Saints coach Payton has surgery on leg injuries

[+] Enlarge J. Meric/Getty ImagesSean Payton, who tore his MCL and broke his leg in a sideline collision, tried to coach Sunday's game from the bench before bring carted off the field. "The surgery went very well," Saints orthopedic surgeon Dr. Deryk Jones said in a statement released by the team. "We plan to keep him overnight tonight for observations and have him home tomorrow." Payton should be able to return to work by Wednesday but probably won't be able to put weight on his left leg for about eight weeks, Jones said, adding that a full recovery could take three to six months.

Payton was hurt during New Orleans' 26-20 loss at Tampa Bay on Sunday when Saints tight end Jimmy Graham was tackled into his coach along the sideline. Payton has said he expects to call plays from the booth when the Saints host Indianapolis on Sunday night. Assistant head coach Joe Vitt, who is also the linebackers coach, said the Saints are well-suited to adapt to the loss of their head coach from the sideline. "The core of our football team has won a world championship. The core of our football team has been through a lot, whether it's been displacement for (Hurricane Gustav in 2008), whether it's playing in London, whether it's playing in a Super Bowl," Vitt said. "So the foundation is here and the foundation is strong, and when you have these types of players on your football team, they aid in getting over any mini crisis that you may have because of their maturity, because of their commitment and their accountability." Vitt said Payton, who calls offensive plays, brings a unique combination of intensity, organization and awareness to the sideline, which the staff will do its best to replicate. "His ability to switch on and off to offensive play-caller, making offensive adjustments and then making critical calls in critical situations whether it be a challenge, whether it be a timeout, clock management -- those are things we work on," Vitt said. "He brings a lot to the table, obviously. He's taught us well and it has to carry over into the game." Vitt was overseeing the review of the loss at Tampa Bay and expected to be working with rest of the staff on the game plan for the Colts on Tuesday, when players will be off. Some details regarding Payton's involvement in upcoming meetings and practices remain unclear. "He's going to do what he always does. He's going to adapt to the situation. I think that's one of the things that makes him an elite coach," Vitt said. "We've got to see exactly where he is in the next day or two and it's going to be his call. But this coaching staff has been together for a long time and it's going to be up to us to work through these challenges and do what's right for our football team to win a football game." Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press