New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton says he is adjusting to being off his feet and recovering from knee surgery while also preparing his team to play the Colts Sunday night.

"I've got to pay attention to what the doctors are saying," Payton told reporters.  "I don't want to be stubborn or foolish."

The coach says he attended parts of the team practice today on a golf cart with his leg propped up.  He came to the news conference on crutches, but said he needs to keep his leg elevated as much as possible to reduce pain and swelling.

Payton said he will not be on the football field at all before or during the game Sunday night, and will instead be in the coaches booth far above the Superdome floor.  he said he also will not go down to the locker room for half time.

"This transition will be real smooth... it will work very smoothly," he insisted. "There are parts of being upstairs that I think will benefit us."

Coach Sean Payton:


Payton will call the plays from the booth down to Offensive Coordinator Pete Carmichael.  Carmichael will then radio it to quarterback Drew Brees.  Payton says the extra step should not be a big deal.  "I think it will be fairly smooth."

The coach says league rules don't allow a coach in the booth to talk directly to the QB.

Payton did note that while he was in the hospital Monday and Tuesday, it was challenging.

"You go from having a lot of control... to having very little... you have to be a very good soldier and listen," he explained.

He did have an iPad at the hospital he used to help put together the game plan and coordinate with his staff at the team headquarters.

Payton did use a lot of his time in the hospital working, but said, "There comes a point where you're coming out of recovery where you're just not concerned about the defensive ends of the Colts."

When he came back to work, Payton said, he was greeting with gifts and other well wishes.  The coach noted, however, that one player took an opportunity to poke some fun at him.  

Payton told reporters, "There was a China doll on my desk with a note that said 'return to sender.' "

He explained that in the past he has put China dolls in the lockers of some players who were injured because China dolls break very easily.

Who left the doll for him?

Payton would not say who left the doll, but insisted he knows who it was and described the player as "a good one" to leave it for him.

As for the injury report (in addition to the coach be limited at practice). Payton said the following players did not practice.

TE Jimmy Graham (sore ankle)
DT Sedrick Ellis (ankle)
DE Turk McBride (shoulder)
ML Jon Vilma (knee)
LB Will Herring (hamstring)
OT Zack Streif (knee)

Olin Kreutz was out for personal reason.