Saints defensive coordinator Joe Woods talks about the Panthers and things he liked from Week 1's performance.
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00:04 >> So, I think we talked to you a bunch this offseason about just making
00:08 the plays that were there.
00:09 So were you happy with the effort on this?
00:11 >> Definitely.
00:12 To get the three takeaways was big.
00:14 Great plays by those individual players.
00:17 We still left two out there, being greedy, but it was good to see that for sure.
00:22 >> How much does the rush that y'all were able to generate go
00:27 kind of hit him in the socks?
00:30 >> It's always rushing coverage.
00:32 We try to do our part in terms of executing our jobs, staying tight in
00:36 coverage, buying time for those guys to get home.
00:39 And that worked out for us that last game.
00:42 >> Joe, you guys had a lot of confidence in a lot of people in the slot.
00:45 How would you say he held up?
00:46 >> He did a nice job.
00:48 And there's always some things you can get better at.
00:50 But I think overall he did a nice job.
00:52 We looked at the tape, easy corrections to make.
00:55 But he has the type of ability that I like in there.
00:58 He has size, he's quick, he's aggressive, he likes to tackle.
01:02 So he'll keep getting better every week.
01:04 >> Joe, what was just your overall assessment of the defense in the first game?
01:08 >> It was good.
01:08 I mean, obviously there's some mistakes that were made.
01:11 I mean, there was three plays where guys were wide open, and that can't happen.
01:15 So we dodged a few bullets there.
01:17 But overall, I thought the guys did a good job communicating,
01:20 executing the game plan.
01:22 And again, I think we're on a team that's better.
01:24 >> What about the challenges that Bryce brought?
01:28 >> I mean, you can see he's a smart quarterback.
01:30 He's very patient in the pocket.
01:32 You see he's an accurate thrower, and he gets time.
01:37 He has good movement skills.
01:38 He creates a lot, if it's not there.
01:40 So he'll do a good job staying in coverage.
01:43 But he's young, so he's still learning, but you can see the talent's there.
01:47 >> Were you able to identify, you mentioned the free runners.
01:49 Were you able to identify any common threads and what those breakdowns were?
01:53 >> Absolutely.
01:54 >> Yeah.
01:54 >> You don't wanna share those?
01:56 >> No.
01:57 No, it's just lack of communication.
02:00 Farta, they're doing things offensively.
02:02 We have to adjust our coverages.
02:04 So we have to be clean with what we're doing.
02:06 So we weren't on a few plays.
02:08 >> Gotcha.
02:09 I know I saw Alante at least get tangled up coming out of the wash in the slot,
02:13 at least once.
02:14 Is that something that's difficult to learn when you go from the outside to
02:16 the inside, or just how to navigate in this space?
02:18 >> It's a field, and it takes reps.
02:21 I can go there and rule it all I want.
02:23 But until you get out there, it's live bullets.
02:25 You're feeling that pressure, the speed of the game.
02:28 And that's why I know in time,
02:29 he'll continue to do better just based off what I saw the first day.
02:32 >> When going against somebody like Bryce, I know Alante,
02:36 you have a game, a preseason, but then you also go back to college tape.
02:41 How do you prepare?
02:43 >> Yeah, I don't go the whole way back to college just because it's different.
02:47 It's in terms of the team you played on, what they were asking you to do.
02:50 So you really try to watch as much tape as you can on what he's done with his
02:54 current team with Carolina.
02:56 So just spend a lot of time studying him.
02:57 Like I said, he's impressive.
02:58 You can tell he's gonna be a really good quarterback.
03:00 >> How much of a challenge is it to game prep for a quarterback with so
03:03 little tape and such a new offensive system?
03:06 >> It's tough.
03:07 You have to rely on the execution of your coverage,
03:10 guys executing their techniques.
03:13 And you know early on in the season,
03:14 you're gonna have to make game day adjustments or sideline adjustments.
03:17 So that's gonna be part of it.
03:19 They're gonna have some game plan stuff for the first game.
03:22 So they're probably gonna have a few things for us.
03:24 >> What are some of the things, like if you were to define DeMario Davis,
03:28 his greatness, what are some of the things that come to mind?
03:31 >> Leader, he's a leader locally and he's a leader by example.
03:36 He's out there doing it all the time.
03:37 It makes me feel like I gotta raise my level.
03:39 And I feel like I'm trying to get after it.
03:41 I gotta do better.
03:42 But he is a great thing.
03:44 He's a great pro.
03:45 >> What are some of the things, he's obviously getting later into his career,
03:48 but he's still highly, highly effective.
03:50 What does he do that allows him to do that?
03:53 >> He puts the time in.
03:54 He puts the time in to prepare himself mentally in terms of film study.
03:58 He puts the time in to prepare himself physically by what he does.
04:02 And when he gets on the field, he expects other players to play at his level.
04:05 I mean, he's constantly talking, and it helps the younger players.
04:09 When you see a veteran guy doing the things he's doing,
04:11 like help them raise their level of play.
04:13 >> What are some of the challenges that come with kind of
04:19 wanting to get pressure on a guy like Bryce Young, but
04:23 also not wanting to give up front lanes and those sorts of things?
04:25 How do you game plan for that or adjust for that?
04:27 >> I mean, honestly, it's gonna happen.
04:30 He's gonna get loose.
04:31 I mean, there's obviously things we're gonna do with the pass rush, coverage,
04:35 things we can do with coverage, bringing pressure.
04:37 But at some point in the game, he's gonna break free.
04:40 So you have to coach both sides of it.
04:42 Hey, you guys wanna do things, but hey, he's gonna get loose.
04:44 So we're gonna have to do a great job staying in coverage.
04:47 Like I said, you gotta cover him twice.
04:49 He's a guy you gotta cover him twice, cuz he's gonna break your game.
04:51 >> Obviously, Carolina, they had another good rushing performance in their
04:56 lead one game.
04:57 How do you game plan for that,
04:58 what are the differences between how they run the ball, how Tennessee runs the ball?
05:02 >> It's very similar.
05:03 I mean, you watch a lot of games, you see similar runs, similar formations.
05:07 So I think there's gonna be carryover from our first game to the second game.
05:11 But the backs, they have a good one-two punch in terms of what they do.
05:16 They're also good guys out of the backfield in terms of catching passes.
05:19 So a little different running style, but very similar in terms of the running.
05:24 >> Coach, just a word about Peyton Turner.
05:26 I mean, how does the defensive line rotations change with losing him?
05:33 >> Yeah, man, that's why we drafted Bosky.
05:35 So it's his opportunity to step up.
05:37 There's no redshirt in the NFL, brought Kyle Phillips up,
05:41 got him on the active roster.
05:43 So guys are about to step up.
05:45 I thought he was doing really good, thought he was withdrawing and
05:48 getting better as a player.
05:49 So I hate to lose him, but it's the next man I can count on.
05:53 >> You just talked about Isaac Adam, Umadi, they came in, spot duty, and
05:57 really stepped up and were the CBO.
05:58 >> I love that.
06:00 So story about Ike, DJ chart.
06:04 I was at the senior bowl and had this one kid from a small school.
06:09 He was covering chart.
06:09 Chart was chewing him up.
06:12 We went to the sideline.
06:13 I was actually coaching with him, Rob.
06:15 We were together.
06:16 I was like, man, we gotta do something.
06:18 So he was over there in the side.
06:19 I said, man, who's gonna cover this guy?
06:20 I said, I got him.
06:21 >> [LAUGH] >> That's why we drafted him.
06:24 True story, that's why we drafted him.
06:26 Because of his competitive nature.
06:27 And that's what I love about Ike.
06:29 You look at him in the practice field, I mean, he's going 100 miles an hour.
06:33 He treats every rep like it's a game rep.
06:36 And that's what carried on to the field.
06:37 I put him up the first rep.
06:38 He knocked the ball down and got an interception.
06:40 But that's his mindset.
06:42 I love the guy.
06:43 Same thing with Hugo, very smart.
06:45 I'm on the sideline.
06:46 He's not getting very many reps in practice.
06:49 If I put him in the game, second play, he should have got a pick.
06:52 It was an OPI, right?
06:54 Well, I think it was an OPI.
06:57 But those are the type of guys, those are the type of guys you like to coach.
07:01 >> What were your first impressions of getting to see Brian Brzee with those
07:04 live shots and the regular season?
07:06 >> Same, he's a very talented young man.
07:09 I know he dealt with some injuries throughout his history.
07:11 But I think Scott's in uniform.
07:14 I mean, with the size, the speed, the athleticism.
07:16 I mean, he's a three down player.
07:18 He's effective in the run game.
07:20 He has some rush ability, but he's quick.
07:21 More than you think.
07:24 And I think, again, he's gonna have an outstanding future.
07:27 >> But you put kind of additional stock in where he is in his development.
07:31 Not just in the things that he's doing that show up on the stat sheet, but
07:34 it looks like a moment where maybe he cleared a pass rush for, or
07:37 a lane for DeMario Davis to come in.
07:38 Like how important are those moments?
07:40 >> Yeah, it's part of it.
07:41 I mean, sometimes you have to be the sacrificial lamb in terms of what we're
07:44 doing with our pass rush games, with our pressures.
07:48 But he's a guy that you know can do it.
07:51 And that's why you're so excited about him.
07:53 And like I said, he knows he'll continue to grow and continue to get better.
07:56 He has a great mindset.
07:57 He's great to be around.
07:59 You know what I mean?
07:59 Again, he's growing every day, getting a little bit more mature.
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