OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR DAVE CANALES

(Opening Statement)

"Walk-throughs are hard for me – [it's] half speed. It's not in my nature to go half speed and do things, but the guys were sharp. They were in tune – we talk about not changing your level of focus with the change in tempo. I thought they did a good job of that today."

(On building off Monday night's loss)

"Rough one, right? Not enough plays in the game. Really looking at it – and of course, one of my skills is over-thinking a lot of things and just kind of sitting there looking at it – it just came down to fundamental execution – throwing and catching, blocking, finishing runs. All of those things, we have to get better at. We've had three performances in the regular season now and none of them are really up to the standard that we want fundamentally. The guys are playing hard, the guys are trying – we had the right attitude on the sideline, we stayed together. But it's just something that I think we have to grow – me included – but all of us have to continue to take those steps to grow."

(On if he wishes he could have any plays back)

"Yeah, really just the half-yard-line run. That was the one. Part of our 'M.O.' is we're going to be able to run the ball at all times. This is the best defensive front in football and just running a tight run right there in that situation probably wasn't the best thing. I don't want to go into too much of what else we could do in that situation, but I definitely have to take that one first and foremost for that."

(On when he thinks the offensive personnel will be fully educated and in sync in regards to his system)

"I think the guys know what to do – just the full speed reps of playing together as a unit is the thing that's going to help us grow [and] learn from the film. I don't really have a timeline, I just know that normally you'd like your Bye Week to be like halfway through the season or even later to kind of rest yourself up for the run. This year it's kind of a gift that it's happening early that we can really look at four games and say, 'What are our best runs averaged? What are our best pass concepts where the quarterback looks rhythmic and we're putting Mike [Evans] and Chris [Godwin] in the best possible situations?' We've got another opportunity here to put some more things on film to really start to hone in on that identity. I don't want to rush anything. I don't want to make any wholesale changes schematically or [from a] personnel standpoint at this point while we're still gathering information and really trying to learn the offense."

(On the team's efficiency on first down)

"The first couple of weeks, we were efficient in the run game. Our play action hasn't been where I'd like it to be. The near miss to 'D.T.' (Deven Thompkins) on a crossing concept where we had them dead-to-rights in the coverage – we've got to make those. There were just some things like that that came up in the game where I feel like the mix is good, we have the right mentality, we've just got to execute and finish the plays."

(On if he feels like the offense is aggressive enough)

"We're taking a good amount of shots. The biggest thing is how many balls over 40 air yards are we averaging per game? We're right around – with the number of plays – we're right around what you want to be. If you look league-wide, we're being able to do that. Getting more turns is really the deal. We didn't have enough plays to take more plays but we put the ball down the field a good amount. Again, the one thing I wasn't going to do against a really good front is think that we could also just drop back and put our O-line into pass protection mode right away like that, especially with our defense playing as well as they were early on in the game."

(On if he feels that all of the mistakes from Monday night are correctable, as QB Baker Mayfield said in his press conference on Wednesday)

"I think [Baker Mayfield] hit it right on the head. If it was schematic things or if there were wholesale changes, I'd be more concerned. But when you look at the tape, we're talking about throwing and catching, we're talking about taking care of the ball with an interception and a fumble – our first two turnovers of the year. It just makes it harder against a really elite team. We talk about championship football – wanting to be a playoff team – those are the types of teams that we have to be able to make those plays on. They made theirs, we didn't make ours."

(On what's been the biggest key to not turning the ball over)

"The decisions of the quarterback, the timing and the rhythm of the receivers, tight ends, [running backs] in the pass game so that we can get those out. Obviously, protection. That was a real bright spot, too, that late drive that we had where we went down the field throwing the ball a little bit. That's kind of the first time that you've all seen us really kind of spread it out and go after it – other than the two-minute drive in Minnesota. That was just really encouraging for me so that I can start growing my confidence in, 'Hey look, we've got this whole other phase that we can do to have positive plays,' as we mix in the identity of what we're doing."

(On the reasoning for the specific types of run plays he called against the Eagles)

"Just setting it up and trying to get double teams on some really good players inside. When you start going laterally, you get a little bit thinned out. Having played against the [San Francisco 49ers], the Rams, Arizona put some really good fronts at us – being able to have that mix of plays that can hit downhill so you can stay on those combos a little bit longer and try to get some voids for the [running backs]."

(On playing in a hostile environment in New Orleans)

"Same approach [to Minnesota]. We really took that Minnesota game seriously, we really take this one seriously with the noise. So, kind of the same approach that we went into that with – handling that, being able to communicate nonverbally. It's a very similar approach. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. We're going to try to do the same thing from a pre-snap standpoint."

(On if he wants to get WR Chris Godwin more involved in the offense)

"Again, 40-some-odd plays, so Mike [Evans] really got a lot of his targets at the end, otherwise we're looking two guys that really didn't produce. Again, that's on me, building a plan that puts those guys in opportunities. I think it's honestly just kind of learning guys. We had some near misses on Chris for the first two weeks that really could have been bigger days for him. Just making sure we capitalize on those opportunities down the field, especially like the Bears game. We just missed him a couple times. That would have been a huge day for him. We're designing it to go to Mike and Chris. That's not a surprise and I can say that here. We're designing our plays to do that. Baker [Mayfield] also just has to be true to his reads and where his best matchups end up coming from."

(On if he's getting enough production from the tight end position)

"Yeah, absolutely. I feel great about Cade [Otton], Ko [Kieft] and [David] Wells in what we're asking them to do. They're doing a fantastic job. Cade made a huge catch early on and got an explosive play with just a great stretch-out catch there. Again, it's more focusing on Mike [Evans] and Chris [Godwin] – the ball will go to everybody else as the coverage allows."

(On what's hindering the running game)

"I think it's just rhythmic. Not that every run has been blocked perfectly, but I'm excited about the guys getting guys covered up. At this point now, it's just about building the right mentality in the run game and for [the players] it's reps – seeing the mid-zone, seeing the down-hill stuff, seeing the gun runs [and] kind of feeling where those voids are going to be. I think that'll help to really boost Rachaad [White's] confidence in being decisive in some of the runs. I think, again, that's just a rep thing at this point in three games. We have to continue to stay with it and I think one thing you'll learn is I'm going to be a little bit stubborn about running that ball and having that balance. It's not going to be that we're just going to run it every time, but in our self-scout up to this point, it's been a good balance. I think we'll continue to improve as they get more reps and more rhythm with the runs."

(On Head Coach Todd Bowles saying there were some holes there to run through on Monday night)

"Maybe a little bit. In general, I think Coach [Bowles] is making a good statement there about what he just sees from the flow of a game. I think a part of the mentality we're trying to establish here is if you're a running team who throws play actions for those guys – for the line, for the tight ends, for the receivers on blocks, for the running backs – it's got to have an aggressive mindset. We're not where we need to be as a group with that mindset running the ball yet."

(On Saints DL Cameron Jordan and LB Demario Davis)

"They haven't lost a step. They look fantastic. Cam still has all of his power – he has great hands. Demario, he's big on just kind of evaluating the formations, taking his shots when he feels like he can. That's something that we have to be aware of – he's going to take his shots, so have your eyes up [on] on 56. Runs are a lot more successful when we put a hat on 56. They look great, they look fantastic."

(On where the offense is in the process of determining its identity)

"Going back to the attitude and style that we're trying to create here, we're not where we need to be. As far as the mix and the style of things we're doing, I love what we're doing. 'Goodie' (Harold Goodwin) has been putting some great run plans together with the whole group. As we go through it, it feels really good – the mix and variety of things we have. What happens is, when guys know what to do, you see fast and aggressive play. That's where, to me, I can see that and understand that we're not there yet. We know what they are, but the understanding of, 'Man, I know this like the back of my hand – whatever they put in front of me, I know how to adjust.' We're still growing there."

(On what he's seen from linemen Cody Mauch and Luke Goedeke)

"[I am] encouraged by Cody's flexibility and his athleticism. Even if he gets in a bad spot, he can recover. That's been really encouraging there. Luke – just the power that he brings on that side. From a pass protection standpoint, they've done a fantastic job. Our sacks aren't very high. Baker [Mayfield] is making some plays in the pocket – which all quarterbacks do, playing against NFL rushes – but I'm really encouraged by that side and just kind of the growth of it. Cody has a long way to go fundamentally. You watch him and he's a crazy man out there sometimes. He's so aggressive and he's got all this ability that he's relied on in the past. Now, it's time to just refine my hand placement, my base and all of those things to settle down and know you're a big, strong athlete, you'll be okay if you just trust your fundamentals."

(On if he's surprised by how well Mauch and Goedeke have done in pass protection)

"Yeah, again, I'm encouraged by the pass protection stuff against a really good group. They had a couple issues, but flipping two tackles to other sides – different spots – and a rookie guard and the space that Baker [Mayfield] has had to make some of these throws has been really encouraging for me."

(On where his positive attitude comes from)

"First, my faith. Every day is a blessing. I wake up every morning, I kind of like to say this kidding with some of the guys, but I wake up every morning and the sticks say first-and-10. I've got a new set of downs and how good does that feel in a game? It's the same thing for me – I wake up and I have another opportunity to do this: to be with you, to be with all of those guys. Just seeing guys in the hallway, being outside in the sun today, it's such a blessing to me. Then, I've got a vision for where we can go and what we can become as a group with the talent that we have. So, a lot of the issues that you're talking about, they're real and it weighs heavy on me but it doesn't deter me because I see this unit coming together with the skill outside, the special players outside, this group of running backs that are going to grow into what we want, and this offensive line that really we have the talent to do whatever we want to. That thought propels me forward through a rough game like Monday night, that, 'Hey, we needed this experience to see, guys. We've had three games where we haven't been sharp. When you play a really good team, this is how the outcome could be.' As opposed to you play teams that we had a little bit of an edge on and we made some big plays that really saved us in those games. You don't always want to just rely on the big plays, right? We want to be able to walk the ball down the field with confidence and be efficient."

RUN GAME COORDINATOR/DEFENSIVE LINE COACH KACY RODGERS

(On facing the Philadelphia Eagles offensive line after having success against the Chicago Bears)

"The thing you have to look at is it's a week-to-week league here. You've got to go in, correct it and move on. That's all you can do. That's all you can do."

(On if the team is hungry to get after the passer after Monday Night)

"We've just got to go back to work. We came in, we looked at it, we evaluated it, we saw our mistakes and we've got to correct it and move on. That's exactly what we did."

(On what he's seen from DL Logan Hall)

"We were talking about him the other day – we see him taking the steps in the right direction. I really do. Me, coaching him, personally, when I sit there and watch him do some things, I wouldn't have expected him to do at this stage. He's taking steps in the right direction."

(On Hall playing at a higher weight than he did in college)

"We have no problem putting Logan out there and we expect him to make plays when they're there. I can't sit there and say he should have made this one or that one. A couple of them, I would have thought he should have made, but otherwise he's doing everything we ask of him."

(On how important it is to get production from the interior defensive line without Calijah Kancey)

"Everybody needs to step up, across the board. I tell them we need all hands on deck – injuries occur in this league every week. The next guy has just got to step up."

(On DL William Gholston playing more on Monday night than the previous two weeks)

"I've been with Will a long time. Father time hasn't caught him yet and he just keeps going on. I think he had more plays this week than he had the first two combined. He's a joy to coach and does everything we ask of him."

(On if there's more pressure on the defensive line given the injuries to the secondary)

"The good thing about coaching the front is sometimes they don't even know who's in the game on the backend. Their job doesn't change, so we've got to go out there and do our job regardless of who's covering and go forward. We expect them to do their job back there and we have a job to do up front."

(On the challenge that Saints RB Alvin Kamara presents)

"Getting an All-Pro player like him back definitely adds to what they do on offense. It just creates more added pressure because they have two receivers that can go vertical. They have an excellent possession receiver, then they get Kamara who's good from the dot position and excellent in the screen game. It creates a lot of problems all the way around."

(On Saints TE Taysom Hill)

"I forgot about that other problem there too and that's a major one because, following that team, they have more personnel groupings than anything. Preparing for him, he can be at tailback, he can be at quarterback, they can have two quarterbacks on the field at the same time, he can be at running back, he can be at tight end. You have to account for him everywhere he can be. That's the difficulty in preparing for him and this team."

(On Saints WR Rashid Shaheed)

"We were looking at him in in the run game – he's the jet sweep guy, he's the reverse guy and when he lines up out there, he's going deep. He's a problem. With what they've accumulated together, they [are] a very, very formidable opponent."

(On the secondary absorbing injuries and having young players take on bigger roles)

"We knew going into the season that, one, we had a lot of young guys make the team and we knew they were going to have to play at some point in time. We expect them to go out and do what's asked of them."

(On how the defense continues to generate takeaways)

"One of the things that we really stress is trying to create turnovers. Going into the game, one that I think really kind of gave us a chance here and there is getting turnovers. We would consider a fourth-down stop a turnover. From our standpoint, we want to keep getting those, keep getting the ball back for our offense. That's really our number one job."

LINEBACKER LAVONTE DAVID

(On facing the Saints)

"We already know what type of game it's going to be. Both teams are going to be prepared. It's a divisional matchup – it always counts. We always say it counts as two going against those guys. It's going to be a physical football game. It always comes down to the end in the fourth quarter. We're going to need all hands on deck. We're looking forward to the type of game that it's going to be."

(On if it helps knowing the tendencies of Saints QB Jameis Winston)

"You never know. They've got a whole different scheme over there and they do a lot of different things with different people. It's definitely going to be fun going against Jameis. Obviously, playing with him for five years, we know what type of competitor he is. We know he's going to try to light us up and beat us the best way he can. It's definitely going to be a challenge for us but it should be a fun game."

(On preparing for Saints RB Alvin Kamara)

"Alvin Kamara always presents a threat by himself, wherever he lines up on the field – running the ball, catching the ball out of the backfield, he's going to be a dangerous guy. For him to come back off a suspension, you know they're going to try to get him as many touches as they can. We've got to be prepared for that. I'm sure we're going to be ready to go and he's going to be ready to go."

(On the nature of the Saints-Buccaneers rivalry)

"That's the type of game that it's going to be. It's going to be a physical game, it's going to be a rah-rah game, it's going to be a game that has to be played throughout all four quarters – you can't take any plays off in this type of football game. Speaking from our side, they can beat you all types of ways. We've definitely got to be on point and be ready to go once we walk off the bus."

(On the defense's ability to generate turnovers)

"Making an emphasis on it – we always say we've got a goal and we want to get a certain amount of turnovers to be at the top of the defenses and keep ourselves in football games. That's what we try to do. We've got a lot of veterans on the defensive side of the ball and we've got guys who can be playmakers and take the ball away. We try to make an emphasis on it and we've just got to keep on carrying it over and be consistent with it."

(On the importance of divisional football games in terms of winning the NFC South)

"I believe everybody is tied but with this type of game, you can't worry about all that. You've got to just go out there and play. When the clock strikes zero, then you can think about that stuff, but for right now, we're taking it one day at a time. We're preparing. We know what type of matchup it's going to be so we're preparing for it. Once Sunday gets here, we're going to be ready to go."

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