Eli Apple wants to start 'playing faster’ after Saints debut
By Josh Katzenstein, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
MINNEAPOLIS — Eli Apple played for the New York Giants last Monday night. Six days later, he suited up for the New Orleans Saints, started at outside cornerback and played 70 of 73 defensive snaps in Sunday’s 30-20 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
Apple, a first-round pick in 2016, had just three days of practice to adjust to his new team after last Tuesday’s trade, but he showed enough Wednesday through Friday that the coaches trusted him in an important game against a Vikings team with two top-flight receivers in Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs.
“It’s football,” Apple said of learning the scheme quickly. “Football is football, so I’m used to it.”
After his first practice Wednesday, Apple said he felt a bit like a rookie again as he tried to quickly learn a new defense. It helped that he had two former Ohio State teammates, Vonn Bell and Marshon Lattimore, among the defensive backs in the meetings, and Apple said the entire secondary assisted him in the learning process. When asked about helping Apple, Lattimore said after the game he’s “going to make sure he’s in best position to be in.” ...