Shutting out talks of a "revenge game" and focusing on Sunday's rematch with the Los Angeles Rams isn't too difficult for New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, who preferred to keep the focus on the present rather than the past this week.
"I think myself, it is easier than you would expect," Payton said. "It is a different year. It is a different team. It is week two of the regular season."
When the Saints and the Rams met in the NFC Championship in January, a blown pass interference non-call came to be a defining moment in Los Angeles' eventual 26-23 overtime win. Even though Los Angeles benefitted from it, McVay and Robey-Coleman both have said pass interference should've been called.
Much like Robey-Coleman, the defender who would've been penalized on the play, Payton is ready to move on. He once again noted the changes both teams have undergone since January.
"It feels like it was a long time ago," Payton said on a conference call with Los Angeles media this week. "It's part of our game. These are two different teams now, a lot of roster moves from last year to this year. We're playing each other early in the season, so it doesn't feel like that many games ago relative to the distance between when we played. You're looking at two different teams."
The no-call decision spawned a rule change by the NFL allowing coaches to challenge offensive and defensive pass interference calls as well as non-calls.
Payton wasn't surprised by what came out of the moment as far as the rule changes go. It's just standard operating procedure for the league, according to Payton, and he was quick to point out that it isn't the Saints' first experience with something like this.
"You go back to 2009 in the NFC Championship game, we won the toss and received the ball and drove down the field and kicked a game winning field goal," Payton said. "It was that very next year that the other team is going to have the possession if it's a field goal. That's kind of the nature of our game."
The Los Angeles Rams will host the New Orleans Saints for the team's home opener this weekend. Check out the practice photos.
Linebacker (54) Bryce Hager of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Wide Receiver (14) Nsimba Webster of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Defensive tackle (99) Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Running back (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Quarterback (16) Jared Goff of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Center (55) Brian Allen of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Tight end (81) Gerald Everett of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Wide Receiver (17) Robert Woods of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Safety (32) Eric Weddle of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Safety (43) John Johnson III of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Quarterback (16) Jared Goff of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Cornerback (23) Nickell Robey-Coleman of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Guard (66) Austin Blythe and quarterback (16) Jared Goff of the Los Angeles Rams practice, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Wide Receiver (12) Brandin Cooks of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Linebacker (58) Cory Littleton of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Cornerback (22) Marcus Peters of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Tight end (81) Gerald Everett of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Cornerback (20) Troy Hill of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Defensive tackle (69) Sebastian Joseph-Day and defensive end (97) Morgan Fox of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Wide Receiver (18) Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Wide Receiver (88) Michael Thomas of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Linebacker (54) Bryce Hager of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Cornerback (21) Aqib Talib of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Scout Tory Woodburry and Kate Kost of the Los Angeles Rams during practice, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Cornerback (23) Nickell Robey-Coleman of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Linebacker (54) Bryce Hager of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Wide Receiver (12) Brandin Cooks of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Head coach Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams coaches during practice, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Linebacker (58) Cory Littleton of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Cornerback (21) Aqib Talib of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Wide Receiver (17) Robert Woods of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Running back (30) Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Quarterback (16) Jared Goff of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Cornerback (23) Nickell Robey-Coleman of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Defensive tackle (99) Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Defensive end (97) Morgan Fox of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Safety (24) Taylor Rapp of the Los Angeles Rams practices, Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)
Though the two teams may be different in Payton's eyes, they still return several of their core contributors that afforded them the chance to cross paths deep into the playoffs and potentially do the same again this season.
That, according to Payton, is what makes this week's game significant – not what happened eight months ago.
"The importance of the game or the relevance of the game is that you have two real good playoff football teams playing each other from a year ago," Payton said. "I think that's why it is the afternoon game (on FOX). That's why it's a national TV game. That is what I see."
