Do you have any flashbacks to the Miami game last year with the way that this one was going?
Yeah. I was frustrated we didn't get to finish it on offense. So, obviously you don't want to be on the sideline for that. But it's just a huge credit to our defense for holding it down all day. I feel like that's kind of been our thing, we're having fun, we're playing complementary football. They did a great job of making the stops when we needed them. We got to find ways to start faster and finish them.
Could you take us through the second half of how you approached it and what really got you guys clicking?
It was our same approach the whole game, we just had to be more dialed. We had key penalties on third-and-short. We had a couple of close ones there that kind of stalled those drives out that was really kind of the story of it. And we just got to be better. So, at halftime, Coach (Doug) Nuss (Nussmeier), myself, all the guys, we were all firing up, just trying to light something. Like keep doing what we're doing, but find that extra edge, find that extra inch where we can go out there and finish them. So credit to the O-line, they played their butts off against a really stout front and all the guys that stepped up. We were kind of banged up and it was just a great team win.
You hear 'next man up' a lot, but this team is really kind of delivering it. What is it about this group that it doesn't seem to matter who's in there, whether it's Kevin (Austin Jr.) or Dante (Pettis)?
I feel like we just don't care. Like we go out there, we're here for a reason, we're going to go out there and operate. There's no, 'Awe man, if we had this', or, 'Awe, this is a good opponent', or you know? Like let's go out there and play football, man. This is why you do it. And that's kind of my message, what a great opportunity. Next man up, now you get to go make plays and everybody stepped up. Everybody did. Everybody did an incredible job. Audric (Estime), Dante (Pettis), Kevin (Austin Jr.), Juwan (Johnson) and Chris (Olave) both making plays all over the field. And like I said, the O-line, they did a really good job with a lot of different looks in the upfront. So, it was just kind of a lot of fun when we came together.
Was the touchdown to Chris Olave the same play that you almost hooked up on last week or what was that?
Yeah, yeah, it was a very similar play, very similar play. It actually wasn't necessarily like the perfect look, just ran a really good route, corner latched on and found it. So, he's just got great feel, obviously he's our dude.
What did you make of Audric and the running that he provided?
Man, he kind of sneaked up on us. I feel like he's been kind of that stout, really strong kind of a power back and he's making elusive plays all over the field. He's agile, he is really smart in pass-pro. He's stepped up on a short amount of time, him and Evan (Hull), they have done a really good job. So, Audric kind of closed that game out for us. What an unbelievable performance by him. And I mean, I trust those guys completely, so super proud of him.
How would you describe your poise in a situation like the one you guys find yourself in?
For me, it's just execution. Like I said before, I felt like I was prepared going into it and it's just one more rep. So, just operating it and that's my mindset. How can I make it one more rep, make it perfect, and then go from there.
I know you're reviewing stuff on the sideline, talking with your coaches, so I don't know how much you're actually watching when the Titans have offense going. Does anything go through your mind when Cam Ward is kind of spinning out while holding the ball and making plays? Do you feel like a need to do the same or match the same thing?
No, I mean, I think that he's really special at that. I feel I can do those things too. However, we were able to get a strip-sack and a touchdown off of it. I think that there's kind of a feast or famine sometimes and think he obviously made a lot of really good plays. And that's a credit to him because he's a really good player. But I think our defense did a really good job. It's kind of tough when you have those scramble opportunities, and you're trying to cover for that long, and plaster and keep your rush lane sound. So, we knew that going into it, that was part of their game, and they did a really good job managing it.
You mentioned going into the week about how you've kind of started to understand the value of how important negative plays are to a defense. Would you say that was kind of a factor in today with the defensive line having impact where it was and just kind of staying in the chains?
Yeah, 100 percent, 100 percent. We knew that they were a really good defensive front and we can't just go backwards against those guys. The more opportunities that they have, they're going to take advantage of them. I think we did a good job at that overall. I think we just had some penalties here and there that were costly and a couple of times where we got to be more dialed on certain routes, communication, stuff like that, to where we can shore that up. But yeah, credit to them, they're a really good defense. So, we'll kind of find those ways to make it all click together and we'll finish this strong.
Do you guys express the confidence that they have in you when a game like this is unfolding, or do you sense the confidence that they have on you based on what you've proven over the past few games? Do you feel like that's growing at all?
For sure, I think it's all kind of growing. I think that's the fun part. We're growing together as a team. We're having fun playing football with each other. We're having fun just operating, going through those adversities, those ebbs and flows of the game, and I try and stay as steady as I can. The guys, we're feeding off each other, 'Hey, you're going to go win this game right here', 'Let's go win it right here', 'One play at a time', all of those things. I think we're constantly talking and just kind of feeding off of each other and that's the best part about it.
Sounds like Kellen (Moore) lost his voice a little bit, was he's getting fired up after the game?
No, he's been battling it throughout the week, I think. So, it was going to be interesting throughout the game. There were a couple of times where he got a couple of voice cracks, but he did a good job. And obviously, he is the best, man. So, he was super fun, he called a great game, and got us all ready to play.
I know you said you want to win teammates over and you're not concerned what you're proving to the outside but are you proving anything to yourself in this stretch?
I'm trying to constantly prove myself right as far as my own self-belief and hold myself to a high standard. The ultimate goal is to win and come together as a team, and I feel like we've been able to do that. And how do we keep replicating it? So, for me, that's my constant goal, everything else that comes with it is part of it and I love playing with these guys. I feel like we could play a whole other season right now and we got a really good opponent that we got to finish out.
There was a really good turnout for Saints fans behind the bench today. What does that mean to you in a season when you're 5-10, to see that many fans on the road?
Yeah, Who Dat Nation showed up for sure. I mean, it felt like it was equally as loud on third downs for some of them at their own home stadium and that's just awesome to see. When you have people traveling like that, the fans at our hotel, at the game early, they're active and it's the best fan base in the country, for sure. So, it was really cool to be able to see that and get a win in front of those guys that travel and everybody. So, appreciate the support and obviously, we're going to need it in Atlanta as well.
Six wins is one more than the Saints had last year. Does that mean anything to you to be able to improve on last year's record?
I think we're always trying to improve. I wasn't here last year and my whole goal is to do everything we can to win games and take advantage of those opportunities. I think we got another really good one left.
How important is it, short-term and long-term, this season and in the future, to string wins together like this versus, let's say, what you guys went through in the beginning of the season?
It's why you do what you do. Winning is the ultimate goal and everything's more fun whenever you can capitalize off of that hard work that you put in. And how do you keep replicating that? And you come together as a team that way and you understand that's the formula. And how do we keep doing that? We want to be here and be a part of it and be a part of New Orleans and the city and we're having fun that way.
Are you able in the middle of the season to kind of step back and look at like 'Okay, we've won four in a row in back-to-back games' or do you have to have tunnel vision until the end?
Just process oriented, you got tunnel vision, because you have to go through each rep, every single play. Tomorrow, we're going to be going through treatment, watching film throughout the whole day. I think that's the fun part about it, because as soon as you become complacent, that's when it kind of bites you in the butt. And there's a lot of stuff, we weren't great today, we have to be a lot better. So that's the thing about it, it's never as good or as bad as it seems and we have to find a way to shore those things up. I think that's the best part about getting a win and getting a team win is that there's things to clean up and move forward for.
Chris's (Olave) game today, you obviously know he's going through the back thing and just to see him kind of grit through it and have such a big game back-to-back 100-yards, what does that mean?
He's unbelievable, man. I think his greatest strength is his steadiness. He shows up every single day. He's battling through injuries, we're all battling through stuff and just his ability to be dynamic, regardless of the situation, showing up, it's just a credit to him and I think we feed off of that for sure. So, I'm super proud of him for kind of elevating our team that way.
What led to the 60-yard completion?
Yeah, he ran a great route. Had double moved him, we'd kind of thrown some quick game a little bit throughout the game. He ran a great route, slipped him inside and just took it down the sideline, it was a great route by him.
To only have five incompletions, you talk so much about your process, what does that tell you about your process to only have that few?
Yeah, I got to be a little bit better. There's a couple of misses that I feel like I could have shored out with my footwork wise and can take advantage of some scramble opportunities. I haven't watched it yet though, but I think we've got to be consistent and that's my goal is to kind of continue to be consistent that way. And like I said, we'll finish strong.
