Corrections/clarifications: A previous version of this story included an incorrect first name for Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore.

METAIRIE, La. – You might wonder what in the world Sean Payton was thinking last weekend when, already trailing 14-0 in the first quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles, he essentially bet the house by calling for a fake punt on fourth-and-1 from his own 30-yard line.

Or what the fiery New Orleans Saints coach was trying to ignite last week in ramping up for the playoff opener by wheeling into the locker room a replica of the Vince Lombardi Trophy and more than $200,000 in cash – in single bills.

Or why Payton, a former quarterback whose journey as a player took him to the Arena Football League, the Canadian Football League and crossing an NFL picket line as a scab back in the day, carries a game-day edge that often makes it seem like he’s still playing – to the point that apparent trash-talk from the sideline fueled some kind of postgame heat in early November from Los Angeles Rams cornerback Marcus Peters.

Well, it all comes from the same pot of gumbo.

“Sean got swag, man,” Saints running back Alvin Kamara summed up to USA TODAY recently.

Payton, 55, epitomizes the “no guts, no glory" mantra better than any coach in the NFL, which is saying a lot given the rise of once-unconventional gambles and assorted motivational ploys in today’s pro football culture. His counterpart in the NFC title game, the Rams’ Sean McVay, is a shrewd chess player in his own right. But Payton, who made the gutsiest game-management call in Super Bowl history with an onside kick to open the second half of an eventual victory against the Indianapolis Colts, helped write the book on this dare-or-be-damned game that is so prevalent among NFL coaches.

The calculated gambles, of course, are part of a larger picture of success.

“He can motivate in a weird way,” Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore, who had two interceptions in the NFC divisional playoff comeback, including the game-sealing snag, told USA TODAY Sports. “He keeps it real with us. That’s the thing about him. That’s the only thing I look for in a coach.”

More than a half-dozen Saints players shared insight about their coach with USA TODAY Sports, adding layers to the widespread perception of Payton’s persona as a passionate football savant. In some ways, he reflects the influence of Bill Parcells, the Hall of Famer who was one of his mentors and had a knack for customizing his approach for particular players while setting a tone for the team.

Beyond that and the details of his X’s and O’s, Payton may be the most refreshing voice in the NFL coaching ranks when it comes to rules and other league-wide issues – as was the case recently when he made a case for expanding the NFL’s 46-man game-day roster. This, despite (or emboldened by) the season he missed in 2012 while suspended by the NFL for his role in the Bountygate scandal.

For Payton to be back in this spot, one game from the Super Bowl for the first time since the title run nine years ago, also underscores his staying power and ability to rebuild the Saints with a locker room culture that surely reflects his edge … and discipline.

“He does a good job of keeping everything fresh,” said punter Thomas Morstead, one of just three players – including star quarterback Drew Brees and tackle Jermon Bushrod – still with the Saints from their championship run.

“I think he’s very cautious about people getting comfortable,” Morstead added. “He’s always able to kind of keep a little bit of a healthy fear with guys, whether it’s about your job security or playing time, he’s always, I think, trying to keep guys a little bit on edge. I think that’s by design, and a great way to be. Because complacency can kill you. Sean, if he wasn’t a head coach, could be a master psychologist.”

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Listen to Lattimore reflect on an episode from last season, as the Saints prepared for a rematch against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Earlier in the season, Lattimore was blasted on a cheap shot from receiver Mike Evans, which ignited a brawl and led to a one-game suspension for Evans.

As the rematch loomed, Payton presented Lattimore with a mannequin in Evans’ uniform.

“And I locked him up,” Lattimore recalled of the rematch and his man-to-man assignment on Evans. “He had one catch for 13 yards. Things like that, he hypes us up.”

Another cornerback, Eli Apple, points to Payton’s memory. He said Payton has referred to video he watched of Apple at Ohio State while making a point about his technique with press coverage.

It’s common knowledge among the Saints that predicting precisely when practice will end is en exercise in futility. Payton frequently demands that plays are repeated over and over until they are executed with perfection.

“He’s so detailed,” said linebacker Demario Davis. “The thing I appreciate more than anything about the culture here is coaching. They’re coaching us on what we need to be ready for in the game …. There are so many details in there.”

Added Kamara, “He’s like a wizard. That’s the best way to put it. Just his knowledge of the game. His enthusiasm for the game. It’s like a kid with a piece of candy. When Sean is talking, breaking down a play or something, he finds every little nugget, every little detail. You can see his face lighting up.”

This shows up on game day, undoubtedly, where the Saints – even having changed members of the supporting cast around Brees – have had one of the league’s most prolific offenses for more than a decade. No, the big risks in the heat of the game are not so much driven by emotion.

Typically, Payton’s unconventional calls are cool and calculated – with a human touch. He pores over analytics like so many coaches in this era, but he balances the data with instinct and experience.

Consider that 17 teams during the regular season attempted more fourth-down conversions than the Saints, but only the Chargers (87.5 percent) had a higher success rate than New Orleans (81.3 percent), which converted on 13 of 16 tries. The Saints also have been 3-for-3 on fake punts executed by the versatile Taysom Hill. On Sunday, the call changed the momentum and extended the Saints’ first touchdown drive – which was capped by another fourth-down call from the 2-yard line.

No, Payton won’t played scared, especially now, having endured three consecutive 7-9 seasons before building a legitimate contender again.

It’s striking to hear Payton compare himself as a coach now to the man who came to the Big Easy after Hurricane Katrina and did so much to help rekindle civic pride. Is he better now?

“Experience is a part of it,” Payton told USA TODAY Sports. “But there’s something about the naivety of starting something.”

That might explain his mojo. He’s always trying to tweak, refine and reinvent. The players sense his need to keep it fresh, but it goes both ways. The players, he insists, keep him young. He constantly challenges himself to be a better teacher, which includes a thirst for seeking new scientific data and new ways to use technology.

“If you’re here – and I’m talking everyone from Tre'Quan Smith, as a rookie, all the way to Ben Watson or Drew Brees – the idea that you have nothing else to learn and the idea that I as a coach have nothing else to learn to improve on is foolishness,” Payton said.

Foolishness. Some might think that’s Payton, with some zany call that puts his team at risk. But the Saints know better. It’s all part of the plan.

Follow Jarrett Bell on Twitter @JarrettBell.

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