Why did Spagnuolo stink as Saints' DC? (merged)

Cincy Saint said

Long article on The Athletic today about how Spagnuolo improved the Chiefs defense and how he's been a great DC everywhere he went. Of course, it fails to mention Spags' terrible stint as Saints' DC. Why did Spagnuolo fail in New Orleans?

Here's a comment from a reader on The Athletic (maybe a SR.com member?)


LINK TO THE STORY (Archive, no paywall)

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Bad talent and worse staff and they probably pointed fingers and undermined him.

Payton chose to keep his incompetent crony staff and his defenses got worse. Series of near all time worst seasons. The main reason he couldn’t get another ring. His all time awful defenses nullified his HoF QB.

Spagnoulo has gotten it done everywhere else as a DC.. He’s been especially and consistently good in the playoffs and big games. Safe to say it was us, not him. Payton by contrast put in some of his worst coaching jobs in the playoffs. All downhill after Ambush…

History might have been different had he kept Spags and cleaned house of his crony dead weight sooner.