The Saints have been impossible to beat at the Superdome this year, running up a 7-0 record in home contests.
Things have not gone nearly as well on the road, where the Saints have gone 3-4 to cost them a chance at home field throughout the playoffs and jeopardize their shot at winning the NFC South. Coach Sean Payton has heard a lot of questions about his team’s failure to impress away from New Orleans and said Thursday that those questions don’t frustrate them because they’re fair.
“No, probably in fairness to that, maybe earlier in the year but those questions certainly are valid ones right now,” Payton said, via the team’s website. “I think over our tenure here in 2006 we have played very well on the road and yet that is insignificant as it pertains to 2013. No I don’t know that we necessarily embrace it or get frustrated with it, it is really you guys reporting what is accurate. Maybe three weeks ago after or two months ago after the Jet loss, but it is what it is right now though.”
Payton said he and the other coaches have been looking at everything to figure out how to play better on the road and they made a pair of moves this week -- switching kickers and left tackles -- in hopes of sparking a better performance. If they can’t, they’ll need to figure something out quick because any chance of advancing in the playoffs will rely on making up the more than two touchdowns a game they’ve lost this season when leaving the friendly confines of their dome.