"Our offseason conditioning program has been a big success. The attendance has been off the charts. You can just feel the focus in this locker room."

"It’s a mess," said Payton, who lives in the town of Mandeville, on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain.

"The thing about it that’s tough is it affects so many people that aren’t in a position really to move out of their homes. ... They’re living in it. It’s awful."

"You can say the last two years we've not gotten exactly what we set out to get," Brees said. "I feel like we've learned a lot along the way. I feel we've assembled a great group of veteran free-agent guys who have been a part of good teams and know what it takes to win and be professional and fight through adversity. ... We're much better prepared for the journey this year than we ever have been."