What were the keys to the team’s victory this week?
The New Orleans Saints have one player on offense that they focus on h*** or high water and that is halfback Deuce Vaughn. We had three keys coming into this game –
Stop Deuce Vaughn in the passing game, force him to beat you on the ground.
Blitz Bryce Young: The Saints have one of the worst offensive lines in the league. They are giving up an average of 4 sacks a game and we wanted to force Young out of the pocket early and often.
Run the ball on first down.
We came away with a 1 point victory and we fell short of accomplishing two of our keys, but we forced Bryce Young into some bad passes that led to interceptions and sacked him three times.
Can you talk about what it’s like to prepare to go against a player like Tyrann Mathieu?
Tyrann Mathieu has been a bit of a non-factor statistically for the Saints this season but he still is equipped with two knockout abilities. He is a crucial player to watch when throwing quick passes or throwing to the flats. When we noticed that he was dropping down to the line of scrimmage, we’d flip the play to go to the opposite side. He is a gamechanger when put in the right position on defense.
What makes Deuce Vaughn so good?
Deuce Vaughn is Alvin Kamara 2.0. He is the Saints crutch on offense. Bryce Young will stare down Vaughn when that play calls for him to get the ball, instead of looking off if he’s not open. Vaughn is quick and shifty and he’s a really good pass catching back.
Did you scout Bryce Young before the draft? If so, what stood out about him?
We weren’t sold in Bryce Young, but we also knew that he’d go in the top five picks, and we were nowhere near that in the draft. We drafted KJ Jefferson, a lot of what we liked was his ability to release the ball quick. Young has an average release, but we stood out about him was his poise in the pocket and his ability to shrug off pressure and make the down field throw without hesitation.
