NEW ORLEANS -- Observed and heard in the locker room after the New Orleans Saints' 37-31 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
Proof of character: If you know anything about the Saints, you know they’re going to be more inspired by the gritty resolve they showed in the fourth quarter of a game like this than the disturbing sins that showed up in the second and third quarters.
“Last week, our character came into question, and the leadership of this team came into question,” Saints linebacker Curtis Lofton said. “So you tell me a team that’s down 11 points in the fourth quarter and you come back to win in overtime, that says it all. It talks about the character and the leadership of this locker room. You know, things aren’t always gonna be pretty. But I’ll squeak out a win like that every week.”
No Graham update: Saints tight end Jimmy Graham wasn’t spotted in the locker room, and coach Sean Payton didn’t give a specific update on his status after he left with a shoulder injury during the first half. Graham tried to play through the discomfort for two more series, but doctors and trainers ultimately decided to take him inside for further examination.
"The key is being able to function at full speed," Payton said. "So I think we were smart and got a chance to take a peek and decided we were gonna wait.”
Robinson’s redemption: No individual player earned more redemption Sunday than Saints cornerback Patrick Robinson, who returned as the nickel back following his Week 2 demotion -- and responded with the Saints’ first interception of the season.
Robinson again admitted after the game that he needs to have the same confidence in his abilities that others have in him. He said it “meant a lot” that Payton went out of his way to keep encouraging him after the demotion by sharing stories of other cornerbacks who bounced back from similar fates.
