By: Jake Rajala

Who Dat Nation arguably witnessed a phenomenal performance from Andy Dalton without Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara in the London NFL game today, yet they were edged by their utterly despised foe, the Minnesota Vikings. At the last moment, the Saints kicker Will Lutz missed a field goal in a double-doink fashion. Nonetheless, the Saints have still found themselves with a 1-3 record — regardless of their effort or excuses. With that said, a realistic question surrounds the Saints HC: Is Dennis Allen on the hot seat?

I undoubtedly believe that Allen is on the hot seat. The Saints lead the league in penalties, giveaways, and Allen’s defense is playing below its talent level. Those three prior factors reflect poorly on the Saints alpha coach. The Saints also are fortunate that they have one win this season, as Marshon Lattimore had a brutal penalty in Week 1 that gave the weak Atlanta Falcons a chance to convert a game-winning field goal.

Besides reckless behavior from a plethora of Saints profiles, it’s troubling that the Saints QB1 (Jameis Winston) has regressed from last season. It should be mentioned that the 34-year-old Andy Dalton, who hasn’t had a winning record in this league since 2015, has looked crisper than Winston. At this point, it looks like the Saints will need to do deep scouting to find a young QB in the 2023 off-season.

It should be noted that Allen didn’t have the most glamorous resume entering his second stint as HC, but rather his continuity with the Saints led him to rise from the DC to the HC spot. Well, it’s safe to say that his familiarity may have resulted in his squad drinking the cool-aid this summer.

If the Saints find themselves with one or two wins at the mid-point of the season, I would not be dumbstruck if the Saints axe the former abysmal Raiders HC. If Sean Payton becomes makes an ambush to return as the new HC in the near future, it may be wise for Mickey Loomis to pull the trigger on acquiring the legendary Saints figure, too. Doug Marrone, who is the Saints current OL coach and former Jaguars HC, could potentially bring more robust energy to the Saints HC spot in 2022.

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By: Jake Rajala

The New Orleans Saints impressively flexed the fourth-best defense in points per game allowed last season. The Saints long-time pass-rusher Cameron Jordan made his seventh Pro Bowl trip and eclipsed 100+ career sacks as a Saint last season. Outside of Matt Ryan’s least favorite human being, the Saints CB Marshon Lattimore (aka the eraser of Mike Evans) notched Pro Bowl honors last season.

The pre-game speech warrior and maniac LB Demario Davis may not have been highlighted in the slight popularity contest in the Pro Bowl selection, but he was awarded second-team All-Pro in 2021. It’s clear that the NO defense rose to the challenge on a Brees-less Saints squad last season, but the new ultimate question is: can the Saints defense ascend with some new horses in 2022?

The Saints lost Marcus Williams in the early wave of free agency, but they were able to bring in the underrated safety Marcus Maye in free agency. Dennis Allen was also able to retain the late bloomer in safety P.J. Williams. The former Florida State DB recorded a career-high three interceptions in 2021 (including a game-sealing pick-six against Tom Brady). Fast forward to April 3rd, the Saints officially made their biggest splash signing on defense: Tyrann Mathieu.

The Honey Badger decided to come and help the Saints strive to win their elusive second Super Bowl trophy. Mathieu might be 29 years old, but he is still an overly impressive football player. He’s cracked the All-Pro team in two of the past three seasons and he made the Pro Bowl in 2020 and 2021. The former Chiefs safety had a career-high 6 interceptions in 2020. All in all, it seems far from likely that Mathieu will have a similar outcome as Jairus Byrd in a Saints uniform.

Mathieu will not only join Lattimore and Maye, but he will play next to a juiced-up Chauncey Gardner Johnson that has frequently expressed his love for the New Orleans icon on Twitter. CGJ produced a career-high season in ints (3) and sacks (2) for Allen last season. Mathieu, CGJ, and Maye are very versatile defenders and Allen (who is expected to retain play-calling duties) will enjoy utilizing their instincts and physical abilities to their highest capacity.

Similar to former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, Allen loves to insert his safeties in the box. The past success of hybrid Saints safeties under Allen (former Saints DB coach) in Roman Harper (Pro Bowler in 2009) and Malcolm Jenkins was an underrated reason why the 2009 Saints defense led the league in takeaways and helped the Saints win their first Lombardi trophy. In 2011, Harper recorded 7.5 sacks as a Saint (second-most sacks by a safety in a single season). Each of the Saints ring-leaders in the past decade (Payton, Williams, Rob Ryan, Allen) is infamous for blitzing safeties on first down and even pivotal third-down moments. Expect Mathieu to not only excel in coverage but also as an OLB in countless creative packages.

I believe that Saints safety tandem has progressed from 2021 to 2022 and the shiny Saints safety group will help the Saints be more dangerous moving forward. The old Saints safety that left to Baltimore has five interceptions in the past two seasons combined, while Mathieu has nine interceptions in his two prior seasons in KC. Mathieu will also benefit from playing behind a Saints pass rush (eight in sacks in 2021) and front seven that’s noticeably more impressive than the Chiefs front seven (29th in sacks a season ago). The SEC legend that strangely wasn’t offered a contract to reunite with KC also has two touchdowns in the past two football seasons combined, so it’s clear he’s a big play waiting to happen.

The Saints LB hero and former NY Jet in Davis was one of the Saints best value FA signings of all time in the 2018 offseason. The former Jet safety in Maye might be a bit in the shadow of Mathieu, but he could honestly be a superstar and expected upgrade over fellow ex-safety Malcolm Jenkins for the Saints, too. Maye was voted the Jets MVP in 2020, as he was “one of three players with at least 60 tackles, 2 INTs, and 2 FF” in the regular season. Maye missed 11 games last season via a torn Achilles, but he is healthy and primed to be an immediate difference-maker for Who Dat Nation.

I feel a lot of bliss for the Saints outlook on defense in 2022. I fully expect large contributions from Marcus Davenport, who sadly missed a career-high six contests in 2021, to continue to climb the ladder and likely unleash a career season of sacks in 2022. The Saints will also welcome a healthy Payton Turner (first-round pick in 2021) back to their defensive unit. Plus, I don’t foresee Cameron Jordan and Demario Davis on their “last stand” next season, as the veteran defenders should be forces for at least a few more seasons. At last, it would make sense if Paulson Adebo (rookie CB last season/3 ints in 2021) and Pete Warner (second-round pick in 2021) rose to become effective defenders for their beloved squad in 2022.

I could realistically see a Tyrann Mathieu featured Saints defense improving from their 15th ranked pass defense in 2021 to become a Top 6 pass defense with Mathieu, Bradley Roby, Lattimore, Maye, CGJ, Adebo, Williams, and rookie Alontae Taylor out of Tennessee. The likelihood of the Saints showcasing a Top 3 run defense for another season is on par with the chances of Avatar 2 being a high grossing film, so it’s fairly high. The NFL world could potentially witness a defense in the Big Easy that is more special than any previous Saints defense since the days of “the Dome Patrol”. The Saints could honestly have the top defense in PPG allowed and/or total yards allowed if the defense can have strong chemistry early, stay healthy, and continue to make life hell for Brady in both matchups. The team that has won the NFC South in four out of the past five seasons may not have Payton or Brees in the building, but the hungry (and confusingly underrated) NFL team could really lean on their defense to dominate most of their competition next season.

The post What is the ceiling of the Saints defense with Tyrann Mathieu? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The New Orleans Saints witnessed the offensive genius Sean Payton leave New Orleans and then their former defensive coordinator Dennis Allen replace Payton in the throne. Allen is far from a bridge coach or coaching mind with a mediocre resume. The former Raiders head coach edged out the Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy for the spot because Mickey Loomis feels comfortable with Allen leading the expensive, loaded Saints roster to another Super Bowl appearance.

Allen is clearly not the hyper-aggressive and creative football mind that Payton embodies, but Allen isn’t a lightweight in any regard. He knows which buttons to press on the Saints defense and he really knows the importance of the QB spot amid a juggernaut Saints roster. The Saints have already been interested in acquiring a signal-caller like Jimmy Garoppolo and they’ve maintained a positive relationship with Jameis Winston.

Furthermore, Allen has already used his connections and experience to benefit him in this new journey for him. He has retained Pete Carmichael (Saints long-time OC) and he’s also brought in Doug Marrone as the Saints OL coach, who once served as the Saints OC from 2006-2008. It’s clear that Allen will use his Saints ties and familiarity to ascend the 9-8 Saints from a season ago into a playoff contender in 2022.

With this enunciated, I pose the question: should the Saints bring in a former friend, coaching wiz, in Gregg Williams to help the Saints return to their glory days of NFC dominance? I believe they honestly should.

There is no secret that Williams was the former Saints Super Bowl Defensive Coordinator and his defensive unit led the league in turnovers in 2009. He and Allen coached together in their Super Bowl days, as Allen was the Saints secondary coach in 2009.

Williams was canned from the Jets for his exotic blitz against the Raiders. Although, Who Dat Nation can understand the strengths of William’s personality, while also knowing William’s Achilles and boneheaded idea in that type of situation more than any other fan base in the NFL.

The two biggest reasons why I want to see Williams back in NOLA are this: Sean Payton, who really bumped heads with Williams, is gone and the Saints should bring back Williams as a “defensive assistant”. Williams might be a bit of an ego-maniac, but I believe he would be open to returning to an assistant in a winning organization. After his bounty-gate suspension, he was an assistant coach on the Tennessee Titans.

It might be a bold, odd move for Allen to walk in the door and bring in Williams in his first offseason as the Saints HC, but It could be the perfect move. Rob Ryan was recently brought back to the Raiders as a defensive assistant and it could be time for Allen to bring back his old mentor Williams as a defensive assistant. The Saints are close to being a serious Super Bowl contender and their aggressive, versatile defense could benefit from the juice that their former DC brings. Plus, he doesn’t actually have to be calling the shots on the Saints defense in the first quarter or the end of the fourth quarter.

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By: Jake Rajala

The bold and creative genius Sean Payton announced on Tuesday that he was stepping down as the New Orleans Saints head coach after 15 seasons. Payton elaborated in his infamous retirement press conference that he doesn’t know what’s next, but he still has a vision for doing things in football. It was a very emotional moment for Who Dat nation, Payton, and the whole NFL world.

The legendary Saints quarterback Drew Brees retired the last offseason and then made a switch to being a sports commentator for NBC. The former Saints HC could reunite with his former QB as a football analyst. Payton stated “I talked to Drew Brees about it a little bit last night” in the course of his retirement address. It would be poetic if Brees and Payton took another big stage together, but it’s unclear if we should expect the marriage to come to fruition in 2022.

As for the Saints head coaching seat, it’s ambiguous which lead face will replace Payton. According to Ian Rapport, the Saints defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is the favorite to land the Saints head coaching gig. Nonetheless, the Saints will have a massive question mark at head coach and it’s well known that it will be a challenge for any coach to replace Payton’s gifted coaching ability. With that said, I’m going to outline several coaches that would be the best choice to replace the “retired Sean Payton”.

1. Eric Bieniemy – Kansas City Chiefs – Offensive Coordinator

I’m a huge fan of the Saints and Mickey Loomis inking an offensive-minded coach to replace the gritty offensive-minded Payton. The Chiefs offense looks like it’s programmed by the same team that controls “Zeus from Real Steel”. The Chiefs offensive design is simply the best in the NFL.

Bienemy took over as the Chiefs OC in 2018. In the past four seasons, Bieniemy’s offense has ranked Top 5 in points three times and Top 5 in yards three times. The Patrick Mahomes featured offensive ranked third in YPC in 2021 and it has ranked first in YPG in the 2022 playoffs thus far.

The Saints may need all the help they can get on the offensive side of the ball, as well. The QB situation is very murky and it would be a nightmare if the HC – QB combination isn’t positive in training camp. The Saints would ideally have a better chance of obtaining a talented QB via trade if they have a bright offensive mind like Bieniemy at HC, too.

A fun aspect of recruiting Bieniemy is that the Chiefs OC is actually from New Orleans, Louisiana. It may be time for him to come home. If the Saints sign Bieniemy to the HC position, the Saints might be able to still retain Dennis Allen for another season at least.

2. Dennis Allen – New Orleans Saints – Defensive Coordinator

It may be a tad boring if the Saints promote Dennis Allen to the head coaching role, but it would be a smart decision. Allen has a nice grasp of the culture in the Big Easy and he knows the right buttons for the Saints defense to click.

The Saints DC has been a titan-like coordinator in his time in NOLA. The Saints defense has ranked Top 5 in points allowed in each of the last two seasons. His defensive unit also carries a tremendous amount of chemistry and pride, as the unit has been strongly intact over the previous few seasons.

Allen had a head coaching stint before, but he was placed in a near mission impossible-like situation. He was once the youngest head coach in the NFL with the Raiders and he was awarded Terrelle Pryor at QB for half the duration of his tenure (two and a 1/4 seasons). It’s a bit understandable why Allen flamed out of the “Black Hole” and went to return to his roots in New Orleans (a Saints DB coach in 2009) to improve his skillset.

If the Saints offense can’t lift off in 2022 and the defense takes a step back without Allen, the 2022 season could be a bigger challenge than the 2021 season. So, the signing of Allen could be safe and beneficial to the success of the defense.

The “Goat of all coaches” Bill Belichick failed early on as a head coach just like Allen. The defensive guru Allen could have a stronger and more passionate comeback in a second potential head coaching gig.

3. Kellen Moore – Offensive Coordinator – Dallas Cowboys

The young Dallas Cowboys wizard would be a sharp addition, who carries unlimited potential. The 33-year-old Kellen Moore has been very elite as the Cowboys OC and it’s clear with the production under Moore.

In the past two seasons, the Cowboys have been the most explosive offense with Dak Prescott. In 2021, the Cowboys offense ranked first in YPG and PPG with a healthy Dak. Moore could incorporate passing schemes that would help the likes of Jameis Winston and Michael Thomas succeed deep down the field.

If Moores is the replacement for Payton, he could also help recruit talent from Dallas like WR Michael Gallup, DE Demarcus Lawrence, and potentially even QB Dak Prescott.

4. Aaron Glenn – Detroit Lions – Defensive Coordinator

Aaron Glenn was a superb defensive backs coach for the New Orleans Saints from 2016 until 2020. Glenn notably helped Marshon Lattimore win defensive rookie of the year and the Saints hold a Top 5 pass defense in 2020. That helped him earn a job as the defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions in 2021. Glenn notably helped his squad unravel huge upsets against the Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers.

Glenn’s familiarity with the Saints elite defense is very important and that will be a huge reason why he’s a key competitor for the HC gig. Per Ian Rappaport, the Saints are set to interview Dennis Allen and Aaron Glenn for the head coaching gig.

5. Jim Harbaugh – University of Michigan – head coach

The former 49ers and Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh has expressed his interest in returning to coaching professional football. The Michigan coach posted an incredible 12-2 record with a victory over Ohio State. Harbaugh is a smart fellow and he’s not scared to go against the status quo. It may seem like Chicago would be an ideal fit, but the opening with the Saints has to be dreamy for Harbaugh.

If Harbaugh went to the Saints and he was able to have Jameis Winston, Alvin Kamara, and Michael Thomas, he would surely put up at least a Top 10 offense next season. The Saints could really be a playoff contender with Harbaugh leading the charge, regardless of the starting QB. A QB like Russell Wilson may be fascinated by the brainy Michigan coach touching down in the Big Easy even.

6. Pete Carmichael – New Orleans Saints – offensive coordinator

Dennis Allen may be in charge of a sexy defense, but the introverted Pete Carmichael has been one of the best offensive coordinators and offensive assistants for a very long time. Carmichael may not have been calling the shots for the Saints offense, but he’s one of the most knowledgable offensive minds in the league.

Carmichael will have the perfect feel for the Saints scheme with the screens, play-action passes, and adjustments. Carmichael may even be less aggressive than Payton in key moments, which could be beneficial at times. He should remain the OC regardless of the HC role, but he could have solid control of the offense if an offensive-minded figure doesn’t take over HC duties. If Carmichael gets the gig, he would have a strong influence on a successful culture, as well. Carmichael could be third in line to get an interview after Allen and Glenn.

7. Joe Lombardi – Los Angeles Chargers – Offensive Coordinator

The Chargers offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi has been a quality apprentice under Sean Payton in New Orleans. Lombardi was the Saints QB coach from 2009 until 2013 and then the Saints QB coach from 2016 until 2020. Lombardi knows the Saints playbook in his sleep.

In 2021, the Chargers offense excelled under Lombardi, as well. The Chargers offense ranked fourth in YPG on offense and fifth in PPG scored. Justin Herbert was a flat out monster with 5,014 passing yards, 38 passing touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. The grandson to Vince Lombardi would make a ton of sense if the Saints don’t see the right fit with Allen, Glenn, or other talented candidates.

The post Sean Payton retires: ranking the seven candidates to replace Payton appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The mythical tech figure Steve Jobs was fired from his start-up tech company Apple in 1985. The mystical icon gained more motivation, wisdom, and self-awareness in the years after his departure. He finally returned as a better version of his old self and earned the keys back to the juggernaut tech company in 1997. This classic rewind could be similar to a football teacher’s journey in the National Football League. 

An NFL coach by the name of Dennis Allen has seen his fair share of ups and downs. Allen, who is the well reputable defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints, was once hired by the then Oakland Raiders as the youngest head coach in the league. Unfortunately, Allen suffered a miserable two and a ¼ seasons with the “Black Hole” before meeting the chopping block. After getting yanked from a Raiders squad that had Terrelle Pryor starting at QB in 2013 and the rookie Derek Carr starting four games in 2014, he went back to his roots in the Big Easy (Saints assistant in 06-10) in 2015 as a defensive assistant. He would then be promoted to the defensive coordinator role in 2016 and never look back.

Allen has orchestrated an energetic, diverse, lethal defensive attack for the Saints. His defense has been Top 10 in points allowed three times. In addition to the PPG mark, his defense had the best run-stopping ability in the league (arguably one of the best run defenses ever) from 2018 to 2021. The Saints literally went three years without allowing a 100-yard rusher until Eagles RB Miles Sanders eclipsed the 100-yard mark in 2020. 

The highlights of Allen’s career unquestionably came in 2021 where his unit gave up three points to MVP candidate Aaron Rodgers in Week 1 and 0 points to seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady in Week 15. It’s simple. Allen, who now has grey hair, has notably evolved his football knowledge and taste for winning in 2022. With that said, I confidently believe that he has earned another shot to be a head coach. And I couldn’t think of a better match for Allen, than that of the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

The potent offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell can continue to nicely grow with Trevor Lawrence on offense. It seems clear that they need a proven tone-setter at the “NFL level”, a winner in big moments, and a defensive guru at the helm. Allen clearly has a no BS approach engineered in him from his time with Sean Payton and even Gregg Williams in New Orleans. At the same time, he’s also created an intense and excitable atmosphere. His defense (particularly secondary) might have the most swagger in the league and they literally created one of the best football vibes with the “group celebration after a big play”. 

Allen can properly build a defense around staple pieces in Josh Allen and Myles Jackson. He could very likely use his connections to the Saints and lure players like Marcus Davenport, Marcus Williams, and Terron Armstead to Florida, as well. Allen would surely build up the defense, just as he did with the once “league-low Saints defense” many years ago. He can create a defense that can slow down RB Derrick Henry and cause chaos against the other three rangy QBs in the division. Allen would also clearly be the best coaching candidate in terms of intensity. There wouldn’t be an abundance of patience or a feeling with newcomers that Jacksonville is a “vacation home”. The answer to the empty Jaguars chair seems clear. Allen should get his second, higher quality, head coaching opportunity and he can then leave his mark on the league with Trevor Lawrence in the AFC South. 

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By: Jeremy Trottier

The New Orleans Saints have had a relatively interesting offseason, between clearing cap space by cutting players, to extending Ryan Ramczyk, to their draft prospects.  With that said, one of the positions on the defense that is most solidified right now is defensive end, between Cam Jordan, Marcus Davenport, and Payton Turner as the top rotation.  In this article, I will be going over each of these three players, as we could see a duo of any mix of them, as well as what they contribute to this unit as a whole.

Cam Jordan

The veteran of the group, Cam Jordan, is going into his 11^th season of his career, and has not had a season of under 7.5 sacks since his rookie year.  Despite having a relatively quiet year last season on the stat sheet, his productivity as a player cannot be understated, as he caused a lot of QB pressures, hurries, and hits.  He had 16 QB hits, 26 pressures, and 8 QB knockdowns.  He also took some of the pressure off Trey Hendrickson, as he would often take on two offensive linemen at once which freed up the rest of the line to provide pressure.

Cam Jordan will be vital in teaching the other two edge rushers we are looking at in the article today, as he has a huge deal of experience in the league.  He also says he is feeling, “more rejuvenated than ever” ahead of the 2021-2022 season, which is a huge deal as his mentality is another thing he brings to the roster.  He is the “hype man” of the front four for New Orleans and having him believing in himself that he is the best he has ever been is great news. 

Payton Turner

The Saints 2021 first round pick from Houston, Payton Turner, is one of the more interesting prospects from this draft class.  He fits exactly what the Saints are looking for with players, fantastic physical profile who can produce at multiple positions, hence why they drafted him so early.  At 6’6” 268 pounds, with an 83 inch wingspan and 10.5 inch hands, he has a very good frame for the Saints to build off of, and teach him the nuances of NFL level defensive line.  

One of the most impressive things to note is Payton Turner outperformed himself statistically in 2020 in a lot of categories”¦but Houston only played less than half the games they normally do due to Covid (five games).  He had 10.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, a forced fumble, and 25 total tackles.  This is an absolutely phenomenal statline for so few games played, and shows Turner has the capability to produce due to his athletic traits.

Marcus Davenport

Another Saints first round pick, but in 2018, we wrap the list up with Marcus Davenport.  Another DE with a fantastic frame at 6’6” 265 pounds, and is still only 24 years of age, 25 by the start of the 2021-2022 season.  The main issue Davenport has to date is injuries, it seems like every time he really starts to produce he goes down and we do not see him again for awhile.  Just to list off his injuries since his draft year, here they are:

• 2018 ”“ Thumb fracture, had surgery prior to season, no games missed
• 2018 ”“ Toe sprain on right foot, 3 games missed
• 2019 ”“ Foot fracture (Lisfranc fracture), season ending surgery after week 14
• 2020 ”“ Elbow bruising, missed three games and practices prior to season
• 2020 ”“ Pedal toe sprain ”“ missed week 4 

However, when he is not injured he has been an absolute monster in the games he started.  In 2019 when he started 13 games, he had 6 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 16 QB hits, 17 pressures, 6 QB knockdowns, and 9 hurries.  If he starts this season or even splits with Payton Turner, and if he stays healthy, he will most definitely contribute to this front-seven without a doubt.  

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