New Orleans Saints Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan
Post-Practice Media Availability
Saturday, November 22, 2014

How do you feel Patrick Robinson is coming along the past few weeks?

"I think he definitely has.  He's studying extra.  He's working extra hard with Wesley McGriff in getting his technique down.  Obviously Patrick (Robinson) has tons of ability, it is just getting him to have the game slow down a little bit for him and obviously his tools will take over from there.  You've seen him really play much better and play really well here lately."

Do you have to continue to see Patrick Robinson develop confidence?

"I think you do see it developing.  I think the game's slowing down for him.  Obviously the guy's had all that ability for a long time it is just getting it.  This game is tough.  Obviously with this opponent, they change everything they do.  The concepts will stay the same but they are going to be all over the place.  He is going to have to be able to adjust and he will.  He will be ready to go."

What were some of the things going well and what are some things that have gone wrong with run defense?

"A guy (Jeremy Hill) hits a 62-yard run right before halftime, obviously the numbers go from three, five to ten, five.  We are a sound defense.  That is just the way it is.  We are going to be tested obviously with this stretch running game.  They are famous for it.  It is going to be wider than we think.  It is something that you never see until game time.  You can't exactly give the same look that you are going to get in the game.  That's always difficult.  We have solid players up there that are going to do a good job, and stopping the run is obviously important.  Sometimes you change and you play more split safety so it looks maybe statistically a little worse but you have to play that sometimes.  We do play a lot of split safety."

Did you try to do anything different about third and longs?

"We have to fix it.  It's everybody.  We are trying everybody.  Meeting with Sean (Payton), talking with Sean, hey, this is our philosophy.  We have to fix this so it can't just be oh we play good and then we blow this.  That is costing us games. We have to fix it."

Is anything universal when you look back at Detroit and San Francisco?

"I think you know.  There have been a lot of different games where these situations come up and they have been a little different every time.  We'd lose contain(ment).  We miss a play a ball in the air.  We have the wrong leverage on a play.  There are a lot of different things but at the end of the game we have to be more aware of the situation.  We have to be better technique-wise and do a better job of coaching.  That is just the way it is."

Does the free safety have a lot of communication responsibility?

"It just depends on what you have.  Some seasons you play a multiple scheme with a ton of communication and some you don't.  Each season is different.  You have to identify, as a coach you have to have your strengths need to be identified in what you have and then call the game accordingly.  I think it just depends on what you are running."

How does Pierre Warren look?

"He'a a smart kid.  He has the ball skills we like.  He has good range and he has looked really good."