Sources: Dennis Allen’s recent mishandling of Kendre Miller’s injury created internal frustration, Miller currently healthy but can’t play (2 Viewers)

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

He was healthy (unfortunately from an IR perspective).

Edit for clarity, it was Rico Payton who was inactive.

Oh you meant Rico Payton....got ya. Yeah I would have IR'd Rico. For simple fact of...who's the guy Dennis Allen kept highlighting as someone who could help us win? That's not the guy you IR again, especially if you get medicals back that say it's not a 4 week thing. That wasn't very smart, which is why I say it had to have been a decision made within a cloud of frustration.

 

[Rouxble]

Oh you meant Rico Payton....got ya. Yeah I would have IR'd Rico. For simple fact of...who's the guy Dennis Allen kept highlighting as someone who could help us win? That's not the guy you IR again, especially if you get medicals back that say it's not a 4 week thing. That wasn't very smart, which is why I say it had to have been a decision made within a cloud of frustration.

I don’t doubt frustration could have played a role, my only thought is that we needed to add five guys for the game so three players had to go (and DA probably made the wrong choice as he was known to do). I don’t think the coaches would have disagreed with him if they didn’t feel there were better options than Miller for IR/release, but I can see why someone like Williams would have stayed over him.

With Adebo on Harris on IR and the decision on shipping Lattimore likely made before the Panthers game, the team could make the argument (truthful or not) that they put a premium on keeping DB’s on the roster over an extra RB. Our starters will probably be Taylor, McKinstry, and Payton if they are healthy, and they will all get more snaps than any RB not named Kamara.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

I don’t doubt frustration could have played a role, my only thought is that we needed to add five guys for the game so three players had to go (and DA probably made the wrong choice as he was known to do). I don’t think the coaches would have disagreed with him if they didn’t feel there were better options than Miller for IR/release, but I can see why someone like Williams would have stayed over him.

With Adebo on Harris on IR and the decision on shipping Lattimore likely made before the Panthers game, the team could make the argument (truthful or not) that they put a premium on keeping DB’s on the roster over an extra RB. Our starters will probably be Taylor, McKinstry, and Payton if they are healthy, and they will all get more snaps than any RB not named Kamara.

You're right, I'm just being critical.

 

[Big_L]

If only that were true.

DA is coaching herpes, the gift that keeps on giving!

 

[Big_L]

. The gift that keeps on giving.

Just saw this after I posted a similar, but not as nice, post.

 

[Rexman100]

Wouldn't an NFL player have enough sense to warm up without having to be told? They aren't school kids. I guess it falls under the heading of being undisciplined and a coaching staff that allows it, not just the head coach but everyone of them involved on practice days.

Nick Saban didnt allow any of his players to walk around with untucked shirts. Its attention to detail. And forcing a player to do it, will eventually teach him. Add in a million more little rules and you now have a standard of which to play by. You're either in or out. DA didn't COMMAND accountability.

 

[Rexman100]

speculation here....but Marshon Lattimore has been injured alot over the past 3 seasons. He was known to have hamstring issues before he was drafted, but those issues seemed to disappear in his professional career, or at least calm down to the point where it was a non-issue. Maybe they're starting to reoccur as he gets older? But Latt is only 28, so that means these issues started re-occurring when he was 25ish? Seems awful young to me, but I'm not qualified to say.

OTOH, Latt's issues seem to coincide with DAs tenure, and I could absolutely see a correlation between "optional" warmup periods and soft tissue injuries. And with Miller issues coming to light (and apparently AT Perry, possibly MT13?), is it that far of a stretch to consider that DA was using IR designations to deny playing time to "problem players" who were challenges to his HC authority? And let's not forget the trading of CJGJ to the Eagles for practically nothing? Think CJGJ was a problem for DA? He was a problem when DA was DC, but CSP wasn't taking any of that crap. Coincidence Ceedy was traded during DAs 1st training camp as HC? With a 3-year lookback, is it that farfetched to conclude that ML has been massaging the team for DAs benefit, rather than the franchise's benefit? And if THAT is true, the obvious question is WHY?

Let's not forget that ML was investigated by the NFL several years back (I know, another Goodell vendetta because we don't "kiss the ring" with the appropriate amount of slobber) for a wiretap/eavesdropping scandal. AND he was suspended 8 games in 2012 for his role as GM in bountygate. I can't put a lot of stock in Roger's kangaroo investigations. I can admit there was likely SOMETHING there, but don't trust Roger's conclusions. And viewed in isolation, I can dismiss the allegations without losing any sleep. But considered collectively (like DA's tenure....I can rationalize the 0-7 skid, but I can't rationalize continuing an 18-25 tenure), I have to consider that MAYBE our GM has got his fingerprints in another scandal....manipulating the IR. And MAYBE it does beyond that. I've accused ML of being disconnected from the pulse of the team, and refusing to acknowledge what is APPARENT to everyone else outside of Airline Drive. But WHAT IF he is acutely aware of situations inside of that team, and he was backing DA to the bitter end (still?!) because his role could be revealed, resulting in sanctions, fines, suspensions(?).... That is certainly ONE possible explanation that would make absolute sense of a non-sensical situation. Probably not the only explanation....Occam's Razor would suggest the simplest solution is the likeliest. The simplest solution is that a substandard GM (without CSP) with a career 40% winning percentage hired a substandard HC with a career 33% winning percentage, and colluded to mismanage a borderline playoff team to become one of the worst in the league.

But it would've been REALLY easy for a GM to say the coach we just fired is a good coach, has been valuable to the organization, appreciate everything that coach has done for the organization, but it was time for a change. That's what MOST GMs say about a fired coach, and it's very easy to say and no one raises an eyebrow about it. So why isn't ML doing that? He's only drawing attention to himself with his unusual stance and public chatter. Makes me wonder WHY? Is he that much of a narcissist that he truly believes he's that much smarter than anyone else in the Saints org? Or is he hiding something that he desperately does not want revealed? I'm inclined to the latter, but that's JMO.

The reason ML is still saying that DA is a great coach is because its what he believes is true. Notice, he didnt say that DA was the best HEAD coach, only coach. And Its true many around the league think DA is a great coach (DC). I think ML was also accounting for DA's 16 or so year tenure as a DC in his sweeping statement. Occam's Razor would suggest this instead of some narcissistic conspiracy theory.

 

[Hedon James]

The reason ML is still saying that DA is a great coach is because its what he believes is true. Notice, he didnt say that DA was the best HEAD coach, only coach. And Its true many around the league think DA is a great coach (DC). I think ML was also accounting for DA's 16 or so year tenure as a DC in his sweeping statement. Occam's Razor would suggest this instead of some narcissistic conspiracy theory.

You're probably right. I HOPE you're right. ML just seems hellbent on defending DA's legacy, at any expense. I've never seen anything like it before, and it makes me wonder why he's so dug into that position....like a tick. I feel like I'm being gaslit. ML telling me "these aren't the droids you're looking for"....but I'm looking at the droids, and I'm looking at the photo of the droids in question, and damnit.....they look identical. You may NOT move along!

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

The reason ML is still saying that DA is a great coach is because its what he believes is true. Notice, he didnt say that DA was the best HEAD coach, only coach. And Its true many around the league think DA is a great coach (DC). I think ML was also accounting for DA's 16 or so year tenure as a DC in his sweeping statement. Occam's Razor would suggest this instead of some narcissistic conspiracy theory.

I concur, and by all accounts DA is a great "coach" just not a great HC.

 

[AARPSaint]

Oh you meant Rico Payton....got ya. Yeah I would have IR'd Rico. For simple fact of...who's the guy Dennis Allen kept highlighting as someone who could help us win? That's not the guy you IR again, especially if you get medicals back that say it's not a 4 week thing. That wasn't very smart, which is why I say it had to have been a decision made within a cloud of frustration.

Understandable confusion since Payton Turner is generally on IR.

 

[rlemieux]

Wouldn't an NFL player have enough sense to warm up without having to be told? They aren't school kids. I guess it falls under the heading of being undisciplined and a coaching staff that allows it, not just the head coach but everyone of them involved on practice days.

People only do what you expect them to do. Warm ups aren't that fun to begin with. How different was a guy like Drew Brees and his pre-practice, pre-game routine. Just like any other job, I know they get paid a lot more, but people need to be told what to do, what is expected of them.

 

[Rexman100]

You're probably right. I HOPE you're right. ML just seems hellbent on defending DA's legacy, at any expense. I've never seen anything like it before, and it makes me wonder why he's so dug into that position....like a tick. I feel like I'm being gaslit. ML telling me "these aren't the droids you're looking for"....but I'm looking at the droids, and I'm looking at the photo of the droids in question, and damnit.....they look identical. You may NOT move along!

In an effort to remain objective, I'm being careful not to implant emotions onto someone else just to satisfy or prop up a desire to get him replace/fired. I dont think he's intentionally try to mind trick us. He's just wrong, period. He's blaming injuries where he should be blaming the coaches inability to win the extremely close games.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

People only do what you expect them to do. Warm ups aren't that fun to begin with. How different was a guy like Drew Brees and his pre-practice, pre-game routine. Just like any other job, I know they get paid a lot more, but people need to be told what to do, what is expected of them.

Yeah the impression I got from Allen (and perhaps this is why Trask questioned his leadership) is that he expected the Players to govern himselves, and specifically the team captains to be his buffer to the players. He expected the coaches to coach and then be another buffer. Allen seems like a guy who just wants to put people in place around him, that know what they have to do, so he can focus on what he has to do. And he expected it all to come together on Sunday.

A, I'm going to put my head down and work kinda guy, that expects the same from everyone else. It's a lead by example kind of thing, and I think that perhaps may bode well w/ players who lead by example but aren't rah rah guys. But i think as a HC you've got to have some of that in you and Allen appeared to lack that aspect to his
personality.

He's a self motivated guy who expects everyone else to be that way, vs being a motivator.

 

[ShortFuzed9]

I once joked in the gameday forum that DA was causing all the injuries to have an excuse to keep his job

This

 

[Rexman100]

People only do what you expect them to do. Warm ups aren't that fun to begin with. How different was a guy like Drew Brees and his pre-practice, pre-game routine. Just like any other job, I know they get paid a lot more, but people need to be told what to do, what is expected of them.

Right, not all people are self-motivated. We as fans expect them to be, but thats just not the way it is. Thats why coaches like Saban had a ton of small rules that put all together becomes the "Saban standard" If all of the players are forced to live up to the standard, then it covers the players that lack self motivation. Just do it, you'll thank me later, kind of deal.