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Saints vs Panthers: Q&A with Jonathan Vilma

Q&A with Saints linebacker Jon Vilma. Interview by Dewey Hammond.

Q: Talk about your first loss of the season.

A: It was a tough loss, but the Falcons are a good team, they get paid just like we do. I didn’t feel like we should’ve lost the game, but it is what it is and we’ve got to regroup. It’s a long season.

Q: What do you say to the kicker in the locker room after he misses a game-winning FG attempt?

A: There is really not much to approach him on. It’s not like he tried to miss the kick. I’m sure there were plays were I didn’t play as well as I would’ve liked. I’m sure I missed a tackle, missed a play here or there, and it’s no different with a kicker. Unfortunately with his position it’s all the glory or all the criticism. That time he did miss it, and in the locker room you’ve got to pick him up. He is our teammate we’re going to support our teammates 100 percent. It’s unfortunate that he missed that kick, but I’m sure he’ll get it the next time.

Q: What do you expect from the Carolina Panthers (0-3) this weekend?

A: I expect another dog fight. They have two very good running backs in DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. They’re going to try to run the ball a lot, not put their rookie quarterback in tough situations. It’s going to be another close game, just like all division games. They’re always close. They’re always tough. It’s going to come down to who makes the play here or there, who makes the most plays at the end of the game.

Q: As a rookie QB you know Jimmy Clausen will make mistakes. How will you capitalize?

A: It’s easy. You keep the pressure on him. If he throws us one, make sure you catch the ball. If he fumbles, make sure you get the ball. Keep it simple. Mental pressure, physical pressure. With mental pressure it’s disguising things, and with the physical pressure it’s getting him to the ground. Once the ball comes out we have every bit as much right to it as the offense. It’s as much our ball as it is theirs, so we have to get after it. We need to keep the pressure on him for 60 minutes, force him into some mistakes, and it’ll be good for us.

Q: You mentioned mental pressure. If you jaw in the ear of Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, you're probably not going to get into their heads, but a rookie like Jimmy Clausen is a different story. Do you talk to opposing QBs during games?

A: Me personally, I let my playing do the talking. There are guys on my team who will say a little something, and I’m all for it, but it’s not really my style. Especially with a young guy. He’s already scared enough so I don’t need to talk trash to get him any more scared. I just need to keep getting after him and getting hits on him. Get that ball out. I’m cool with that. I don’t need to talk.

Q: Panthers linebacker Jon Beason is one of the linebackers who you've mentioned over the past couple years as a guy whose game you not only respect but also study. What does he bring to the Carolina D?

A: He’s a great linebacker. He brings toughness, nastiness, to the defense. He brings speed. You’re not going to run away from him. He’s going to make plays all over the field. Jon Beason is one of those unique backers who will stay on the field for all three downs. He’s very explosive and can make any play on the field: interception down the field, sack, forced fumble, whatever it is. A guy like him really brings that toughness to the Carolina defense.

Q: He and you were at The U at the same time, right?

A: I think I was two years ahead of him.

Q: Will you speak with him this week?

A: Oh yeah, but probably not during the week. I like to talk to him after each game to see how he did, and just to talk football. I also like to hear his vantage point of the teams he’s playing because we play most of the teams he does, so I like to hear his thoughts on the opposition.

Q: Who is the unheralded hero of the Carolina Panthers offense?

A: Tackle Jordan Gross is by far one of the best tackles in the NFL. He’s a consistent Pro Bowler. He gets it done for them. They need a yard, they’re going to run behind him. They need protection, they make sure he’s got it locked up.

Q: What have you learned from your past matchups against the Panthers?

A: That it’s going to be a close game, and that they’re not going to back down regardless of the score. We’re going to have to really earn it to get that victory.

Q: What do you say in the huddle this week after an emotional loss like the one you suffered last week?

A: It always changes depending on the attitude and vibe of my teammates. If there is nothing to be said, there is nothing to be said. I know nine out of 10 guys feel like I feel, and can’t wait to get back out there on Sunday. If I’m feeling that energy, there is nothing to be said. It’s Sunday again, let’s get going.

Q: Do you anticipate your D-coordinator Gregg Williams will throw an extra guy in the box to put more pressure on Jimmy Clausen to beat you with his arm?

A: If Greg decides to put an extra guy in the box, I’m assuming that’s good, but that means you’ve got one less guy in the secondary, and you don’t really want a receiver you’ve never heard of going for 100-plus yards. That could end up being the reason we lose. But if Greg decides we need an extra man, that’s exactly what we’ll do.

Q: What do you need to do to win this weekend?

A: Stop the run, get off the field on third down, and create some turnovers.

Interview: Jon Vilma talks Reggie Bush's busted knee, and more

Interview with New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma. Interview by Dewey Hammond. 

PLAYMAKER MOBILE: You've started the season 2-0, a familiar feeling; what is different about this season compared to last?

VILMA: It's a little harder as expected. As defending champions everyone is going to give us their A game. We expect close games like that. Actually we'd be surprised if we got anything different. As we figured about both the Vikings and the Niners, they played us hard, they played us tough, they played us right to the end, and you know, we found a way to win, as usual.

 

PLAYMAKER MOBILE: Statistically so far your team's offensive numbers have dipped compared to last season, while your defense is performing statistically at a higher level with regard to PPG allowed, roughly only 15 points per game allowed over the first two weeks. 

VILMA: It really hasn't been too hard. It's a combination of us wanting to get better as a defensive unit, and us being under defensive coordinator Greg Williams for a second year, learning his defensive scheme. Our success is nothing too crazy. It's learning the game plan and executing. We're not too worried about numbers on either side of the ball, as long as we keep winning, that's what matters. We will continue to get better on defense. As long we keep improving each week, statistically and otherwise, we'll be fine.

 

PLAYMAKER MOBILE: With Darren Sharper having been injured for quite some time now, your success on defense has required some of the younger guys stepping up. Talk about some of the young guys on defense who have stepped up and helped close that gap.

VILMA: We got a couple young guys, Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Malcolm Jenkins, who have done a great job. Malcolm Jenkins stepped in for Darren Sharper, who has been injured and is out for the first six weeks. Malcolm has done a great job. Almost had an interception in the first week, and he played solid in week two against San Fran. It's been a position change for him, moving from cornerback and this is the first time he's playing safety. He's doing an excellent job. When a guy like that changes positions and works to get better, I always say the sky is the limit for him. He's already a talented guy who was a first-round pick last year, so I'm real excited for him. With Jo-Lonn Dunbar, I'm not surprised he's playing the way he is. He had played sparingly last season when Scott Fujita got hurt last year, when Scott Shanley got hurt last year — he would be the first one to step in. Same thing the year before, his rookie year, he would step in and do the same thing. I'm not surprised he's performing well. I knew he would. It's just a matter of getting out there and letting everyone see him play.

 

PLAYMAKER MOBILE: Beating the Niners was nice, and bating the Vikings got the headlines and probably made your Super Bowl victory feel even a little sweeter, but this weekend's game against the Falcons is your team's first division game this year.

VILMA: I expect a tough game from the Falcons. Even though we started 13-0 last season and beat the Falcons twice during that stretch, they were close games. We won by three points, I believe, at their place, on a fourth-down stop actually, to seal that victory. Then it was a close game at our house, less than seven points, I think. These matchups, we don't expect a blowout. We know it's going to be a grind, and winning a division game is almost like winning two games because of tiebreakers, so we have to get after it.

 

PLAYMAKER MOBILE: With Jerious Norwood out for the season and Michael Turner missing a significant chunk of time so far this season, it has been the relatively unknown Jason Snelling stepping up, earning nearly 200 yards from scrimmage last week for the Falcons.

VILMA: Their offensive line is a really gritty group, real cohesive. They've been with each other for a while and they're starting to gel. It reminds me of the Giants offensive line when they had about 60 starts under their belt with no injuries. You just start to understand the guys and the dynamics, to play with them and for them. You always want a group that has been together and is familiar, like our offensive line has been together for a while. I know where they're coming from. They're a good group and they're really going to get after it.

 

PLAYMAKER MOBILE: Who on your defense in their second or third season is really starting to gel with your defensive chemistry?

 

VILMA: Particularly our defensive line. Remi Ayodele and Sedrick Ellis, those two guys are now in their second year together and they're starting to play well. They understand the defense better and in turn you can see that showing up on film the way they're getting off blocks, or staying in the gap and hitting lineman, so I'm excited about the things they're doing because it's their second-year together (Ayodele is a fourth-year player) and they're starting to gel.

PLAYMAKER MOBILE: After this weekend's game against the Falcons you've got another division game against the Panthers. Do you prepare differently for divisional games?

VILMA: No. We never approach them differently. Each game has equal importance, the old cliche: one game at a time.

 

PLAYMAKER MOBILE: Talk about Reggie Bush's injury and how it'll impact your offense.

VILMA: It's tough when you lose a dynamic guy like Reggie Bush. He can run, catch, every time he gets his hand on the ball he can score, he's capable of scoring, he wants to score. To lose a guy like that is tough, but we have fought through injuries before, like when he was hurt a couple years back, and we feel like for us, offensively, defensively as a unit, we'll hold the fort down until he gets back.

 

PLAYMAKER MOBILE: What do you expect from the Falcons on Sunday? Do you expect them to try to beat you on the ground or through the air?

VILMA: I have no idea. The first time we played them last year it was more through the ground, they tried to pound us. The next game they had 300-something yards passing on us. It's going to be one of those battles where we'll have to go with the flow of the game and see what happens.

 

PLAYMAKER MOBILE: With Matt Ryan coming into his third season, he now has the advantage of being a bit familiar with your defense, having played you a handful of times. Does this change how you approach your defensive attack?

VILMA: You know, honestly I couldn't tell you. That's up to the coaches and how they feel Matt Ryan is playing right now, whether we could get after him or not get after him.

 

PLAYMAKER MOBILE: Looking back on your first two wins this season, where are the failures? Where does your defense need to improve?

VILMA: The most glaring one is our two-minute defense. It has to improve. It's not where we want it. It's not where it was last season. Actually, forget last year. It's just not where it's supposed to be, period. We've got to improve that to keep winning these games. That's our glaring issue, and we also need to get off the field on third down so the offense can't extend drives.

 

PLAYMAKER MOBILE: Talk about technology and how it is changing the way you and your peers prepare for games, watching film, etc.

VILMA: We watch film together as a team, and we also watch it alone on our laptops and things like that. It's a little bit of both. It's always good to come together as a group and hear everyone's thoughts on certain fits, certain plays and blitzes, but like you said technology is starting to play more of a role. I'm one of the guys — I don't use an iPad — but I'm one of the guys who uses memory cards. I'll load up some film onto a memory card and watch it on my laptop anytime I want to. Technology makes it quicker to get access to the film and breaking down your opponent, but nothing beats doing that with your teammates also in the room.

 

PLAYMAKER MOBILE: Do you use technology to stay in more frequent contact with your coaches and teammates? Do you text your d-coordinator in the middle of night with schemes and game plans? 

VILMA: I find myself texting my teammates but not necessarily the coaches. I have a pretty good memory so if I see something I'm going to remember to tell the coaches the next day, especially if it concerns me. But with teammates it'll be any time of the day, any time of the night, but with coaches I'll wait. They get enough of me during the day, 18 hours, so I let them enjoy their six hours away from me.

 

PLAYMAKER MOBILE: After playing a road MNF game, how does preparing on a short week change your approach?

VILMA: The mental and physical rest is the toughest. You lose a day of rest. Yeah, you can sleep on the plane, but it's really not resting, not like resting in your bed and actually getting some sleep. So to travel across the country and know you're losing a day to prepare physically and mentally, that's the tough part about it. That's the nature of the beast, it's part of the business.

 

PLAYMAKER MOBILE: WHo should Saints fans keep an eye on this weekend, a potential surprise performer, on either the Falcons or Saints?

VILMA: Well he's not really a surprise anymore but Jason Snelling. As you said, nearly 200 yards from scrimmage. He's not a surprise to anyone anymore, but we'll have to keep an eye on him. He may have been a third-team back but he's proven to be capable in the NFL.

Q&A with Jonathan Vilma

Q&A with Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who with an interception helped his team beat the Vikings in week one. Up next are the 49ers on Monday night in San Francisco.

Interview via email by Dewey Hammond.

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Q: Was Brett Favre the same QB last week that he was in last year's NFC Championship game?
A: i think brett favre was a little rusty but he'll get better as the season goes.

Q: What is the biggest challenge when coming off an emotional victory like your team's victory in week 1?
 A: biggest challenge is humbling ourselves to work hard to get the next victory...the old cliche "one game at a time"

Q: What challenges do you face with San Francisco that you didn't face against Minnesota?
 A: the challenge we face is going into a hostile environment and handling the not only the team, but the fans, and the atmosphere

Q: San Francisco has a defensive legend (Singletary) coaching its team. What can a linebacker bring to coaching that is unique when compared to coaches whose experience includes playing a different position (or not at all)?
 A: singletary can bring the game from a player's perspective as well as a coach. he's been there and done that at the highest level and can tell his team from experience what it takes to win.

Q: Is there any part of your game that you've modeled after Singletary's game when he played?
A: i modeled my smarts after him. he knew what play was happening everytime and i try to do the same

Q: San Francisco struggled in week 1 running the ball. Alex Smith has never proven himself as a passer. Do you see San Francisco trying to beat you through the air or ground?
A: definitely through the ground. they have a pro bowl running back in frank gore that they will use.

Q: It's the first business trip for your rookies. How do you prepare them? What are you going to say?
A: not much to be said, ill tell them follow my lead

Playmaker contest: Win tickets to Saints/Vikings season opener, meet Jon Vilma, and wear his Super Bowl ring!

True story: Win tickets to Saints/Vikings season opener, meet Jon Vilma, and wear his Super Bowl ring!

Contest ends TONIGHT at midnight (Pacific time, for all you West Coasters). You may enter more than once, and for your friends who enter via your invite you receive an additional entry.

Enter the Meet Jon Vilma contest via Facebook

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Contest: Win Saints/Vikings tickets and meet Jon Vilma

Easily enter and win two tickets to the NFL season-opening game on Thursday night, September 9: 

Minnesota Vikings @ New Orleans Saints

Entering is easy and can be done via Facebook or Twitter. 

Contest ends Monday September 6 at Midnight PT. You may enter more than once, and for your friends who enter via your invite you receive an additional entry.

Enter the Meet Jon Vilma contest via Facebook

Enter the Meet Jon Vilma contest via Twitter

Top photo from NFC championship game courtesy of Mark Scott

After the game you will meet Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who has promised our winner the opportunity to wear his Super Bowl XLIV ring. We're not kidding. Go to the Saints game for free. Meet Jonathan Vilma. Wear his Super Bowl ring. Go home happy.

This is Playmaker Mobile's third meet-and-greet contest with Jonathan Vilma.

Past Winners

 

  

True story: Will Smith hates Miami

New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith was none too happy when he had to pay teammate and Miami Hurricanes alum Jonathan Vilma the $100 he lost on a bet. For what it's worth, Will Smith, that B.S. pass interference flag in 2002 was the only reason you're able to scrawl that trash-talk message on your Benny Franklins.

- Dewey Hammond

 

 
 

New Orleans Saints: White House Photos

These pics from Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma have been on our Playmaker Mobile app for a few days, and now we're posting them here, but if you had our app you'd have already seen them. And if you want the photos that actually include Obama, well, then download the app. Jon also posted on our app a video of Drew Brees throwing footballs to kids on the White House lawn. You pair his pinpoint accuracy with fumbling, child hands and for a minute you think you're watching T.O.

- Dewey Hammond