New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton - Conference Call with New Orleans Media - Tuesday, October 2, 2018

How does Mark Ingram look physically after missing the first four games?
"He looks fine. I'm sure he stayed busy. I mean he wasn't gone for a year and a half or been a castaway on an island. It was four weeks. He's in good shape."

What was it like seeing him at the airport?
"Guys are excited. You come off a win like that and then you get one of your guys back. Shoot he was super-excited. I think the feeling from everyone to see one of their leaders (back) and a guy that's a big part of our back (field), especially coming off a road win like that."

Will it be nice to keep both backs fresh with Mark Ingram back?
"Yes, we will figure out the balance with the Redskins game and going forward each game. You're always kind of looking at how you want to play the game. But yes of course, you have a little bit more versatility with someone with Mark's experience and I know it will be good for us offensively to have him back."

What will it be like seeing Adrian Peterson again this week?
"Shoot, I don't know that that's a big storyline, although you guys will make it one. I think you root for him. I've watched him on film now (that) we see some of the Washington cut-ups because that's a team we study and we think a lot of. He's doing well, but he's had a good season and those guys are playing well as a team."

What did you see out of the defense when you looked at the film?
"I thought we played smarter. I thought situationally, we had a few snaps that we have to clean up, but by and large, we kept the ball in front of us. I thought we accomplished some of the keys to victory, in limiting the big plays from (Saquon) Barkley and (Odell) Beckham (Jr.). I thought we won the battle of the pressure, which was getting to their quarterback (Eli Manning). We had three sacks and a number of hurries, obviously (we) won the turnover battle and those are all things that led to a good road win."

How much, if at all about will you talk about Drew Brees approaching record for passing yards?
"That's a fair question and it's one that we'll come up with the protocol because it is something so significant I think we (did), in 2012 when he broke Johnny Unitas consecutive games with the touchdown pass against the Chargers and so the league does a good job of recognizing it and then moving on from that. Obviously, it's a storyline and you always say that it's just more special when you win. I'm sure Drew would feel the same way and we'll try to handle it the best way possible."

Because it's such a significant record do you take time to reflect on a week like this?
"I haven't and it's not surprising because of all that he's done and I think more I'm trying to look closely at how do we make it the best game possible and I think all of those things become paramount and I think at a later time do you have a chance to really look back on such an accomplishment?"

What did you see on film that forced you to settle for field goals in the red zone?
"They did some good things and played some of their bracket coverage like we expected and yet when you align illegally and when you have a handful of negative plays that keep you from taking advantage of those red zone opportunities (that does not help). I just think there's a handful of things that we have to be able to clean up. When you're on the road like that early and you're settling for field goals, in the back of your mind you're thinking if this becomes a close game in the second half we're going to look back on a few of these possessions. That being said, we'll learn from it and work to improve on it."

Any sort of a challenge defending the Washington running backs with the various skillsets they have in their backfield?
"Yes, it's (a) talented offense and I think Jay (Gruden) and his staff do a great job. I know them well (and) Bill Callahan their line coach (I know well and worked with in Philadelphia). I think each week they come up with a great plan for their players and they'll throw to the backs, throw the tight ends. You look at last year's game and it's a perfect example of that. We need to have a good week (of preparation) here. This is a team that's coming off a bye. Then you very quickly get ready to put our best foot forward."

Did the defense use a different scheme to get more pressure on the QB from the linebackers that resulted in two sacks?
"A little bit how it played out, but some of it was formationally how (it) played out and part of it was how we wanted to rush him (Demario Davis), but it was good to see."