NEW ORLEANS -- Observed and heard in the locker room after the New Orleans Saints' 27-24 overtime loss to the San Francisco 49ers:
Brees takes blame: Saints quarterback Drew Brees shouldered the blame for two first-half interceptions that he tried to fire into tight windows. The second one -- into triple coverage for Jimmy Graham -- elicited a loud chorus of boos from the home fans before halftime.
"I probably deserved it. I would have booed myself on that one," said Brees, who also fumbled in overtime when he was sacked by Ahmad Brooks. "That's something that's gotta get fixed. I'm not happy about it. I can't turn the ball over at the rate that I'm turning it over, and I certainly can't turn it over in the situations that I'm turning it over."
Brooks' payback: That play gave Brooks a sense of payback after he was flagged for the controversial roughing-the-passer penalty against Brees last season that helped the Saints rally for a 23-20 victory. Brooks told the 49ers media that he doesn't believe in karma, but he feels that his late father, who is buried in Louisiana, "talks" to him when he's in New Orleans, where he's had some big games.
Payton's positive message: The positive message from coach Sean Payton after the game was that if the Saints play the way they did in the second half, when they rallied from a 21-10 deficit, they're going to be tough to beat. But the players are also aware they need to start and finish faster after these close losses continue to bite them.
Lewis sore but hopeful: Saints cornerback Keenan Lewis showed reporters the swollen area around his left knee area after he played through what was announced as a quad injury Sunday. Lewis admitted that he talked his way back on the field after he was originally announced as out for the remainder of the game. He was noticeably hobbling but toughed it out in a limited role. He told reporters he hopes to recover in time to play next week versus Cincinnati.
