Payton's Monday Recap
 

Can you talk about making the playoffs this year and what it means to have another goal checked off your list?

“You want to play well enough during the year to get into the postseason. We have high goals and high aspirations. Certainly that’s one of them. With three games left though, there’s still a lot at stake in regards to positioning yourself for the playoffs. I think that’s where the focus has been. We always start with making the playoffs and winning your division and then putting yourself in the best position to play well in the playoffs.”

Did you read the report about whistles being blown from your sideline?

“I was asked that question this morning, so I thought I was going to get asked that in this press conference. I have three theories on the whistle, and I think I have the answer. There is a high school field nearby and they were playing a game while our game was going on, so I thought maybe it was the high school whistle we heard. We weren’t in Memphis. We were in Nashville and I saw a guy dressed in black that looked like Johnny Cash so I thought maybe he was blowing a whistle in the crowd. But I really think Whistle Monster who’s really famous in these parts. He’s a famous Who Dat Saints fan. So high school football games, Johnny Cash, and Whistle Monster – and I’m going to go with Whistle Monster. He was there helping us out anyway he could, and he got a little press here so I think that’s my answer.”

How much do you pay attention to games like the 49ers and what they mean for you?

“I think typically if you asked it would be plane ride discussion on the way home. I think our whole league would be focused as to what happened today. There are always a couple games that are more important. They’re usually divisional games or games within the NFC for us. I think that discussion all begins to happen in December. I could tell you we don’t pay any attention to it, and that wouldn’t be true. But it doesn’t really begin to take place until December. We do by the time Wednesday comes around though refocus as to what’s most important and that is how we play and then get those scores leaving the locker room or when the game is over.”


Can you talk about how Brian de la Puente and Cameron Jordan have done?

“We’ve had some good young players and guys that we’ve acquired that have played big roles for us this year. De la Puente is a smart player. From the mental aspect of doing his job, he’s really jumped in and handled it well. He’s quick, he’s a guy that can get on his block and sustain leverage and has really fit in and handled that starter’s role well. Cam Jordan as a rookie has provided us strength. He’s a powerful player at end. He plays the position often times in the base defense that isn’t necessarily conducive to sacks, but certainly is a guy that has given us both the run and the pass defensive stops that we’re looking for. He’s just gotten better each week.”

Full interview below.
Payton's Monday Recap

Good enough for me; WhistleGate is closed

no questions about the Graham no-TD or penalties?

Or why we called a straight-up time out when we could have thrown a challenge flag and gained the same? It was some non-catch by the Titans late in the game.

Alaska

Whistle monster been messin' around!!!

actually that was on an incompletion to Devery. Having already challenged the Graham non-TD, SP did not want to waste the challenge unless he was sure. Good call.

I think in that particular case he just plain knew by then in the game, that even though the Deverey catch was kinda close or borderline, he knew the refs in that crew were not gonna give him that call if he challenged it, no matter what the video looked like, so he just didn't bother wasting the challenge

Found a way to win.

We had a lot of penalties against the Giants also.

JUST WIN BABY!!