"Today's a tough day in our league Seth Jones Jersey , obviously, after a loss like that," Payton said. "It wasn't a good tape. It was not a good film.
"The first thing I said this morning was: 'It is oftentimes said that these early weeks of the season, your team can improve a lot.' I believe that to be true," Payton recounted.
"Now, if that is to happen, then today has to be a day where we're willing to shoulder and not deflect (criticism). That is me as the head coach and everyone in that room. What I mean by that 鈥?shoulder 鈥?is accept, 'Hey, I have to do this better. I have to find a way to improve this rather than try to deflect.'"
While Payton wanted his team focused primarily on addressing what went wrong in Sunday's 48-40 loss , a lot had to go right 鈥?namely on offense 鈥?in order for the Saints to score as many points as they did.
It was apparent that at 39 years old, Drew Brees remains effective enough to pass for 439 yards and lead the offense on five touchdown drives. Receiver Michael Thomas set a team record with 16 receptions. He also had 180 yards receiving and scored a touchdown.
Alvin Kamara picked up where he left off as Offensive Rookie of the Year last season, scoring three times to go with more than 100 yards receiving. Even 37-year-old tight end Ben Watson looked effective in his first game as a Saint in three years, catching four passes for 44 yards.
But Watson said that on good teams Nick Jensen Jersey , every unit feels as if it came up short after a loss, so the offense was not praising itself. He said he would expect the defense would do the same in a low-scoring loss.
"We should have scored 49 鈥?and a good team looks at it that way," Watson said, alluding to the fact New Orleans could have indeed scored more if not for two lost fumbles 鈥?one of which was returned for a touchdown 鈥?and three drives than ended with punts.
Tampa Bay, by contrast, did not turn the ball over and punted only once.
"It's about looking in the mirror and being willing to acknowledge what we see," Watson said. "Football is a game played by humans. There's going to be mistakes made. ... How do we return from those?"
Veteran linebacker Demario Davis, who made his Saints debut on Sunday, said his defensive teammates should understand how urgent it is that they understand exactly what went wrong and how to correct it 鈥?fast. The Saints gave up more than 500 yards and three TDs longer than 35 yards.
"When you give up 48 points you didn't do nothing right 鈥?technique, assignment, alignment, eyes, discipline. It just wasn't a good performance http://www.dallascowboysteamonline.com/allen-hurns-jersey ," Davis said. "It wasn't good enough and we've got to get it fixed."
Heading into the season, the schedule appeared to allow a fast start for New Orleans, which has Super Bowl aspirations after nearly advancing to the NFC title game last season.
There was Sunday's opener at home against a Buccaneers squad coming off a five-win campaign and with its starting quarterback suspended, followed by another home game against Cleveland, which did not win a game last season.
Cleveland hasn't won a game yet this season, either. But the Browns' tie with Pittsburgh on Sunday left them better off than New Orleans, and also provided evidence that Cleveland may have improved considerably.
"This is going to be an important game for us," Davis said.
Added defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins: "We've just got to go out and play to win, regardless of whether it's the '85 Chicago Bears or the 0-16 Cleveland Browns from last year, or whatever."
After one difficult season, the Browns threw DeShone Kizer away.Cleveland traded its starting quarterback on Friday to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for cornerback Damarious Randall, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. The teams will also swap late-round picks, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because league rules prohibit teams from announcing any trades until next week.
Kizer Bryce Callahan Jersey , who went 0-15 as a starter and led the NFL with 22 interceptions during a straining rookie season, will compete for Green Bay’s backup job behind star Aaron Rodgers.
Kizer’s trade capped a dizzying few hours on the final Friday of the league year for the Browns, who also pulled off deals to acquire quarterback Tyrod Taylor from Buffalo and star wide receiver Jarvis Landry from Miami.
Cleveland selected the rifle-armed Kizer in the second round last year, and after a strange training camp in which he passed both Cody Kessler and Brock Osweiler on the depth chart, the 22-year-old was named the Browns’ starter by coach Hue Jackson.
Kizer showed flashes of potential and promise, but not enough and the Browns decided it was time to move on.
The Toledo, Ohio, native completed 255 of 476 passes for 2,894 yards and 11 touchdowns. He rushed 77 times for 419 yards and five TDs.
However, Kizer rarely looked comfortable in the pocket, partly because teams were constantly blitzing him, and he was sacked 38 times.
In truth, Kizer’s days appeared numbered in Cleveland as the team was expected to target a veteran in free agency – before getting Taylor Womens A.J. Green Jersey , that is – and the Browns will likely use the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft on a QB.
Kizer was going to have to earn a spot with the Browns, and he’ll be in a similar situation with the Packers, who were forced to start Brett Hundley nine games last season after Rodgers broke his collarbone.
Jackson fully expected Kizer to struggle in his first year and those fears played out week after week. Just as he did at Notre Dame, Kizer had accuracy problems and after he threw nine picks in his first five games, Jackson benched him in favor of Kevin Hogan.
Kizer was stung by the demotion, but he regained Jackson’s trust and won over his teammates by showing toughness and grit while trying to stop the Browns from joining the 2008 Detroit Lions as the only teams to go 0-16.
He failed, but while he and the Browns slid toward ignominy, Kizer never complained, pointed fingers or made excuses. He vowed to improve and come back a better player and person.
Kizer will get the chance, elsewhere.
—
