New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com - NewOrleansSaints.com Aaron Kromer Discusses Redskins Game, Upcoming Contest Against Carolina

Opening Statement: “We signed Bryce Harris off of the Atlanta Falcons practice squad for Marcel Jones who went on Injured Reserve for us. The other guys, that we adjusted, we are going to work on today as far as replacing or seeing what we are going to do from there.”

Is there an update on Johnny Patrick?

“Johnny Patrick looks to be, hopefully, not as bad it looks. He is still getting looked at by the doctors but we hope to have him back pretty soon.”

What about Scott Shanle and Devery Henderson?

“It looks the same for them as well. (We) hope to have them back soon.”

Other than penalties, what else stuck out to you?

“I am going to say, again, that it was penalties and it was a case of when you get yourself behind the eight-ball like that and it all compounds. So, if it’s first and 20, it is going to end up being third and ten a lot of times. Now, it not only goes from a penalty as a negative but then the next thing happens and your third downs are negative, your percentage of third down conversion becomes much less because it is third and long. Then, you don’t stay on the field as long because you are not converting the third downs and the defense has to play longer. It’s a combination of all of those things put together that just compounds problems. If you eliminate one, the rest of them don’t show up.”

How was the communication process on Sunday in terms of working with the offensive line?

“I thought that was one thing that really went well. It was a case where I talked with Frank (Smith) on the sideline, I’d go back there every once in a while, when I say back there (I mean) over to the bench, and talk to the guys and get a feel for where they were mentally and give them a thought or two that I had, that I was seeing. All in all, when you look at it, the offensive line was pretty productive even though it didn’t show on the stat sheet.”

What did Washington do to pressure Drew Brees so much?

“Washington did a good job of disguising some of their traditional blitzes that we had practiced. They showed up late and we, as a group, decide who we are blocking between the quarterback and the offensive line. We weren’t always going to the guy that we had practiced to go to and, quite honestly, there were a lot of times that we have protections in where they are bringing six and we have five blockers and so we have to get the ball out. That’s when Drew, at times, is Houdini and decides he’s going to make a guy miss in the backfield as you’ve seen him do many a time and still make a play. There were a couple of those yesterday and a couple disguised blitzes that were good. When you throw it 52 times in a game, it is not going to be as clean as you want it to be when it turns into a one-sided game.”

Continue reading