TAMPA, Fla. -- Observed and heard in the locker room after the New Orleans Saints' 23-20 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which ended their season at 7-9:
Brees on Saints' future: Quarterback Drew Brees reiterated his confidence that the Saints will get back to contention next season. He said he likes the team they have coming back and expects some new additions.
More than anything, he said, "We just need to continue to lay the groundwork and maybe get back to just some of the things that we built this program on, from the time that Sean [Payton] first got here."
"Those '06, '07, '08 teams, just how those teams were built and what you went through in order to kind of get to what we were able to accomplish in '09 and beyond," Brees said. "Find ways to make sure that everybody knows what it means to be a New Orleans Saint, how we're going to prepare, how we're going to approach each game and understanding what wins football games and what doesn't."
Brees said Sunday's finale was a microcosm of a season filled with too much inconsistency -- though this time they finished the right way, rallying from a 20-7 deficit in the fourth quarter.
Love for Rob Ryan: As usual, Saints defensive players spoke highly of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. (I'll have more to come soon on his uncertain future.)
"I love him as a coach," safety Kenny Vaccaro said. "I almost want to tear up just even talking about him."
Outside linebacker Junior Galette credited Ryan for inspiring Sunday's second-half shutout, among other things.
"Rob came in and chewed us out [at halftime]," Galette said. "Guys were like, 'Hey, this guy really cares.' We know he cares. We know how passionate he is. We started playing as a team. We finished our technique, played with power, we were gap sound, and they couldn't do anything."
Vaccaro injured: Payton and Vaccaro explained that the safety was a surprise inactive Sunday because of a "significant" quad injury that flared up Friday afternoon. Vaccaro said it was a Grade 2 tear.
Vaccaro said the injury had been nagging him for a while, but he didn't want to get an MRI until he finally felt like he had to, because he wanted to finish the season.
