Saints believe defensive woes a thing of the past

Proceed with caution, Saints fans
August 10, 2016
TPSD says excitement surrounds new year
August 10, 2016
Proceed with caution, Saints fans
August 10, 2016
TPSD says excitement surrounds new year
August 10, 2016

In two out of the past four seasons, the New Orleans Saints have fielded a defense that ranked among the worst in NFL history in terms of yards allowed per game.

But this fall, the Black and Gold have a new defensive coach in town – a young, fiery guy who is making promises that the ineptitude is a thing of the past.

The Saints promoted Dennis Allen to defensive coordinator this year after the veteran coach served last season as a consultant and assistant to head coach Sean Payton.


A few weeks into his new gig, Allen said he doesn’t see much quit in the Saints’ defense. He actually thinks the unit will thrive when the 2016-17 season begins.

“Our job is to play good defense and to win football games,” Allen said at the opening of training camp. “I think Sean (Payton) and I have a good relationship, but at the end of the day, I have a job to do and my job is to make sure this defense executes to the best of their ability. … So far, we’re doing that. We know we have to go out and play good defense, and we plan to do that.”

For New Orleans, it can’t be much worse than it’s been in years past.


The 2012-13 season was a wreck under coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. In that season, New Orleans allowed more yards than any other team in NFL history – the worst statistical defense of all-time.

Then came Rob Ryan, and he offered a temporary fix, fielding a quality unit in 2013-14 that sparked high hopes. But his next two seasons were abysmal, leading to his dismissal mid-way through last year’s historically bad season that saw New Orleans rank last in virtually every statistic.

But now it’s Allen’s turn – a veteran coach who served as an assistant with the Saints from 2006-10, before becoming the Broncos’ defensive coordinator in 2011 and then the Raiders’ head coach from 2012-14.


With Allen, the Saints will hope to incorporate an attacking scheme that forces more turnovers.

New Orleans also restocked its depth chart in the offseason, picking defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins and safety Vonn Bell in the draft and inking linebacker James Laurinaitis, defensive tackle Nick Fairley and safety Roman Harper in free agency.

Those players, combined with guys like Cameron Jordan, Delvin Breaux and others coming back, have Allen hopeful change is near.


“The belief is that we have to be a fast, aggressive, attacking type of defense,” Allen said. “You can’t play defense sitting back on your heels. You can’t play defense 95 percent. It has to be an all-out effort and it has to be everybody on the field. … We like where we stand and our guys. Now, it’s just about executing.”

Players agree.

Harper said the Saints have looked good so far in camp and that the team’s new attitude is rubbing off onto the field.


He said he, too, believes the struggles of the past are long done.

“We’ll be better,” Harper said. “It’s going to be a better year for us on this side of the ball.” •

Roman Harper


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