with our players in an authentic, genuine way that’s true to his personality. So, I’m sure there are some things that help, but ultimately we talk about developing and building relationships with our guys. You have a foundation which you can build upon when you’re coaching a guy because so much of that involves communication and understanding of one another.”

What has caused some of the struggles on run defense this season and the challenges of this Saints backfield?

“It’s a great offense. They can do everything. There’s no limitations. They have the ability to throw the football anyway they want to and then with the one-two punch you have going there with Mark (Ingram II) with (Alvin) Kamara, it’s special. It’s why you have the top offense in the league. I think when you look at the run game, it’s about maintaining your gap integrity, handle the calls and making sure that we’re on our fits. We’ve played some tough rushing teams that have done a good job and been able to create some things. It’s going to be an excellent challenge for our defense, one I know they’ll be excited about, but if you look at the entirety of this offense, they can do everything like we talked about. Coach Payton has such a way of putting them in great spots and with Drew (Brees) and his ability and decision-making and command and understanding of the game, you clearly see why he’s a first-ballot hall of fame player.”

You have one of our local players in Tanzel Smart out of Tulane on your team. How pleased are you with his growth and development as we enter week 12?

“I’m very pleased. I really enjoy being around him. Tanzel is very consistent in the way that he approaches every day with the mindset and mentality to get better. He’s very conscientious. He does exactly what he’s supposed to do and he does it consistently. You win with players like Tanzel. I think he’s only going to continue to get better as he matures and gains experience, but I think being around some of the players he is in his room every day when you look at the Aaron Donald’s and you look at the Michael Brockers’ and some of those other guys playing inside with him, you have some great examples inside on this team.”

What is it about Todd Gurley that makes him so versatile?

“Similar to the kind of backs that you guys have, he can do a little bit of everything. He’s a great runner, competes well in pass protection and has shown that he’s a good receiving back, whether it be in the screen game or catching some things down the field. I think when you have complete functional backs that can play all three downs, those are special players. You are fortunate to have them. Unfortunate for us and fortunate for you guys, you have two of them on your team.”

Speaking of those two, last week or a couple weeks ago you had to prepare for Adrian Peterson with the Arizona Cardinals. How many similarities do you see to his running style and the way that Mark Ingram II and Alvin Kamara are running right now?

“Anytime you see great runners, they have a feel for pressing the hole, dependent upon whatever scheme or concept teams are running. Sometimes guys have a feel, usually those great runners you don’t have to tell them where to go, but you just kind of give them a starting point and let them feel that space. I think when you look at Mark and Alvin, both of those guys have displayed great patience, but acceleration through the hole. When you look at Mark, he’s a great contact runner, he runs with good low body lean, has the ability when he gets to the second and third level to make guys miss and with Alvin (Kamara), done a great job. He’s using a variety, the perimeter stuff and does a great job in the screen game. I think when you look at both Mark and Alvin, they’ve just done such a great job and you can see why this team is playing so well on the offensive side of the ball and a lot of credit goes to those two players.”

As you look at the Washington tape, the Saints were shorthanded without A.J. Klein, Marshon Lattimore and Kenny Vaccaro. How much did that figure into the Redskins having the success that they did?

“It was a great, competitive game. I think you look at just really good football on both sides, displayed by the Saints defense and the Redskins offense made some good plays. They have a good quarterback in Kirk Cousins who does a great job distributing the ball. I think when you look at the Saints defense, there’s a variety of issues that they present. Coach (Dennis) Allen does a great job understanding how to put offenses in a bind and he’s kind of in that attacking mode and mindset. It’s very impressive. They have great playmakers all over. You see how Lattimore consistently shows up. I think you look at Marcus Williams at the safety position. I think you go up front where Cameron Jordan is one of the best players in this league and (Craig) Robertson, (Manti) Te’o and (A.J.) Klein are playing really well at the linebacker spot. I think as a whole when you look at it, this defense is playing pretty well. Their defense is top 10 in scoring and it shows up on the tape why they’re playing at such a high level.”

If Lattimore is out on Sunday, what type of player is this team missing?

“I think they have great guys who are ready to step up and fill that void. You look at some of the experience they have in that secondary, but I think Lattimore’s a star. I’ve been extremely impressed in watching the tape of him, patience at the line of scrimmage and strength, short speed quickness, agility, all of the traits you look for in a corner. He’s one of the most explosive players on the team, especially with some of the concepts Coach Allen has in play. He’s a special player. I can’t say enough good things. I’ve been extremely impressed with him in watching the tape so far this week.”