New Orleans Saints Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan *
*Post-Practice Media Availability
Friday, September 12, 2014

What do you expect from Cleveland's tempo this weekend?

"I am sure they will run that (no-huddle or hurry up) especially since they are at home in a quiet crowd so they can operate even more effectively.  That is what made that so impressive is you are doing that in Pittsburgh which is a loud stadium and all that.  That was certainly impressive and got our attention.  We are just excited this game is coming."

Are you buying that you won't see a Johnny Manziel package this weekend?

"Right now we are just working as hard as we can to get better.  We are looking forward to this game."

Why do you think at every level teams run the hurry up offense but defenses really haven't been able to figure out how to defend it?

"It certainly helps now that you have a headset but then you have hand signals.  You have to work on that, from day one when you are installing defenses now because you are right, it's so popular and teams are trying to get so many extra plays and things like that.  That is day one install stuff.  That is day one how you do things, how you do business, but it is certainly effective for Cleveland.  If you play great defense for three plays, now you offense gets out there even quicker so that would be even better for us."

Does it maybe help to bring a lot of pressure against a team's offense and disrupt them quickly?

"It's whatever is working.  Obviously if the pressures are hitting great, but it's however the game is being played. Really you are calling the same game plan as if they were huddling it is just making sure we are quicker and things like that."

Did you guys approach fundamentals differently this week?

I think we are one of the best teams in the league fundamentally on defense.  We were disappointed.  We had a great week of practice that week. We don't miss tackles.  We were missing tackles.  We were missing some checks.  Obviously it wasn't our style.  We have to give credit to them.  They did a great job but believe me, we stress fundamentals every day.  I know we're a better tackling team than that.  I know we are going to play great and will be great."

How do you divide that balance between having confidence and knowing you are better than that but figuring out what you need to do differently?

"You have to obviously fix something.  With that many points and that many yards, it's shocking.  We have all been there before.  This isn't new territory for any of us.  I have been in this league a long time.  Stick with what you do best, you prove it, you work on it, but at the end of the day that wasn't a real good game by us and we are going to fix it and do better.  You watch.  I guarantee we will be better."

How do you get better on working on tackling?

"We work on tackling every day.  There is always at least one tackling drill a day that we emphasize.  The thing is we have great players so we will make those tackles.  I think when the momentum is going bad, the first thing to do is try to do too much.  I think that as a play caller and I know that our guys did that on the field.  We were diving at tackles instead of stepping to them.  Look, that was a stinker for all of us, but nobody has to hit the panic button around here.  We are going to work hard.  We are not used to losing and we are not going to get used to it."

What specific challenges does it present when a team uses a no huddle?

"We rotate.  We have a deep bench.  You always keep rotating people.  If you get an extended drive on some of those you have to be ready to rotate players in.  I know they were successful with the no huddle but we'll be ready to roll just like we were against Philadelphia.  I believe Philadelphia runs a no huddle offense."

With tackling issues across the league, what do you think that says about the trend of the league?

"We have?  I think we missed the least amount of tackles last season.  We had one bad game."

What about the rest of the league?

"I've only watched us.  I don't watch the other teams.  I can't really comment."

New Orleans Saints Offensive Coordinator Pete Carmichael *
*Post-Practice Media Availability
Friday, September 12, 2014

What is the biggest challenge that the Cleveland defense presents in your preparation this week?

"It is a very competitive defense. They are very strong, they're physical (and) they are aggressive.  I think they are going to be real challenging with us at the line of scrimmage and do some things like that."

Is it because of the size of their front seven?

"I think they're big.  They're strong.  Their defensive backs are an aggressive, talented group."

Has that been the style of defense that you guys have had when you guys have had problems running the ball?

"I just think that this unit happens to be a talented group of players."

Did you call the plays last week?

"No, Sean (Payton) called the plays.  He had the headset that communicated to the quarterback."

Is there ever any thought of feeding Mark Ingram more to get him going?

"I think when we talk about it as a staff it's like what you said, they all have their roles going into the game thinking that they are going to try to get as much playing time from each of them as we can.  But we do talk about how if someone has a hot hand we keep giving them a few more snaps."

Is Brandin Cooks a guy that you see moving around like last week?

"I think he's smart enough to handle that.  So we feel good about that."

What are some of the challenges that come from that for Brandin Cooks?

"We can just change where he is at just by a formation call.  So if he's just learning that one position he's just aware of where he's lining up.  But he's taken to that really well."

What limits Brandin Cooks at this point?

"It would be experience for him and then he wasn't here in the offseason.  He has had a chance to catch up.  He just doesn't have a lot of NFL playing time."

Does his size prevent him from being in spots that you want to put him in?

"No I think we will line him up inside.  We will line him up outside."

Are you impressed by how quickly Brandin Cooks caught up to speed?

"Absolutely, I think that you explain something to him and he gets it.  He gets a picture of it.  He gets a mental picture of it so he is able to go out and do it on the field."