Underhill article: “Saints moves are telling us what they felt the real problem with the team was last season” (9 Viewers)

[DSnfla]

Sorry, but despite your “well reported” claim that ML was going to fire DA at the end of the season, there are credible reports to the contrary, such as this one:

Dennis Allen details what happened the day he was fired

Former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen joined Jay Glazer on Glazer's 'Unbreakable' podcast, where Allen reflected on the day he was informed he was being relieved of his duties. The most interesting tidbit of the story was Allen mentioned Mickey Loomis "

sports.yahoo.com

The reporting right after DA was fired makes his account that it was against Loomis’s wishes completely credible:

Report: Benson led decision to fire Allen

By Ross Jackson The New Orleans Saints made some major changes this past week, headlined by firing their former head coach Dennis Allen. The decision was the right one to make considering the team’s downward spiral. While many point to the team's seven-game losing streak as a driving factor...

www.louisianasports.net

Again , ML was not in favor of firing DA IN-SEASON. Nor was Tom Benson in favor of firing a HC IN-SEASON

 

[platinumvinnyv]

Defense didn’t have that many injuries and couldn’t tackle to save their lives.

Actually they did. All starting defensive backs and linebackers multiple games. I think we missed a de. I think many games only Mathieu was on original db starter in game and Warner davis and gay all missed games.

 

[texasjefe]

Go back to DA's first training camp. Before his first game, he loses the locker room when they ship out Gardner-Johnson. Then, the losing and injuries start right away as Winston, supposedly recovered from the ACL tear, suffers back and leg injuries after a thrilling first game comeback in Atlanta. Poof, the QB plan flushes down to Andy Dalton. Herpa Derpa. They won 7 but did they beat anybody?

Other than Carr being brought in, what changed after Year 1? Lost the locker room at least 3 memorable times, tried but did not settle down the QB room, lots of herpa derpa losses, did not beat more than one winning team?, and the headline - massive injuries taking out can't-lose players, all season long. Roster depleted and old.

Over the three years, they had a handful of fun days and flashes of what they might be. Poof, it vanished every time. So, the autopsy for 2024, everyone's basically right. Chicken or egg.

And it's a glorious outcome. A culture change was needed. The owner acted in service to doing right. Mickey settled down nicely. Instead of being on year 20 or 21 of the Sean Payton era, we're now on year 1 of the Kellen Moore era. The spirit to build a new team is there, and yes, if the starters can heal, there's some baby foundational talent there. They'll be expected to be team leaders. I can already sense the upcoming competitiveness to win over the new coach. This is good.

 

[DSnfla]

Skrmetta is fastly becoming one of my favorite Saints podcaster. I don't agree with everything he says but I do a lot. He seems to actually get it. And he responds to the other reporters out there. He kind of calls some of them out as click chasers.

 

[DSnfla]

Go back to DA's first training camp. Before his first game, he loses the locker room when they ship out Gardner-Johnson. Then, the losing and injuries start right away as Winston, supposedly recovered from the ACL tear, suffers back and leg injuries after a thrilling first game comeback in Atlanta. Poof, the QB plan flushes down to Andy Dalton. Herpa Derpa. They won 7 but did they beat anybody?

Other than Carr being brought in, what changed after Year 1? Lost the locker room at least 3 memorable times, tried but did not settle down the QB room, lots of herpa derpa losses, did not beat more than one winning team?, and the headline - massive injuries taking out can't-lose players, all season long. Roster depleted and old.

Over the three years, they had a handful of fun days and flashes of what they might be. Poof, it vanished every time. So, the autopsy for 2024, everyone's basically right. Chicken or egg.

And it's a glorious outcome. A culture change was needed. The owner acted in service to doing right. Mickey settled down nicely. Instead of being on year 20 or 21 of the Sean Payton era, we're now on year 1 of the Kellen Moore era. The spirit to build a new team is there, and yes, if the starters can heal, there's some baby foundational talent there. They'll be expected to be team leaders. I can already sense the upcoming competitiveness to win over the new coach. This is good.

I don't think shipping CGJ out had any real effect on DA losing the team, there was no backlash from the players. They didn't voice any disagreement with the move.

What I think happened was after yr 1 it was obvious that an upgrade @ QB was needed, also Pete needed to go. DC was brought in because I think the team felt we had a roster that was ready to compete. And maybe it was. The yr we brought DC in we had Ram still playing well. We were getting Thomas back. Peat was still @ LG. AK was 2 yrs younger as well as DD, Cam and Mathieu and Hill. Adebo was primed for a breakout. We had a gotten Olave and Taylor the yr before.

Then Ram's knee issues got worse and MT crapped out and Peat left in FA .
And things don't look so bright. But more importantly we don't replace Pete , we tried to but it didn't happen.

I think DA really lost the team with that revolt in the ATL game an that Williams TD from the victory formation. He should have said nothing in public and addressed the team about it in private.

Now it seamed with KK and a new offensive coaching staff he kind of regained the team in TC because practices were sharp and crisp.

What really was the nail in the coffin were when the injuries started and DA being a weak HC could not keep them focused and motivated. and the rest is history

 

[tak]

Yup. Underhill's article is a revelation for some who live in their emotions but for those that are in touch with reality this is plain to see. Injuries matter in a sport that hyper dependent on matchups.
Outside of injuries the only players that I think showed their age significantly was Cam Jordan but it wasn't a lack of effort imo.
The injuries were tough to deal with but in the long-run they may have been the key to getting what could be a very good coaching staff.

As the saints in church say, "All things work together for the good to those that love the Lord and are called for His purpose." Can I get an amen!

 

[tak]

Skrmetta is fastly becoming one of my favorite Saints podcaster. I don't agree with everything he says but I do a lot. He seems to actually get it. And he responds to the other reporters out there. He kind of calls some of them out as click chasers.

Same. He's pretty solid and isn't afraid to say what he sees regardless of how the "fanbase" or other reports say.

 

[Whodat GT]

Injuries were a definite factor last year, but so was coaching and lack of depth. We all saw how the offense imploded the second McCoy got injured. It was a night and day difference from that point on. That's why I would have expected more moves to add depth to the roster, but I guess Moore will try to build this team through the draft.

 

[texasjefe]

I don't think shipping CGJ out had any real effect on DA losing the team, there was no backlash from the players. They didn't voice any disagreement with the move.

What I think happened was after yr 1 it was obvious that an upgrade @ QB was needed, also Pete needed to go. DC was brought in because I think the team felt we had a roster that was ready to compete. And maybe it was. The yr we brought DC in we had Ram still playing well. We were getting Thomas back. Peat was still @ LG. AK was 2 yrs younger as well as DD, Cam and Mathieu and Hill. Adebo was primed for a breakout. We had a gotten Olave and Taylor the yr before.

Then Ram's knee issues got worse and MT crapped out and Peat left in FA .
And things don't look so bright. But more importantly we don't replace Pete , we tried to but it didn't happen.

I think DA really lost the team with that revolt in the ATL game an that Williams TD from the victory formation. He should have said nothing in public and addressed the team about it in private.

Now it seamed with KK and a new offensive coaching staff he kind of regained the team in TC because practices were sharp and crisp.

What really was the nail in the coffin were when the injuries started and DA being a weak HC could not keep them focused and motivated. and the rest is history

DA was a weak head coach from Day 1. The 2022 offseason was stupid, going from the failed lurch for Deshaun Watson to signing plan-B injured Winston and plan-C terrible retread backup Dalton. The draft of 'you'll have to be a #1 receiver when you are really are a #2' Olave and 'small-school in a lesser conference' Penning has not panned out.

You can underplay moving Ceedy out all you want, but it was a huge reveal over what would ensue in the locker room for 2.5 football years. That's my point. You can focus a post-mortem on 2024, but the post-mortem was written first, in 2022.

Now thankfully, it's 2025.

 

[SweetT]

Yup. Underhill's article is a revelation for some who live in their emotions but for those that are in touch with reality this is plain to see. Injuries matter in a sport that hyper dependent on matchups.
Outside of injuries the only players that I think showed their age significantly was Cam Jordan but it wasn't a lack of effort imo.
The injuries were tough to deal with but in the long-run they may have been the key to getting what could be a very good coaching staff.

As the saints in church say, "All things work together for the good to those that love the Lord and are called for His purpose." Can I get an amen!

Injuries is an excuse.

Watch the video and tell me what kind of bologna DA had going on with these said “injuries”???

Our problem wasn’t injuries, it was the dude walking around with a visor on. It’s not emotions, this is reality. Welcome

Judging by how DA handled Miller’s “injury”, i question whether some players were indeed actually “injured”. Just saying

 

[SweetT]

I don't think shipping CGJ out had any real effect on DA losing the team, there was no backlash from the players. They didn't voice any disagreement with the move.

What I think happened was after yr 1 it was obvious that an upgrade @ QB was needed, also Pete needed to go. DC was brought in because I think the team felt we had a roster that was ready to compete. And maybe it was. The yr we brought DC in we had Ram still playing well. We were getting Thomas back. Peat was still @ LG. AK was 2 yrs younger as well as DD, Cam and Mathieu and Hill. Adebo was primed for a breakout. We had a gotten Olave and Taylor the yr before.

Then Ram's knee issues got worse and MT crapped out and Peat left in FA .
And things don't look so bright. But more importantly we don't replace Pete , we tried to but it didn't happen.

I think DA really lost the team with that revolt in the ATL game an that Williams TD from the victory formation. He should have said nothing in public and addressed the team about it in private.

Now it seamed with KK and a new offensive coaching staff he kind of regained the team in TC because practices were sharp and crisp.

What really was the nail in the coffin were when the injuries started and DA being a weak HC could not keep them focused and motivated. and the rest is history

Actually I think the Ceedy situation did have an effect on the locker room. DA was getting punked by Ceedy in practices. DA was shook. Other players saw how weak he was. ML had to step in and handle the situation.

 

[texasjefe]

Mickey and Dennis shot themselves in the foot from the get-go.

They chased Watson, and while not getting him was a nuclear bomb avoided, they showed Ceedy that even cap-strapped, they were willing to spend. They would go on and use the money on past-their-prime Winston and Jarvis Landry. The ROI was pathetic, relative to the names.

They flat out ignored Ceedy, who had earned at minimum a 5th year option and very likely a 2nd contract -- entering his 4th year as a drafted Saint, with paltry cap hits in his first 3 seasons ranging from $600K to $1.2M.

The facial he gave to Tom Brady in the 9-0 shutout game happened on December 19, 2021.

By April, 2022, he had been alienated by GM and HC, so he skipped voluntary mini-camp, and then vocally protested at training camp.

So the geniuses shot themselves in the foot again, subtracting him out of butthurt, and trading him to a conference rival who went to two Super Bowls with him and won one. He's now on year 2 of a 3-year deal that AAV's around $7M per year.

The Saints would've paid him more than that in a 2nd contract, but no more than $10M per year, and probably $8M/per year. It would not have been expensive to work this guy into the 2022-2024 cap.

Here's what the very top guys were paid as safeties in 2022:

• Minkah Fitzpatrick (Steelers): $18.2 million
• Jamal Adams (Seahawks): $17.5 million
• Harrison Smith (Vikings): $16 million
• Justin Simmons (Broncos): $15.25 million
• Budda Baker (Cardinals): $14.75 million
• Eddie Jackson (Bears): $14.6 million
• Kevin Byard (Titans): $14.1 million
• Marcus Williams (Ravens): $14 million
• Quandre Diggs (Seahawks): $13 million
• Jesse Bates III (Bengals): $12.9 million

 

[9thwardvet]

Go back to DA's first training camp. Before his first game, he loses the locker room when they ship out Gardner-Johnson. Then, the losing and injuries start right away as Winston, supposedly recovered from the ACL tear, suffers back and leg injuries after a thrilling first game comeback in Atlanta. Poof, the QB plan flushes down to Andy Dalton. Herpa Derpa. They won 7 but did they beat anybody?

Other than Carr being brought in, what changed after Year 1? Lost the locker room at least 3 memorable times, tried but did not settle down the QB room, lots of herpa derpa losses, did not beat more than one winning team?, and the headline - massive injuries taking out can't-lose players, all season long. Roster depleted and old.

Over the three years, they had a handful of fun days and flashes of what they might be. Poof, it vanished every time. So, the autopsy for 2024, everyone's basically right. Chicken or egg.

And it's a glorious outcome. A culture change was needed. The owner acted in service to doing right. Mickey settled down nicely. Instead of being on year 20 or 21 of the Sean Payton era, we're now on year 1 of the Kellen Moore era. The spirit to build a new team is there, and yes, if the starters can heal, there's some baby foundational talent there. They'll be expected to be team leaders. I can already sense the upcoming competitiveness to win over the new coach. This is good.

This. I just watched Justin Reid’s interview with Kay Adams. He could have signed with the Eagles or the Chiefs if he was more patient but he signed with his hometown team. Obviously money factored in but more importantly it’s about winning. All these guys really believe that they can compete for a championship. That’s all I want. I’m in on 2024.

 

[Hedon James]

This. I just watched Justin Reid’s interview with Kay Adams. He could have signed with the Eagles or the Chiefs if he was more patient but he signed with his hometown team. Obviously money factored in but more importantly it’s about winning. All these guys really believe that they can compete for a championship. That’s all I want. I’m in on 2024.

I love your enthusiasm, but I just can't see this team doing any better than 5-12 in 2024.

 

[9thwardvet]

I love your enthusiasm, but I just can't see this team doing any better than 5-12 in 2024.

I love your enthusiasm, but I just can't see this team doing any better than 5-12 in 2024.