Last sunday afternoon had to be a surreal experience for Sean Payton.
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The exiled New Orleans Saints coach watched from home last Sunday as his team stumbled through a 40-32 upset loss at home to the Washington Redskins. He was like your average diehard fan, only completely different.
"I sat down with a pad and paper and watched the game," Payton said this week, via The Times-Picayune. "Just started eating a bunch of junk food in the fourth quarter when they were losing."
Payton said he'd rather not answer questions on a weekly basis about the state of the Saints. He called last Sunday's game "frustrating," likening it to "watching your own family members." He believes the Saintswill be ready for the Carolina Panthers this week.
"These guys are pros and they understand week by week getting onto the next game and they certainly understand the importance of this next game," Payton said. "The next one will be important. We're in the division this week. We'll handle this the right way."
Well, he hopes they do. Like a common fan, support from afar is the extent of his influence.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @danhanzus.
