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The day before his New Orleans Saints lined up against the Falcons on Thanksgiving night, coach Sean Payton was asked if he had the opportunity to catch the bonkers “Monday Night Football” game between the Chiefs and Rams earlier in the week.

No chance, Payton said. Not when his team wrapped up a resounding win against Philadelphia Sunday night then had to cram together a game plan for its divisional matchup against Atlanta.

“Let me give you itinerary,” Payton said. “We played Sunday. Players are off Monday. Coaches on Monday night, we went until 2:30, 3:00 a.m. Practice Tuesday, Tuesday night we went until 2:00 a.m. Here we are.”

If the fruit of that labor was not evident in the Saints’ 31-17 win against the Falcons, this should make it clear: Friday, Saints receiver Austin Carr said the team had 55 personnel groupings at its disposal for the Atlanta game.



“Having that many on a short week was something I definitely haven’t had to handle in my career as a football player, period,” Carr said. “Playing Sunday and having a brand-new 55 personnel group plan installed Tuesday and Wednesday and putting it to work on Thursday is a quick turnaround.

“You see guys studying, you see guys highlighting, helping each other out and communicating well. I think we’re hitting a good stride right now.”

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