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After practices on Thursday afternoon (Paris time), members of the Saints met with media members to talk about their experiences in France and getting ready for Pittsburgh Sunday. New Orleans plays the Steelers at 8:30 a.m. CT on Sunday in the Stade de France in Paris.
How does it feel getting back to the team and what were those three weeks like while you were trying to work your way back?
(Kaden Elliss) It means a lot. Yeah, it was tough, tough to not get to play the game you love, with the guys you love, for the city you love, but at the end of the day I'm thankful to be back and excited.
With the NFL kind of moving toward a lot of these international games, maybe potentially every team playing one game over here a year, would you be open to the idea of this kind of being yours, the Saints' territory internationally?
(Spencer Rattler) I think it's a great thing. I think the Saints and France pair well together, obviously, I think there's a big presence of our team and fans out here. Obviously we want to continue to build that, have a good showing on Sunday, and hey, maybe it can be an every year thing. I think that would be special.
(Martin Emerson Jr) Yeah, just to rattle off what Spence said, I would say it would be very special to come out here and play American football and just bring our culture to this great culture and just keep building on it each and every year.
(Elliss) Yeah, I echo what they're saying. We've got the fleur de lis and I think it's only fitting.
(Kendre Miller) To pretty much go off what they're saying, I mean, the people out here seem to love us and like you said, with the Saints and France, everything pairs up, so I feel like it's only right.
Kendre, 175 yards on the ground (against the Giants) and you had 20 carries, which I think is the most you've had in your career, what worked for y'all in that game on the ground in particular and what can you kind of take from that and build on going forward?
(Miller) We've been emphasizing the run for weeks and to finally see, to put it together, whatever felt good, and going forward it's still emphasizing the run because if you've got a good run game, it opens up everything else. It was that type of game. We said all week it was going to be a tough, gritty game. We got up big on them, so we have to run out for them in the offense and try to get out the game. Unfortunately, they came back, but I was ready for it and like I said, a couple weeks ago, when my number called, I'm going to be ready.
I've got two questions, one for Kendre, one for Martin, I'll ask them back-to-back, but to just continue with what you were just talking about, is there something about the Meadowlands that just seems to work for you because it seems like each time you're in New York you end up having a pretty nice game?
(Miller) Yeah, I was thinking about that too. I guess it is. I don't know, New York with the big lights, I guess it's just, I don't know, I'm going to show up. I don't know, I was thinking about the same thing.
Martin, for you, what's it feel like for you getting an NFC Defensive Player of the Week?
(Emerson) Very grateful. It's a good accolade to build off of, but truthfully, I just wanted to show up and do whatever I could for the team, and that was to come in and get a big win in New York. My personal performance helped us achieve that goal, so just build off that and just keep going. Never get too high on the highs and never get too low on the lows, just stay even-keel and keep working.
Spencer, as a backup quarterback, for French fans, how do you prepare this game and how do you maintain your motivation and your energy to grow up with the team?
(Rattler) Yeah, I mean, just try to compete every day, work in the scout team, try to give the defense the best looks possible, try to have them ready each week, and then just stay on top of the plan we have on offense. Being locked in in the meeting room, being locked in on the field, and having that same preparation every single week.
I have a question for you, Kendre Miller. In France, we have a lot of fields with grass and not turf, and you as a running back, what do you prefer to run on the grass or on the turf?
(Miller) I feel like, for me, I've had a couple injuries and I'm coming off of ACL, so the grass feel better to me than turf. The grass here, it's a little bit more like different kind of soccer field, so we'll be converting to the stud cleats, but overall, I like the grass fields. They just kind of feel easier. The older you get, I'm not that old, I'm 24, but the older you get, you kind of start feeling the old injuries from when you were younger, but I like the grass.
For anybody that has maybe a different answer, Spencer, I'll start with you, though. How did you go about managing the time change and making the adjustment to get over the jet lag and the travel?
(Rattler) Yeah, I mean, personally, this is my first time in Europe, probably like a lot of other guys on the team, so coming over here, just trying to sleep on the plane after that New York game, get a few hours in, and then that next day when we land in the morning, just trying to stay up all day. We all had our caffeine and everything like that, so we were up throughout the day and then just trying to, you know, I think I heard melatonin. I have my melatonin ready. My sleep schedule's been pretty consistent, but I say after yesterday, I'm kind of back to normal now. I don't know how these guys feel, but I feel better now.
(Elliss) I don't know how these guys feel, but I feel better now. Yeah, I'm with him. You know, caffeine and melatonin at the appropriate times, and yeah, that's the great part about how we do it here with the Saints is by today, I felt good, I felt normal, and I know that'll continue through the rest of the week.
(Emerson) Yeah, for me, today was the first day I would say I felt normal. Every other day was a struggle.
(Miller) Yeah, kind of same here. It was a little bit of struggling. I felt kind of delusional. I was so tired, but yesterday after we had practice, I was tired after practice, so I kind of started getting back into my normal routine, so I feel like tomorrow I'll be 100% adjusted to it.
Spencer, I always feel weird asking these types of questions, but you were eight years old when Aaron Rodgers made his NFL debut. The reason I'm asking that, most of your childhood, he was like an NFL star. Did you grow up watching him? Did you try to take anything from his game, apply it to yours, and when you get a chance to play somebody who's so accomplished, who's been in the league so long, what kind of goes through your head?
(Rattler) Of course. I think all of us kind of grew up watching A-Rod play ball, always trying to watch his tape or some of his big time throws, and try to implement that into your game, however you can. Probably one of, if not the most talented throwers of all time. Whenever we play Rodgers, or a Stafford, or somebody like that, you always look forward to seeing how they operate on the field, and seeing how they adjust with certain things, and what windows they might try to risk, and what they're seeing coverage-wise, but obviously one of the GOATs. A ton of respect. Looking forward to watching him play, and then getting to meet him after the game.
For Martin and Kaden, we just talked about Aaron Rodgers, how do you feel before the game, to face one of the best QBs in the league, who played in the league?
(Emerson) I would say it's a great opportunity. Growing up watching A-Rod make a ton of plays my whole life, he's a tremendous player, so we will be on our screws, and we will be very competitive, and try to knock every ball down that he throws.
(Elliss)Yeah, it's a fun opportunity, one of those special guys that you get to play, and you get to tell stories to hopefully your grandkids one day, right? I think one of the things that's so special about him, Spence already said it, one of the greatest armed talents to ever play, but still to this day, he's got such command of the game, such command of the pocket, the cadence. A lot of people know this week have said, maybe the greatest cadence of all time too, so it's just something that you've got to bring your A-game for, but that's what you love.
Kaden, you've been drafted by the Saints, you went to the Falcons, one of the biggest rivalry of the Saints, how do you feel to come back in the Saints organization?
(Elliss) Yeah, it's been really fun, really special, anytime I'm asked about this, I always say comparisons to Thief of Joy, I use that quote, so not really trying to compare the two, but at the end of the day, I'm really thankful for my time, first in New Orleans, Mickey, I'm thankful for how my time here ended, on a really good note, in that when free agency came this year, they were willing to bring me back, and as soon as they became an option, there are other teams we said no to, because we know how this organization is run, from top to bottom, it's Mrs. Benson down, it's absolute first class, which you can tell by everything that they've done for us on this trip, the way they've handled this trip for us, how we're sitting here talking about yesterday, we didn't feel like ourselves, so a lot of teams go out there and have to play, and that type of feeling that you've got, so that's just one example of how awesome this organization is, how they take care of us, how they really put thought into everything, and again, one of the reasons that made it really easy to choose to come back, and I'm thankful to be repping the black and gold again.
You know, Kaden, you just mentioned it there, the whole cadence thing, and he's (Rodgers) going to try to dry off sides, how, not to give away any secrets, but how do you try to prepare for something like that, does Spencer give you some hard counts, how does that work?
(Elliss) Yeah, I mean, you're definitely going to do cadence, you're going to do all those things to prepare for it, but at the end of the day, it comes down to a pretty simple rule, don't move until the ball's snapped. What's hard about it is he's so good at getting you thinking that it's about to come, so it's really a thing of discipline, I think the best thing you can do to get ready for it is just to talk about it all week, which we've done, because when you're talking about it all week, rather than just Saturday or Sunday, it allows you to really put it on the forefront of your mind each and every day at practice, and again, that's what Spencer's talking about, Spencer's doing an awesome job for us, mixing up the cadence going quick, hard counts, and forcing you to really get out there and pay attention to the ball, rather than trying to get a jump every time.
Kaden do you expect to be out there Sunday?
(Elliss) Yes.
So as you know, rugby in France is the sport that looks the closest to US football. So first question, do you follow rugby, and second question, would you know about Dupont? He's one of the best players in France, in the world.
(Elliss) I've been to one rugby game. We had a rugby team here in New Orleans called Nola Gold. I went, and that was a lot of fun. I also grew up in Utah, so I've gotten quite a few high school games. I didn't play, and I don't know very many professional players, but it's a game that I really respect, and I forget the name of the movie, but you guys know that one rugby movie? That was one of those ones that gets you excited to go train and work your tail off. You've got to have a lot of respect for the way they play their sport. I bet Kendrick could be a good rugby player, though. (laughter)
Kaden, you were on the team in 2022 that went to London. When you get a chance to spend an entire week in a place beyond just getting your body ready, are you happy you've had the opportunity to have an off day here to go explore beyond just the getting ready for football aspect?
(Elliss) Yeah, I think it's something that is another reason. Not only are you getting the players ready to play, but in my opinion, the NFL season, especially now, 17 weeks, plus preseason, plus training camp, plus playoffs, all the way to the Super Bowl, Lord willing for us, the season can begin to get a little rhythmic, which is what you want in a lot of ways. But in other ways, it can become methodical. You don't want that, right? You want to keep it fresh, light. That's why you've got to have the right guys, the right coaches, the right culture to make sure, yes, you have your routine and you follow that routine each week. But also, there's true humanity to it. There's emotion to every week. There's something different. And I think this is one of the really cool opportunities that teams get, like we do. We get to capitalize on an opportunity that this week feels, I don't know about y'all, it breathes life into me as a player, into the organization.
I felt like practice yesterday was one of our most energetic practices we've ever had. And that's still when we're not feeling our best. But it's such a cool opportunity. You get to go and really get to know your teammates better, go out to dinner in a new place, go try different food. I know a lot of guys went to a soccer match or a real football match, right? I've correct myself there. It's just such a cool opportunity to grow as teammates, as your team's culture, that I think when teams don't do it, it's a big miss in that opportunity.
Kaden, in that last question, you were talking about the freshness and how this international game and opportunity kind of offers that. In a season where you don't have the international game, how do you create that over the course of 17 playing weeks, 18 weeks in total?
(Elliss) It comes down to your leadership. And a lot of the coaches that I've been with, I could use different examples. I mean, Sean Payton once, we played Seattle, and it was pretty early in the year. But it's just an opportunity where, you know, I remember it because I had ties to the Pacific Northwest playing at Idaho. And I remember we went and beat Seattle in Seattle. They brought back from Pike's Place a bunch of the giant fish that they caught. And he threw one, he called your name, threw one to every single person that had a tie to the Pacific Northwest, right? So how you do it, I don't think I could sit here and give you the formula. But I think the great leaders look for those opportunities, right, to say, all right, like, what's a way we can, you know, keep it lively with these guys? And we have some things in our culture, you know, like, you know, Juan's little captain's corner, things like that, that we can talk amongst ourselves, that we know what they are. But I think it really, again, goes to the great leaders to really find that, head coaches, GMs, all those guys. And I think here in New Orleans, they do a really good job of it. Threw giant fish at us in the team meeting. Yeah, that was my rookie year. That was nuts. I just torn my ACL. I'm in a brace, can barely stand. He says, "Kaden Elliss," I stand up and he throws a fish at me. I got it, barely, but that thing was slippery, slimy, something special, man. It's one of those great memories, though, that you think of. And, you know, again, I could say those with all the different coaches I've been with. And again, that's what's special about some, you know, some people, some organizations, the way they handle it and allow each week to be, again, you want your routine, but, you know, keep some livelihood in it.
Kendrick, how did you feel in Paris? Did you have any opportunities to visit the city? And if yes, how do you feel the city? And another question about the game. What is your biggest challenge to face an aggressive defensive line like you will have to do on Sunday?
(Miller) Yeah, I had a chance to go to the city probably like two, three times, you know, kind of like earlier on in the week and try some of the food. I had to try McDonald's, too, because, you know, I heard the McDonald's is better than like the U.S. or whatever. And it definitely is. But, yeah, just little stuff like that. And I feel like it's different, but it's different in a good way. Like, you know, than what we're used to, the typical like American thing. And it's just good to like get out here and bond with our teammates. These past two practices we've had out here, we've been super energetic and it's just like a new life. And it's just because I feel like the change of scenery and it's just something different, but just got us all engaged. And far as your next question, I feel like this week, again, is going to be another one of those games kind of like physical. I feel like we showed that last week, you know, with the guys we got up front and shout out to them. They did their did their job on that one. And, you know, we was we got a good push last week. And I feel like we could we could do it again this weekend.
I feel like it'll be amazing to go out there in France and get a dub and, you know, celebrate it with them out here.
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