New Orleans Saints linebacker Pete Werner discusses defensive struggles, Week 8 preparation before the Indianapolis Colt game.
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00:00 >> Did you guys have full team meetings or
00:05 just kind of position meetings and stuff?
00:07 >> We had a team, special teams and defense meeting.
00:10 >> Is this a time to sort of have an overarching message since
00:15 the first was kind of like a vinny by and a reset period?
00:17 Is there kind of an approach message right now?
00:21 >> I think the main message is just being really tight with our details.
00:27 And I think we had some time to think and watch a little bit more of this film.
00:31 And I think we just gotta keep emphasizing the importance of these details.
00:37 And we've got a great opponent coming up.
00:41 And I think as long as we start practice and stay up on the details,
00:45 it's gonna be huge.
00:47 >> Is it normal, I guess, for us to be on week seven and
00:50 still have no issue with details, you feel like?
00:52 >> No, not necessarily.
00:54 I think that you're always trying to get better at something.
00:56 You're always learning, whether that's in meetings or on the field.
01:00 I think no team is ever perfect.
01:03 You're constantly trying to fight and get better day by day.
01:07 I think there's always gonna be details that you can learn from,
01:09 that you can get better from.
01:10 And eventually try and eliminate them when you go out and play.
01:14 And I think that's always gonna be a battle for every team.
01:17 It is trying to see the things that hurt them and go out and
01:22 get better at them and execute at the end of the day.
01:25 >> [INAUDIBLE]
01:30 >> How much was a break reset needed and
01:33 how much targeting can be done over that short period of time?
01:37 >> Yeah, I think you get a look in the mirror and you realize what's hurt us.
01:42 And I think given this time, you can really get that reset and
01:47 really dive deep into what has hurt us.
01:50 And I think that is, we got the time to think, now let's just,
01:55 let's get ready for Wednesday to go out and practice.
01:57 >> What has hurt you?
01:58 Like what are some of the things that you think have hurt the team?
02:03 >> I think that minor techniques and coverage and run.
02:07 I mean, there's so many little things, it's hard to explain.
02:11 I just think that it starts with alignment, technique, and your eyes.
02:14 And sometimes when one of those isn't right,
02:17 then there's gonna be something that's not gonna end up well.
02:20 And I think that it's hard to go into detail, but at the end of the day, if we're
02:25 eyes are right, we're in the right alignment, and our technique base is right,
02:28 then we're gonna have a good play.
02:29 >> What was the impression of the defensive performance in this last game?
02:35 What was your takeaway from?
02:36 >> I thought the effort was there.
02:39 I thought that we had some great plays.
02:43 We had some great stops.
02:45 I think the overall message is the past two games, we haven't started fast.
02:48 And that's hurt us.
02:50 And our ultimate goal is to take the ball away, to score,
02:54 to get offense as many chances as possible.
02:58 And when we're out there and off to a slow start, that's not helping them at all.
03:03 So I think that ultimately was the biggest message there is start fast,
03:07 start fast.
03:09 And at the end of the day, you gotta go execute at the end of the game.
03:12 >> You've had a couple of weeks in a row where the opponent kinda got you guys off
03:16 to a slow start, you had to rebound.
03:18 What ways have the Texans and the Jaguars kinda attacked you guys to enforce
03:22 those adjustments so late?
03:23 >> You're saying as far as what attacked us early?
03:28 >> Yeah.
03:29 >> Yeah, I think they put together a great game plan,
03:33 forced us to be in some tough situations.
03:35 It's hard to go into great detail because there's so many different things.
03:39 But they did a great job, at the end of the day,
03:42 they're putting us in tough positions and we gotta go out and execute.
03:45 And we did it in those.
03:47 And I think that our coaches and players did a great job after those few drives of
03:52 really getting together, eliminating what they had done well and stopping that.
03:57 And but it shouldn't get to that point, is kinda what I'm trying to say.
04:03 >> What trends may have shown on the field,
04:06 either team showing similarities as far as their approach to you?
04:10 >> As far as?
04:11 >> How they attack you,
04:12 like is it always showing you similarities and trying to do the same kind of stuff?
04:15 >> Yeah, I mean, it's a copycat lead.
04:18 If somebody runs a great play against us,
04:21 there's most likely gonna be a same version of that coming forward.
04:26 So if somebody does well, then all of a sudden we're gonna see it again.
04:30 So I think there might be a little bit in that, and that's probably what it's in.
04:35 >> Do you get a lot of figure requests this week?
04:38 >> A lot.
04:39 >> [LAUGH] >> I'm getting so
04:42 many messages from people that I haven't talked to since high school.
04:45 >> [LAUGH] >> How many field passes I'm gonna get.
04:49 So hopefully Justin can help me out a lot.
04:51 >> [LAUGH] >> But we'll see.
04:54 I mean, there's gonna be so many different people.
04:56 It's gonna be awesome there.
04:58 Last time I played in the stadium was with all the Big Ten Championships that
05:03 Ohio State went to, so I got a great record in that stadium.
05:07 And we're trying to keep it that way.
05:08 >> Pete, I know it was probably a subtle difference, but
05:10 you were the every down linebacker in this game since DeMario was eliminated.
05:15 You played the same role in every down where you were both on the field, and
05:19 then just a different role on those downs where he-
05:21 >> Yeah, pretty much the same role.
05:23 It was pretty cool having the green dot.
05:25 >> Yeah.
05:26 >> Getting to talk to all the guys and hearing them after the game,
05:29 they said I did a great job.
05:30 So it was pretty cool to give them that opportunity, the trust in the coaches.
05:35 But yeah, it was a pretty cool deal there.
05:38 And just another game, you ask to do something, you just gotta go do it.
05:44 >> And I know you had first sack, first interception this year.
05:48 I mean, adding those things to your game, the impact plays,
05:52 especially in the third downs and stuff.
05:53 How do you feel like that's going for you this game?
05:55 >> Yeah, I think it's pretty cool to have an interception,
06:00 sack on your belt.
06:01 But then again, that's just another way of getting off the field on third down.
06:06 So we're just trying to build and capitalize on the things we've done well.
06:11 And third down is definitely gonna be high on the pedestal of importance.
06:16 So we're just gonna, at the end of the day,
06:17 just try to work the off the field as much as possible.
06:20 >> What's it like to play at home?
06:23 What's that experience like for you?
06:24 I know it's your first time doing it in the NFL, but having done it in college.
06:27 >> Yeah, I know, it's actually crazy.
06:29 Growing up, having season tickets to Colts games and playing there in college,
06:34 I never thought that I was gonna be at this level playing in that stadium for
06:39 actually what it's meant for as an NFL team.
06:42 So it's gonna be a lot to take in.
06:44 It's gonna be a mental game during the week and especially on game time.
06:49 But I just gotta slow my mind down and go out and play like I know how to play
06:53 at the end of the day.
06:54 But it's gonna be definitely very, very cool to see all the people I'm close with
06:58 being there at the games and going out and
07:01 just treating it like another game you know how to play.
07:03 It's gonna be cool.
07:04 >> Did you get a chance to go up against Jonathan Taylor in college?
07:07 >> I did, yes, I actually played against him twice,
07:10 once during the regular season at the shoe, and
07:13 then another time in the Big Ten Championship.
07:15 >> What kind of stands out about him and
07:18 this kind of Colts rushing offensive between him and Zach Moss?
07:22 >> Yeah, they've done a great job.
07:24 They brought physical backs that are hard to bring down,
07:28 forced a lot of missed tackles in the very past.
07:31 We'll have to have a great, great plan and we gotta tackle at the end of the day.
07:36 >> Pete, how would you describe the, say, demeanor of the team right now?
07:44 I think from outside it's easy to kind of point fingers and pinpoint,
07:49 speculate what the locker room might be like, but what is it like right now?
07:53 >> Yeah, so it is easy to point fingers and try and say it's this and it's that.
08:00 At the end of the day, you just, you gotta do your job.
08:03 You gotta do whatever is being asked of you, not trying to do anything more.
08:08 I think that it's still a bunch of positivity.
08:13 It's early in the season.
08:14 We know what we're capable of.
08:15 We know what has gotten us deep.
08:18 We're just trying to enhance the great things and eliminate the bad.
08:22 So the positivity and the mindset is still there.
08:27 Obviously, we just gotta play better.
08:31 We gotta play better.
08:32 It's as simple as that.
08:33 >> Thank you.
08:34 >> Thanks, Pete.