METAIRIE, La. – Sean Payton saw it again on the sideline this past Sunday when reviewing the video.
Payton loved the way players reacted on the bench when New Orleans Saints running back Tim Hightower converted the first down that cinched their 24-17 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the final minutes.
“Defense, offense, guys just fired up,” said Payton, who compared it to a photo he brought up earlier this year from the sideline in a tough loss at Carolina that showed just how invested players were despite their 0-3 start.
Payton said that level of investment continued, even when the Saints (5-8) lost four straight games recently to fall out of realistic playoff contention.