A few samplings from Saints coach Sean Payton and players from Friday's media availability:
FRENEMIES: As is often the case in the NFL, two Saints on Sunday will be playing against their former team, the Lions, in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Right guard Larry Warford was drafted by Detroit in the third round in 2013 and played his first four seasons with the Lions, and safety Rafael Bush was a Saint from 2012-15 before he signed with Detroit as an unrestricted free agent last year, then came back to New Orleans as an unrestricted free agent this season.
"It's another week," Warford said. "Obviously, I know a lot of these guys on this team. I'm excited to play them, but I'm not treating it any different than any other week. But it's going to be fun, though.
"I haven't talked to them in a while, and that's usually the case. I know a lot of guys from around the league on different teams, and game week comes around and it's like, you've got to back up a little. We'll talk after the game."
Bush said he's excited to face his former team.
"Any time you play against a team that you formerly played for, you want to make sure that you put your best foot forward," he said. "You want to be your best, you want to give a good impression and let them know, like, 'Hey, y'all know who I am.' So, it's a little more heightened."
MR. RELIABLE: Payton said that veteran linebacker Craig Robertson smoothly filled in when rookie starter Alex Anzalone injured his shoulder in the first quarter against Miami. Robertson started all 15 games he played for the Saints last season and frequently started during his four-year tenure in Cleveland (37 starts in 58 games).
"I thought he played well," Payton said. "He played early and played often once the injury happened. He's experienced. He's played a lot of regular snaps in our league, so that's a plus and one of the reasons we were drawn to him as a free agent (last year). He has done a good job."
ARMSTEAD UPDATE: Payton said left tackle Terron Armstead, a limited participant in practice this week, is "making progress, hanging in there and doing well. It's a significant injury that he's recovering from." Armstead possibly will make his regular-season debut on Sunday after tearing his labrum during minicamp. His return would come at an opportune time for the Saints, who placed right tackle Zach Strief on the reserve/injured list following the Miami game. If Armstead is active, rookie Ryan Ramczyk likely would flip from left tackle to right tackle (he started two games there, and switched midgame from left to right tackle against Miami after Strief's injury) and Andrus Peat would remain at left guard (Peat has played left tackle when Ramczyk has filled in at right tackle).
