Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. meets with the media to talk about the offense and Vikings.
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00:00 All right, everybody ready?
00:05 Pete, what are your thoughts just on third down offense and just kind of the red zone,
00:09 just what we've seen over the past couple weeks?
00:11 Yeah, I think, you know, obviously the numbers have been better.
00:15 I just think I would say last week when you go back to the third down numbers, you know,
00:19 50% would tell you winning performance, and yet some of those third downs that we didn't convert came early in drive.
00:25 So I think that, again, getting ourselves in manageable positions to continue to be successful,
00:29 I thought, as far as the red zone, you know, some guys made some tough plays.
00:33 It was nice to see.
00:35 Pete, when it seems like you guys have been bustling a lot of the explosive type runs this year,
00:41 is there like a consistent reason for that, do you think?
00:46 You know, I think it takes all 11, so I think, again, it's us as coaches making sure that
00:51 when those opportunities arise that we take advantage of those and making sure we're putting our players in the right positions
00:57 to get those, but, again, that's something that needs to be better.
01:01 I was going to ask just about starting off with, you know, a typical run on first and ten to get ahead of the chains.
01:08 Has it been a source of frustration?
01:10 It feels like a lot of times those are zeros, ones that kind of get a drive off to a slow start.
01:15 Yeah, I think it's, you know, things that we've talked about as a staff and trying to just make sure that, again,
01:20 we're putting our players in the best position to try to avoid the second and nines,
01:24 and then, you know, that also kind of limits a little bit more, I guess, maybe what you're doing on second down
01:29 as far as calls, maybe takes away some of the play actions or something, you know,
01:33 if they're going to be sinking in coverage, but I think, again, it's the message is, hey,
01:38 we've got to be efficient on first and second down and get ourselves into the man in the thirds.
01:42 Petey, you guys have gotten into the schedule a little bit.
01:44 Like, if you had to define, like, the identity of the offenses, is that kind of clarified what we would be?
01:50 I think the players feel pretty good about, you know, the schemes, and I think there's a lot of that coming from communication
01:56 with those guys as well as to the things that they like, things that, you know, how can we,
02:01 sometimes we talk about, you know, reducing the volume, things like that.
02:04 But I think there's been a lot of great discussion as we've gone along and kind of learned each other.
02:09 I think things are going in the right direction.
02:12 But a team blitzes as much as Minnesota does. What's the challenge there?
02:15 And what do they do well with those blitzes?
02:17 Well, I think this. I think they create a lot of different personnel groupings.
02:20 And when you talk about their pressure package, that's their base plan.
02:28 And so they create a lot of different looks with different personnel packages.
02:32 And there's also a lot of disguises that they'll present that, you know, might put you in some map protections
02:38 and then all of a sudden guys are dropping out.
02:41 So their pressure package creates a lot of things, a lot of time this week spent on those as an offensive staff
02:49 and just kind of, you know, making sure we're all on the same page.
02:52 What do you think you feel, like, I heard you kind of assess y'all's ball security this year.
02:56 It seems like maybe a little bit of an improvement over last year.
03:00 Yeah, I think that's one of the things, if you look back at the numbers last year compared to where we're at this year,
03:05 it's been a lot better. We're taking care of the ball.
03:08 I think the quarterback's making good decisions, being smart with the ball.
03:11 And obviously I think that, you know, Joel Thomas, I think he does a great job with those guys,
03:17 regardless of what position it is, whether he's talking to the running backs, receivers, tight ends,
03:21 anybody that might touch the ball.
03:23 And I think just overall, again, there's always been an emphasis on it,
03:27 but I think that our guys are doing a great job and I think the message is preached every week
03:33 that that's going to be the number one reason why we get beat.
03:41 I haven't played less than half the snaps.
03:43 So let's ask you what kind of goes into that, just, you know, when he plays, when he does.
03:48 Yeah, I think that, you know, I think you can come out of any game and come out and go,
03:52 "Oh, it would have been nice to get in more snaps or more touches,"
03:56 you know, whether it's the run game or the pass game.
03:58 I think it was just, you know, sometimes that's just the way the game plays out.
04:02 It wasn't by design.
04:04 Obviously, he's a big part of what we do.
04:06 We want him on the field and, you know, hopefully, you know, situations like that.
04:10 But then there's a lot of guys that we want to get out there and get the ball in their hands.
04:14 What has Jamal brought to the team just as far as his blocking?
04:17 Yeah, I think when you look at not only his blocking and protection, his blocking in the run game,
04:22 he had some opportunities, you know, with the lead block with the chase him.
04:26 He's been physical, just like his running style.
04:28 I think he's been outstanding, and I would say coming away from the last few games,
04:33 just really, you know, praising his job that he's doing, and he's such a team guy,
04:38 and he'll do whatever's best for the team.
04:40 He's not willing to, you know, he's willing to put his body in there and make some sacrifices.
04:45 That kind of looked a little unexpected.
04:46 I think he's got a great attitude.
04:48 He's always got energy.
04:50 He brings a lot of juice.
04:51 And so I think that he's, you know, a great team guy.
04:54 I feel positive.
04:55 Getting back to Alvin, I know you all can't predict how many plays you're going to get
05:00 or the down the distance, but when you game plan,
05:03 do you have a ballpark figure in mind based on matchups,
05:06 how much Alvin and Mike and Chris should get the ball?
05:10 I think you go into every game with the game plan.
05:13 As you're putting the plan together, saying, hey,
05:14 we'll make sure we have enough touches for Alvin, enough touches for Mike, and everybody.
05:18 And then sometimes that's just a matter of what plays get called.
05:21 And obviously, Taysom had a little bit higher volume last week,
05:25 or it was the number of carries.
05:26 But I think that, again, it's just what gets called, I think.
05:31 And it's not like it's any less or any more or any easier than that.
05:36 Jimmy Graham with the healthy scratch last Sunday,
05:39 is there maybe a reason why that it hasn't worked out as what you guys expected
05:42 when you brought him in and trained him?
05:44 I would say this.
05:45 I think Jimmy's got a great attitude.
05:47 We love him.
05:48 I think he's been pleasant just to have.
05:55 He knows what it was like when we were rolling back in the bench.
05:59 I think he's been great for the team, for the room.
06:02 And I think the one thing he knows is it's a long season.
06:05 His opportunities are going to come.
06:06 Is it just a matter of there's so many guys to get the ball to,
06:09 so much talent right now around the island, that it's hard to find reps for him?
06:12 I think there's a lot that goes into that as far as maybe the number you're dressing at a certain position.
06:17 Those are probably better questions for the head coach as far as the numbers that maybe we're dressing
06:22 or what positions.
06:24 But I think that, again, he's had a great attitude and he's a pro.
06:29 So his message to us is, "Hey, when my number's called, I'll be ready."
06:33 With Adam coming back, what does that mean for Colin?
06:36 Well, good question.
06:38 We'll get the short yardage goal line tonight.
06:41 Is there any correlation with how quickly you guys get from huddle to snot,
06:45 like in and out of the huddle to the snot?
06:47 When you guys go faster, is there more success?
06:49 Is there any correlation there?
06:50 I think that there's a mix of it a little bit.
06:52 I think we kind of hit a lull in that third quarter last week, and then it was like,
06:56 "Okay, let's get a little tempo going."
06:57 And then we got a couple plays with Derek at the line to get a little tempo going.
07:01 And then quickly he got us two good plays, and then we kind of jumped back into some rotation run here.
07:09 But I think that it's just sometimes in the game where you're like,
07:14 "Okay, you know what, we've got to get something going."
07:17 Or you might just decide to do it.
07:19 But I think both situations can come up.
07:23 Is there any target amount of time for how long you want to be in a huddle,
07:25 like get from the huddle to the line of scrimmage?
07:28 Well, I think the faster you can break the huddle, we would take as fast as you can get to the line of scrimmage.
07:33 But sometimes the play call might be a little bit longer, you're changing personnel groupings,
07:37 and so it might take a couple extra seconds.
07:41 But you prefer to get to the line of scrimmage as soon as possible.
07:44 What are the advantages you get when you get there as quickly as you can?
07:47 Well, I think the quicker you get there, either you're stressing the defense with tempo,
07:51 or maybe it's the quarterback being able to look at the defense a little bit longer,
07:55 more time to see what the look is and maybe get us in a different play.
07:59 So there's obviously advantages.
08:01 I think tempo has always been one of the things that when we got our tempo going around here,
08:05 it's been a positive.
08:09 Okay. Thank you. Bye.