Saints Head Coach Kellen Moore

Opening Statement:

"First division game, didn't get it done. Unfortunate. We didn't play enough smart, winning football, just the fundamentals of the game of football, how simple it is sometimes. I thought our defense battled, big-time goal line stop, turnover before half that they created. I thought that group did a lot of good. If you said the box score looked like this on their offense, I'd say we had a chance in this game. The team battled. Offensively, at the end of the day, we turned the ball over four times. We didn't do enough good. We didn't do enough good on offense to give ourselves a chance. That's the unfortunate part of this thing. We have a lot of stuff to work through, improve and get better at. That's the journey we get to take."

On making the decision to change quarterbacks:

"We just need to find a way to create something on offense. It has more to do with the offense collectively. We are just not executing or playing at a high enough standard. We have to find a way to move the football consistently, protect the football and score points. This is a pure full offensive evaluation point. We're just not there."

On deciding the starting quarterback for future games:

"I think we just have to evaluate this whole thing for the next 48 hours on offense and find the solutions that give us the best chance to win. I thought Tyler [Shough] went in there and looked the part. He made some plays. The one interception was unfortunate. He gave us a chance to convert there. We will obviously make that evaluation quickly, and we will make some decisions moving forward. This had more to do with the whole offense just not playing well enough and hopefully trying to generate some sort of a spark there. Unfortunately, it wasn't able to be done."

On the decision to pull QB Spencer Rattler:

"This has so much to do with the entire offense. We're not playing well enough. I have to coach better. I have to find the solutions. I'm not doing a good enough job, obviously. We were trying to generate a spark. Spencer, I thought, he has done plenty of good through the course of the season when you look at it from a bigger perspective. We did not move the ball well enough and created some turnovers in this game, unfortunately. We need to find a way to get the thing going. That's our project, and that's our efforts moving forward is to find the solutions moving forward, however it looks."

On the timing to make the decision to change quarterbacks:

"I just felt like we were close, but we weren't making enough, we weren't getting it going. There was not enough on offense. I just felt like we were trying to create a spark, trying to create something that felt a little different and see if it would provide us with the urgency to execute at a higher level and play cleaner football. There were some little moments in there, some good plays, but not enough collectively."

On if the change at quarterback did what he was looking for:

"Ultimately, we weren't able to really get anything else going. Unfortunate how we moved the ball. There were some spurts where we moved the ball okay, and unfortunately, we weren't able to execute over the course of the drive. This is on me. I have to find a better solution here to put ourselves in better situations to be successful. We're just not there yet."

On Shough's performance against Tampa Bay's defense:

"Todd [Bowles], Tampa, they've always done a great job on defense. It's a challenge. I felt like he hung in there. Tyler hung in there; he battled. We will see how this thing progresses."

On mending the offensive struggles:

"I have to find the solution so that we can execute at a higher level, be more consistent and protect the football. We have to be a cleaner football team, particularly on offense. That showed up a lot today. That's on me. I have to do a great job with this. We're not there. We're not executing at a high enough level. I have to find the components and pieces from my standpoint that will allow us to do that."

On Spencer Rattler's turnovers:

"The ball security one was just protecting the football out in space. Guys are coming in pursuit. You have to be ready. There's always that guy coming from the backside. That was an unfortunate one. Then, the backed up one, I thought their guy made a tremendous play. Again, we have to protect the football, and that's an unfortunate sequence."

On eight turnovers in the last two games:

"Great question. Defenses sometimes create those snowball effects. Unfortunately, we are in that. The facts are the facts. We're turning the ball over too much. It is fair to view it that way. Has it happened in your career? Obviously, we have all gone through these moments. We acknowledge it and must be a cleaner, higher, efficient football team, particularly on offense. Again, we just didn't do enough winning football."

On the navigating the quarterback room this week:

"We will navigate this thing over the next 48 hours to put ourselves in a good position to have a good week and be ready to roll. I'm not into flip-flopping quarterbacks and all that sort of stuff. Just an element of lately not executing high enough football and not playing well enough on offense and trying to create a spark. I'm not into this back and forth game, but we do have to make some decisions here moving forward, really as a whole offense. There's a lot to look at with a lot of decisions"

On if there will be competition this week at quarterback:

"No, we will have to make a decision and get the reps allocated properly so someone has a chance to be successful on Sunday."

On locker room morale:

"Frustration. Guys are battling. I love this group. This group competes in every way. You always talk about the playstyle, physicality, the finish, and those components are out there. That's the tough part. We just have to play cleaner. We have to play better. We have to play to a higher standard. The frustration is there's not the consistency in all three phases where they can all complement each other. Again, our defense, there were some really good plays in there. They had a drive or two where they got some momentum going. I thought our guys battled. I think if we'd look at the box score there, I'd say we'd have a heck of a chance in this game. I thought team-wise we battled, as well. There were moments on offense, certainly. There were moments that gave us momentum at times, but we just have to find a solution that works best for us."

On the turnovers' impact:

"Turnovers obviously make a huge impact on this game. It has popped up. We have to execute at a higher level, protect the football. It's hard downs in this league. We have to find some solutions there whether it be third down, red zone and put ourselves in these challenging situations and come up with success. Again, we will do this collectively as an offense. I have to lead the way and help these guys and put them in better positions."

On Tampa Bay's aggression defensively:

"They've always done an excellent job of it. Todd's defense has always attacked the ball at a really high level. I do think when you create turnovers, when your offense has turnovers, it is the old they see it in the waters. They see there is an opportunity presented there. The defense sees it's close, and if we can keep attacking it, odds say based off evidence that's previously happened that we're going to get this football at some point. We just have to address it and kind of get ahead of this thing. It's been a couple of weeks now."

On what he told Rattler:

"I told him what I told you guys here. I am trying to create a spark here. I am trying to create something on offense. Hang in there. I love Spence. I love Tyler. I love these guys to death. These are never easy things. They're really, really challenging because I know what these guys put into this thing each and every day. We are just trying to find a formula that works to our advantage, and I will continue to address that."

On offensive concerns:

"We have to find explosive plays, absolutely. We have to put ourselves in situations to allow it. We can't be playing from behind or teams can play all this blitz and coverage game. Any play in those situations is going to be really, really hard to get anything downfield. We have to put ourselves in better situations, I think is more of the main thing. We have a shot downfield and take a sack at the plus-40 in the second drive of the game, moving the ball. Protection issues, and we don't get our shot downfield. Now all of a sudden, we were close to getting a field goal, and now we are punting. There's just too many opportunities not getting enough chances."
On if Shough was limited today in what the team ran "Tyler ran (it) just fine. Obviously, we were limited more from the circumstance than anything. Tyler was not limited in any way."

On if he is satisfied with the team's buy in:

"I love this group. I love the way our guys lead, the way our guys practice each and every week. They battle. I love the effort that we play with. We just have to play some cleaner football and give ourselves a chance to be more successful. There's a lot of little details in the League, and there are some really small margins in the NFL. We have to find a way to close those margins and those gaps."
On the quarterback evaluation "I don't know. We'll see. I think the most important thing is finding who gives us the best chance to go play in L.A. next week. We will make those decisions here shortly."

On how Rattler received the news in-game:

"He's a really special person because he handles this as well as anyone possibly can. A lot of guys in this league have to navigate these challenging situations, and he understands that. I have all the respect in the world for how he handled it, how he's operated. Again, there has been plenty of good through the course of the season. Spencer is a really good quarterback in this league. We haven't done enough good collectively as an offense to be successful. We have to continue to navigate that."

On the penalties:

"They obviously impact the game. We have to play cleaner. Too many of the presnaps again. Those judgement penalties, and those go 50-50 all the time. Pre-snap, we have to be able to control them. It's not to our standard, and we've had plenty of games where we've met our standard, but we slipped a little bit this week."

On the goal line defense:

"Incredible performance. When you look at the last few weeks, we had a really good one against Chicago. We've had some in the past few weeks show up where our guys have done a good job battling each and every play. That's all we can ask for. Every play, there's a big time opportunity, first quarter all the way through the fourth. I thought our defense did another good job to take them all the way to fourth down to finally get it in that second drive. They're competing. They are right there."

On shutting out Tampa Bay in the first quarter:

"I thought our guys executed really well. I thought the urgency, the effort, I thought we did a really good job early in the game. It allowed us to be right in there. All the way to the second half, we were still in it. The turnovers created some opportunities for them (Tampa Bay)."

On Baker Mayfield's comments during the week impacting the game:

"I don't know. I do not know about that. The guys I thought just played really good football on defense a lot of this game and executed at a much higher level."

On his coin toss philosophy:

"We have navigated it a few different ways this year. The most important thing we are trying to get in the game and trying to take the lead. We are trying to find a way. Taking the football gives us the best opportunity to create that, and unfortunately, we did not capitalize on that this week."

Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler

On the moment and decision to change QBs:

"Yeah, I mean, we came out of the half, didn't have a great drive, kept getting backed up, backed up, backed up, just really couldn't catch a rhythm, and he said, 'Hey, we're going to go with Tyler, get a little spark, see what's going to happen, and, it's part of the game. I understand you can't control everything, but, hey, I'm going to be a great teammate and respond the right way, you know, be a pro about it, and help in any way I can."

On turnovers the past two weeks:

"Yeah, (we were) moving the ball great the first drive, great opportunity in the rush lane, try to make a little juke move and just try to tuck it away too late and had a great punch out. So, I've got to protect the ball better when I'm running and make sure it's tight, and the backed-up one off the play-action keeper, that's unfortunate. He (Anthony Nelson) got his hand on it. Good play by him. Trying to move on after that one was tough, but I thought we were going to respond, and try to bounce back from that."

On the main theme of the turnover struggles:

"I think last week I started pressing. I don't feel like I pressed at all this game. I got careless with keeping it high and tight on that first drive on the run. Would have had a great run there. And then the tip pick was unfortunate."

On putting pressure on himself after Chicago:

"No, I know I wanted to play a cleaner game. (I) was not happy with the fumble, obviously, on the first drive. But try to respond in the right way. I think as a group, it starts with me. We've got to just execute better. Execute better, see things better. Credit to their defense. They did a lot of great things. Knew they were going to give us a lot of different looks, which they did. But, no, I don't feel like I put too much pressure on myself. I just have to control those moments and tuck the ball tighter, literally."

On not being able to convert on drives across the midfield:

"Yeah, I mean, we were converting on third down well. Our numbers were okay in the first half. They brought some good pressures. We had the right answers versus a good amount of them. Could have gotten the ball maybe quicker on some checkdowns when we crossed that 50-yard line. We knew that was a high-pressure area. A couple missed stops, but got to watch the tape and see what happened when we crossed the 50 because it seems like we couldn't really get anything going once we passed that 50. So we've got to watch the tape, figure that out."

On what is next this week:

"I just go at it the same way. It is part of the game. I have been through adversity before. I'm going to be a good teammate, have good body language, and still be a leader. So I just got to show up to work, keep a smile on my face, keep working. And you can only control what you can. I've said that before. So control what I can and keep attacking the same way."

On surprise at the decision to insert Shough:

"A little bit, but hey, no bad feelings at all with Kellen. He's my guy. He's awesome. He's been awesome all year. And we haven't really gotten anything going on offense the last two weeks. So, hey, understood. Just got to show back up and figure out what we're going to get better at."

On if the decision was disappointing, but not surprising:

"A little bit of both. Definitely not happy with the turnovers— you're not happy with that. Not scoring points offensively the whole game— you're not happy with that. But, hey, it is what it is. Move on. That's all you can do."

On his thoughts on the defense:

"They played great. They gave us a chance. It's been like that the last few weeks. They played with energy. They played with more energy than us, more focus, more effort, and you can see it. So we've got to respond better, especially when they give us the opportunity before half(time) to go score at midfield. We have got to convert on that and get seven instead of three. So defense is doing their thing. Offense has got to wake up. So, we've got to figure that out and keep working at it."

On why the defense would be playing with more focus than the offense:

"Maybe focus is not the best word. I think just playing with more fire. I think you can see that. I think offensively we can get some things going, create some momentum, create some energy. And that starts with just basic plays, right? Moving the chains, hitting the shot when it's there, getting first downs, and then ultimately finishing in the red zone, which we haven't been doing. So, we've just got to do better in those areas and keep our, really up our level in energy and fire, all that. But it comes with execution."

On why the fire hasn't been there on offense:

"We've got to catch a rhythm. Our rhythm wasn't there. Started out the game well, turned it over. That's not great, but how you respond is everything. So, we didn't respond well. And, you've got to execute to have that fire. We play with fire—don't get it mistaken. We play with energy. We're dialed in, but we've just got to execute better. It comes down to execution. It comes down to situations and just trusting the play that's called and getting the ramble on."

On if Tampa did anything that Chicago also did:

"No, a little different. We knew Tampa's a heavy-pressure team. We had a good plan coming into it. I want to say the first third down of the game, they brought cover zero, blitzed everybody, and we made the right check and got the ball out. But (Todd) Bowles is going to give you something different every single play, and it's what we expected. They out-executed us, it's clear, and all game. And so we've just got to look at our preparation, take it to the next level, and move on from this one, move on to the next."

On how he processes the last two games with the overall improvement this season:

"You want to improve each week. Last week, obviously, you got careless with the ball a little bit. But this week, first drive, again, high and tight. That is on me. I got to keep it high and tight. We preach that every day. You are never safe when you're out there running, especially as a quarterback, so you have got to keep it high and tight. I think just protecting the ball, that's it. And then taking the completions when they're there, I felt like I was taking them. A few missteps, but got to go back on the tape and watch it. But, yeah, got to be better. Got to be better."

Saints quarterback Tyler Shough

On his first time playing QB in the regular season:

"Ultimately, we didn't score enough points and did not get the job done. So I was proud of how those guys battled. But ultimately, we just got to go back to the drawing board and keep getting better."

On stepping in with little practice as a young QB:

"I felt prepared. The whole quarterback room, the offense, I think we're preparing well. I've got to continue to increase that. But for me, I was just going out there and doing everything I can and just having fun with it. But I'm going to continue to look at what we did wrong, what we did well, to try and improve on those and go from there."

On the conversation to switch QBs:

"I was just ready to go in there and try and do my job and go out there and play. It was awesome to get in there and play. But ultimately, we're going to continue to get better and just go from there."

On if he knew there was a possibility of playing after halftime or if it was in the moment:

"I was just in the moment, yeah. Just in the moment. Just told me to get ready to go. That was it. But, yeah, just, I mean, preparing each week and my head from every game since, you know, I was ready to go and got to continue to be ready."

On the nerves and emotions when told:

"No nerves. Preparation-wise, body-wise, I was feeling good. So just going out there and doing everything I can. Like I said, we'll continue to kind of get in the groove, get better. It was ready to go. I just got to continue to keep building."

On reception from the fans cheering when he went on the field:

"No, I was more focused on the play. You're not really focused on that as much. But I think my earpiece wasn't really working on the first drive as much. So I had to switch helmets immediately, which was not ideal. But we got (it) fixed."

On his self-evaluation and what he liked/disliked about how he played:

"Not yet. I mean, obviously, I've got to watch the game to completely look at everything. But at the end of the day, we didn't score enough points. So it sucks. But we will look at it, and especially myself, and see how I can get better. And then we'll continue to grow as an offensive unit to try and get the job done. Because ultimately, the defense, they played really well. They made some huge stops. They're bringing the juice. We just got to go up there and execute and protect the ball. That's really on us."

On his approach this coming week:

"The same as I have been. I think going in each week preparation-wise, like I am going to go in, you have to continue to do that no matter what. So nothing is going to change. Just continue what I'm doing and try to have a sense of urgency this week coming into offensive meetings, preparation, and practice, because ultimately that's on us, and we've got to get better."

On if he's ready if it's time for him to start next week:

"Oh, 100%. Yeah, I feel ready. I feel ready every single week. Obviously it's good to get there and get some reps. But, like I said before, we continue to have that sense of urgency to continue to grow and do everything we can to win."

On what it's like having to wait for the opportunity:

"Yeah, I've learned a lot. I've learned a lot because Spencer's done some really, really good things. I've been able to see that growth myself. I've been getting, most of the reps in practice from a scout team perspective. You're going against live bullets with those guys, and it's usually not the best look. Each week I've been continuing to grow, and I feel really ready to go. And, it's been good, but I've got to continue to grow. So that's got to be the answer."

On his first completion being to another QB:

"Yeah, it was a good play call. Taysom obviously was out there in the flat, but it just kind of happened that way. Yeah, it was pretty good."

On preparing during the course of the week:

"Just like I said, continual preparation. I think being a backup quarterback, you have to prepare like you're the starter because you don't know when you're going to go in. And obviously, that can be mentally and physically just a different challenge. And then when you go in there when you are playing, you lean on that preparation. So for me, it is going to be no different. And that's why you can come into games and go out there and play."

On what is unique about developing and growing on the scout team:

"For me, it's just football. You are not going against a scouted card look at what you may see. You've got cards, and you're essentially in the same plays you're running. So, how can you make it like a game? And that's kind of been the emphasis that my quarterbacks coach (Scott Tolzien), Kellen, and all the guys, how can I make this game like? And I'm trying to be really intentional toward, I mean, there is no difference. And obviously, when you're going against a really good defense like the Buccaneers, it's going to be a slight difference between that. But for me, I felt really prepared and got to continue that preparation."

On if he finds it helpful to be able to go up against the first team defense in those situations:

"100%, yeah. The pocket's real. The coverage, everything, like I said, you've got to find a way to make a play. And that's what I've kind of enjoyed throughout this moment and continue just to build that preparation and attack each day."

On his conversation with Spencer after the switch:

"It was just a dap each other up. There wasn't really a conversation. We're just trying to get going as an offense. So there wasn't too much, but Spencer's my guy. We're preparing every single week. We're going to continue to do that, and we're going to continue to all get better as an offense."

On if the majority of his practice reps have been with Luke (Fortner) at center this season:

"Yes, in the past, not this week, obviously, but yeah, in the past. So I've felt extremely comfortable going out there with him and all the guys just getting those reps in."

On Fortner getting into the organization so far into the preseason and picking up the offense:

"Yeah, he's done an excellent job. He's so smart to come in immediately, learn it like that, and contribute in multiple ways. So really proud of him and his preparation, his work, because that's not an easy task either, especially going against that front. So really proud of him and the whole line. I think they did a really good job. So we just got to continue to grow, and we'll get it done."

On if there's an area that he's really grown in since the preseason:

"Like I said before, making it game-like, because it is game-like, it's the time clock football element for sure. It's a lot different when you're on offense going against scout team B and when you're giving the defense look because they're obviously first team D. So you've got that time clock football element trying to make a game like, that's where I feel like it kind of helped me out a lot, especially when you're going against a good front. But I think for all of us and as an offense and myself, we're going to continue to prepare more and continue to do everything we can."

On his mindset attacking the field:

"My mindset is I'm going to attack no matter what, and I've got to try and do everything I can to score points and then find completions. But also, that's part of the game when you're down and you've got to go, and the clock's against you, and that's just part of it, and you're having to throw it more. You can't run the ball as much just because of the time. So, part of that, a little bit of both, but I think I've learned a lot from Spencer and the offense and around the league, watched a lot of film, and you don't have the ability to get through four or five progressions, just because of that time clock element. So, you've got to find the best way to get out of your hand and your playmakers."

On if he planned to step out of some sacks or if it was instinct:

"It's just instinct. You are obviously trying to play the rep as it is, and that's the battle as a quarterback is you don't want to predetermine it. So, you're just playing as it is, and it's an instinct if something happens, and if they give you a certain look, then you might change it a little bit."

On if anything surprised him about the speed of the game:

"No, no. I think just execution-wise and all that stuff, it has got to be better, but speed of the game-wise, no, I think that is why the past few weeks, and scout team-wise, I think that has been the best thing for me to continue to learn and grow. Even preseason, I felt solid with that, and it's obviously when you get to regular season and continue forward, it's going to continue to build."

On opportunities to throw to the starters on offense:

"In practice reps, zero, but I'm trying to do everything I can to get some after practice. Routes on there, obviously, you're getting a few but very minimal with those guys, so it was good to kind of get some reps with them. But we've given as much reps as I can after every single practice going through the whole script and throwing to Kevin (Austin Jr.) and Dante (Pettis) and all those guys, and they've done a really good job, so I'm obviously wanting to continue to grow myself. But yeah, (Chris) Olave, (Rashid) Shaheed, (Brandin) Cooks, they did a really good job just getting it out of routes, and I've got to put a couple more balls better on Juwan (Johnson) as well. He's a big difference maker, and I've got to help him out."

On if he needed to adjust to the speed of the receivers:

"No, I think it's just football. I think there's a slight chemistry element. Each guy has different body movements or chemistry— that can continue to grow, but at the end of the day, you're just playing."

On if he got messages from other veteran players going in:

"Yeah, Cooks came up to me and we've been talking all year and talking and he just kind of said everything that we talked about to this point, just go out there and be you. I think that's everyone, I couldn't remember, but a bunch of people came up to me and just said to be you, keep doing what you do in practice. So yeah, that was kind of the message from them, and obviously it was good to hear because I look up to those guys, love those guys, and I got to continue to be the guy for them."

On if he feels like it's summer again to make the decision at QB:

"I don't know if that's the right comparison, but I think for me, we just got to have a better sense of urgency and as a collective offensive unit be able to go out there and execute. I think the entire defense has been playing really well, and we just got to go out there and help them out."

On what he wants to come from this "I want to win. I want to help growth continue:

I think we've got to go out there and execute and win, so I think to do that J (Justin) Reid said you have to go back to the little things and the little details and all that stuff, so it's been great for me to see from afar, watching just how an NFL game goes and how valuable those possessions are especially. So protecting the ball, time clock, all that stuff, finishing in the red zone, how viable that is to collect it, we've got to do it."

On if there have been any discussions on if his time was coming:

"In the moment, yeah. I think for me, in my own head, I've been preparing the same exact way for that exact moment, so it wasn't a surprise in my head because I have to be ready, but there wasn't a preliminary conversation though."

Saints defensive end Chase Young

On playing in a new defensive system:

"Honestly, I'm just going out there and playing my game. I wasn't trying to step in, fit in, or nothing. I'm just trying to play."

On the goal line defense:

"Fight. Between the two-yard line, you've just got to fight and push them back. We know they're going to run the ball. Everybody knows they are going to run the ball. We just got to stop them. I feel like hat's off to our interior D-line, (Davon) Godchaux, (Bryan) Bresee, Bull (John Ridgeway III), (Nathan) Shepherd. They stood tall."

On the fight in this defense:

"Our motto is just to control what we can control. When we get out on that field, just control all of the controllers. We've just got to continue to do it. Offense is going to get right. When they get right, it's going to come together. The defense, we ain't stopping."

On his fumble recovery:

"It was like a blur for a second. I just went down. Somebody's got to come get the ball out of my hands."

On the team having play from two quarterbacks:

"You can't control that. That's over our head. Edge rushers, we are just locked in on what we've got to do. Those things, really, you just can't worry about."

On getting off of the line of scrimmage quickly once the ball is snapped:

"I try to jump it sometimes. Being an edge rusher and just being out there, feeling how they start to snap the ball and feeling the cadence, feeling the tackle, you can start feeling the motions. A lot of teams like to snap the ball right on the motion. You start timing things like that. You just get into the feel."

On what went right about his matchup today:

"Just balling."

On not allowing any points in the first quarter:

"We talk about every man taking care of their assignment. This week, that was real heavy, holding each other accountable and not getting our feelings hurt when we are not holding each other accountable, and just going out and executing. That is what Coach (Brandon) Staley preaches that we have to execute."

Saints defensive end Carl Granderson

On the goal line stand in the first half :

"We just had the mindset to stop the run. We were getting after it. On the second stand, we were just into it. We knew we could continue to keep stopping them."

On if this loss will sting:

"We knew this game was going to be a bloodbath. We knew they were going to come with it. They tried to come out and run the ball. They only had like 87 (88) rushing yards. We were just prepared on defense. Offense had a few turnovers. We compete as a team. We will look at the film and see what we can do better."

On the defense being able to get pressure today:

"They were like 3 for 14 (3 for 13) on third down. They weren't really trying to throw the ball. Their mindset coming into this game was to try to run the ball after what happened to them last week against them. We knew that. We were stopping the run. After halftime, they tried to do a couple of play action to get Baker (Mayfield) going. I think that he only had 124 (net) passing yards. We had a good game plan for him."