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New Orleans Saints Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan
Post-Practice Media Availability
Tuesday, June 10, 2014

How do you think today went with the many different team drills?

“Pretty good. We’re going red zone mostly today and going against the number one red zone offense with Drew (Brees) and Sean (Payton) and Pete Carmichael. They’re going to test you for sure. It was good. We’ve got a lot to correct, but our guys are moving around. We watch the tempo, make sure everybody is standing up. We’re doing the right things like we always do and just trying to get better.”

It looked like Patrick Robinson surprised Drew Brees on that sack. It’s not easy to surprise number nine.

“Yeah, that doesn’t happen. I’m sure Drew saw him coming. It’s great to be out here with our defense competing against our offense, it’s pretty awesome. We’ll see how the chess match goes between Drew Brees and Curtis Lofton. It goes well and it’s good competition, and hopefully both sides are getting better like we are.”

As a whole, do you like where this secondary is at right now?

“They’re solid. We have some really good football players, and that’s everywhere on our defense. Mickey (Loomis) and Sean and Ryan Pace always give us great players, and we’ve just got to find spots for them and work them in and play them. There’s competition everywhere. I really like our secondary; they’re working well. Crime Dog (Wesley McGriff) and Andre Curtis do a great job with those guys.”

What can Jairus Byrd glean from being on the sideline and watching?

“He’s a smart guy. Believe me, he’s in there taking notes in the meetings and everything. He knows the defense already, so it’s real important to him to be great. That’s what has helped him; he’s a real smart player. I’m sure he likes watching his teammates play and he probably can’t wait to get out there.”

Is the goal this year to be the number one defense?

“I think it’s a goal for everywhere. Here in New Orleans, we talk about ‘team’. Everything is ‘team’, ever since I’ve been here it’s ‘team’. It’s awesome to be a part of that. Everybody’s here for a reason. I think Sean (Payton) and Mickey (Loomis) have picked everybody here for a reason. Our goals are team goals, and we just want to win as many as we can and win it all. If that happens to take the number one defense, then so be it. That’d be fine.”

Read more: Rob Ryan talks about the first day of 2014 Minicamp presented by Verizon