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Strief says Saints will dedicate 2012 season to Payton

Quote:

NFL.com Wire Reports

Sean Payton won't coach the New Orleans Saints next season, but offensive lineman Zach Strief wants to ensure the team's leader isn't forgotten.

Strief said Friday that players "owe it" to their embattled coach to come closer together, live up to the standards he set during the previous six seasons and do everything they can to win in his honor while he's away on an NFL suspension.

"This season is going to take on an us-versus-the-world mentality," Strief told The Associated Press. "The perception at this point is not positive with us. We've worked very hard, I know as players, to gain respect, not only as a good team but as a good group of guys. That perception will go completely out the window now, and I think that'll be kind of a rallying cry for us.

"It will give us a chance to kind of come together closer than we've ever been and say, 'Look, nobody wants us to even win anymore, and we're going to win for each other, and for coach Payton and Mickey and the guys that essentially took this fall.' "

The NFL announced Wednesday that Payton was suspended without pay for the entire 2012 season for ignoring instructions to shut down the team's "bounty" program and misleading the league about its existence. Payton said in a release Friday that he accepted full responsibility for his role in the system and promised to be more vigilant.

Strief noted that the Saints already had a sampling of what it's like to operate without their coach, with Payton being less present in the weeks after he broke his leg last season.

"He couldn't get off a (trainer's) table for like three weeks," Strief said. "He wasn't in meetings. He wasn't at practice.

"There's a tremendous amount of faith in the offensive staff. Even after he came back, I think he really kind of gave a lot more responsibility to the guys that had been doing it. He really kind of said, 'All right, you've been doing it, you're doing a good job, go ahead and keep going.' "

After losing the game at Tampa Bay in which Payton was injured, the Saints finished the regular season 9-1 with offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. calling plays in to quarterback Drew Brees. The offense set numerous NFL records, including for total yards and yards passing.

"Our offensive staff last year really worked very much more independently than they ever had before," Strief said. "So I think in that respect, we're somewhat used to that already."

Strief said Saints veterans have been with Payton long enough now that they know how he likes the structure and tempo of practice, and they even worked to simulate that during last year's lockout, when Brees gathered players together for offseason workouts at Tulane.

"When I was hurt last year, for me to watch a game on TV was miserable. I can only imagine what it's going to be like for (Payton)," said Strief, who sprained his right knee and missed part of the season. "And I know that for me personally, he will be a big motivating factor in working hard and being a better player because he deserves to have us do that."

NFL.com news: Strief says Saints will dedicate 2012 season to Payton

Awesome article. Thanks for posting this. This is exactly what I want to see. I want us to kick ass and take names.

That's what I'm talking about. Win for the coach!!!

This is exactly the reaction I was expecting from the players.

Great way to step up Zach. Now we need someone else to step up. April 1 is coming quick.

I don't consider last season a test run. He was still directly involved minus him manning the sidelines. It certainly helped this situation but to what extent...we are going to find out that's for sure. If they wind up 8-8 or a wildcard though I would consider that a major accomplishment on the level of a SB victory. These are hardships the likes of which no team has ever faced.

Do It for Coach Payton !!!!!

Us against the world baby!! I love it!! On the Gulf Coast we know how to come back from disaster. If we can come back from our cities being threatened by Mother Nature every summer due to hurricanes and sometimes almost destroyed completely then we can overcome this! Raise the flags ladies and gentlemen because it's time to prove that they can't keep us down!!!!

Weve reached the top of the mountain once and we'll do it again, don't worry about that, even though it kinda sucks isn't it exciting to think that we have a new defense that is going kick some ass and not over complicate things

On another matter, can't we have an article that reads "Brees finally signs with saints" this wait has me depressed seen as all that's been in the news is people slamming us

Kick in the door, wavin' the four-four...
All you hear is Pappa don't hit me no more.

Who Dat?

People are going to slam us no matter what. We can't win now in the public relations battle. But the awesome thing is that we're still getting work done! We signed Bunkley, we signed Chamberlain... They're not going to keep us done! As far as re-signing Drew... I think that we simply don't have the money right now. Hell, after we sign our draft picks we're gonna have just spare change to offer players.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisXVI (Post 391992)

If Vilma is suspended or cut and/or Shanle is cut that should free up enough cap space to get Drew happy... :bng:

Thank you Strief. That's just the kind of message I want to hear from our players! We aren't going to win by worrying what people say about us, we will win by banding together with a big fat WHO DAT?

Now if Brees would join the club, that would be great.....

Where is Drew Brees !

Quote:

Originally Posted by QBREES9 (Post 392058)

Where is Drew Brees !

I'd guess at home...

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2800/4...27f_z.jpg?zz=1

Good news . That is good news. Good positive thinking. The team is coming together. You cannot lay down and die.

Quote:

"This season is going to take on an us-versus-the-world mentality," Strief told The Associated Press. "The perception at this point is not positive with us. We've worked very hard, I know as players, to gain respect, not only as a good team but as a good group of guys. That perception will go completely out the window now, and I think that'll be kind of a rallying cry for us.

"It will give us a chance to kind of come together closer than we've ever been and say, 'Look, nobody wants us to even win anymore, and we're going to win for each other, and for coach Payton and Mickey and the guys that essentially took this fall.' "

I absolutely love this. I'm a big Strief fan because of these statements.