How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

How Dennis Allen will impact the New Orleans Saints' defense: Scout's Take podcast

By Christopher Dabe, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune


New Orleans Saints defenders will likely be more fundamentally sound under new coordinator Dennis Allen than they were under Rob Ryan, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune NFL scouting expert Chris Landry said in our latest Scout's Take podcast.

How will that impact the unit's league-worst ranking? Not by much, he said.
"He's not going to turn water into wine," Landry said. "This is not a very talented team. I think from a fundamental standpoint, they could play a lot better. A lot better focus, a lot better technique."

The Saints fired Ryan on Monday, one day after a 47-14 loss at Washington that stood as the most lopsided defeat in the Sean Payton era.

"I don't know if you're going to see much of a statistical difference with the personnel that they have for the rest of the year," Landry said. "I think you will see a little bit more sounder gap control, a little bit more technique use in coverage. Just a little bit ... a different approach. A little bit more cerebral. He's a guy that will get into your face, but he's a guy that is a little bit more into explaining what needs to be done how and why. So I think from that standpoint we could see some improvement, but again I stress that the personnel is a bigger issue and you can't make miracles out of it."
How Dennis Allen will impact the New Orleans Saints' defense: Scout's Take podcast | NOLA.com

Re: How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

Now I am getting a bit tired of the media claiming talent was an issue more than the fact Rob was not a good judge of talent. This is a write up about poor Rob not what Dennis can do.

I now we argued about player moves and who is responsible for them but I am old school and stand firm that the bulk of the moves were approved and supported by the DC.

This is the defense Rob built so stop giving the guy and out and supporting a drinking buddy already.

see Rob is still my nightmare even after he got the boot.

Re: How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

I don't think it will change much, the only thing you can really change in two weeks is trying to get the players to give more effort, even that sometimes won't work.

Unfortunately as much as I want him to be, I don't see Dennis Allen as the answer, he's just here to guide us into the offseason.

The defensive backs have been misjudging balls in the air, holding receivers, dropping interceptions (batting them to offensive players) all season. That's Dennis Allen's area and its been just as bad as anywhere.

Re: How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

New Orleans was Ryan's chance to prove himself after Dallas. He failed. Sure, he's a nice enough guy, but we all know where those guys finish, :neutral:. Back on the NFL coaching carousal for you.

Re: How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

effort alone would allow us to give up 200 yards in a half vs 400

Re: How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

I agree with Hagen. This is bs. RR can't get the most out of his guys cause he never chews their ass. In fact how many times have you seen him jump a defensive player when they screwed up? (As many times as Browner has made mistakes, he should have his own YouTube channel of him getting screamed at on the sidelines by our defensive coordinator)

He's a good guy and he's liked by the players. Like Hagen said, a drinking buddy. He doesn't light a fire under anyone's ass. He's just nice.

And blaming this defensive catastrophe on "talent" is a bunch of bs. The blame falls on coaching and scheme.

I don't expect Allen to turn it around, but god I hope they start playing better.

And I don't want to hear that "the defense is not very talented" **** either. Byrd, Ellerbe, Jordan, Lewis, Vaccaro and a slew of very promising rookies? No talent my ass. If anything, its one of the most talented defenses we've fielded in the last decade.

Re: How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

We had middle of the pack talent and DFL results with Rob Ryan

It was time to cut the cord.

We won't suddenly become the 2000 Ravens, but we should see a defense that will put up a respectable fight week in and week out.

Re: How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

I never understood the build of the defense. If you want to run the 3-4 then truly commit to it. Vince Wilfork should have been a priority. Brian Orakpo should have been a priority. We should have rolled the dice on Aldon aSmith. With Wilfork eating up space and Orakpo or Smith coming off the edge Akiem Hicks would look much better and probably still be here, and Jordan would be having a field day. Instead we don't know whether we want to be a 3-4 team or a 4-3 team and it shows.

Re: How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

Apparently Dennis Allen is the reason we are good on 3rd sown defense. One of our only bright spots. I truly believe Dennis Allen is a good coach and will do a good job. But as stated earlier, he is not going to turn water into wine in 6 weeks. He will do a good enough job to stay the DC for next year and we will see improvements. I am looking forward to see if he can put some foots to a$$.

Re: How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

I disagree with the "ol' drinking buddy writer". A few of these vets are gonna suddenly find more effort (wow, amazing!) b/c their buddy RR isn't the head man on the sidelines anymore. If they had any pride, they'd show more effort just to climb out of that 32nd for fear of falling to 33rd for the rest of the season.

Re: How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

This is what gets me and makes me wonder. Do the players really care where there unit is ranked? I mean seriously. How many time have we seen a D player looking pissed off? I am not saying I want a Hardy seen on the sideline but I would like to see some emotion.

Re: How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

I want to be excited but somehow I can't help but wonder about Allen being just more of the same backwards sliding of the past few post-Bountygate years. It just feels like more of Sean Payton spinning himself into a cocoon, surrounding himself with more and more yes men, challenging himself less, going with what he knows, and more of the whole organization operating inside its own weird 2009 Super Bowl bubble or echo chamber.

Bringing Allen back in this weird way, it sorta reeks of "Yippee! It's 2009 all over again, folks!" type cheerleading and hype. It feels a little desperate to me. It's almost like there is a weird confluence going on between Payton's insular paranoia (always sticking with HIS guys) and the Benson family's perennial perpetual love of re-living the nostalgia for the Super Bowl year of '09 over and over. I dunno. I really want to be excited about it, but I'm just not. I hope they do a big and thorough search during the off season but I have my doubts.

Re: How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

I never assume anymore someone can't do a better job if given the opportunity. I had some Soldiers under me who most wrote off as not capable of anymore responsibility. They were wrong. They shocked a lot of people when they got the chance is all I can say. Did amazing things. I don't know if Allen is that type of person but I would not be surprised if it turned out that way.

Re: How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

I'm sold, its what I think our defense needs right now. Direction and accountability.

Re: How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

Given our remaining schedule that effort would be enough to win out. The issue now becomes the offensive line.

Re: How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

The one thing that stood out to me is that Allen was responsible for most of the 3rd down packages and schemes, well last I can recall we were actually ranked in the top 5 defense on 3rd down. Our issue was just getting teams to a 3rd down...

Re: How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

It's not about just the playcalling though.

Re: How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

Proof will be in the mash potatoes as we find out what yields over the remainder of the season...

But the biggest reason for any improvement won't necessarily be because of scheme, play calling, etc...

rather, that there is now a singular chain of command, single message and not some committee-led disaster we've had...

Re: How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

I wonder what the room was like when DA met the defense for the first time after his promotion? I think he's going to preach accountability as his mantra. Gap assignment, tackling and fundamentals will be his focus to begin with. No more playing for the coach you like. It's time for players to play for their jobs!

Allen typically blitzes 44% of the time vs. Ryan who rarely blitzed. And when Ryan did blitz his timing never seemed in sync or effective. Also, Allen takes pride in disguising his blitzes right up to the snap of the ball. His schemes may appear complicated but he likes to run a variety of plays out of a single package. Much like Payton. So, the players should be less confused.......hopefully.

Re: How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

Payton and Lomis are pretty poor judges of talent. This is a Saints defense that has a couple young prospects and almost nothing else. Ryan may be horrible, but he never had a chance with talent he was dealt and Allen won't do much better. Ever since they drafted Colston Payton crowned himself a draft and free agent genius, but he has failed miserably at both. To be in a position where you have to be extremely creative just to stay under the cap and still have no talent is inexcusable. Brees is the only reason the Saints won't have the first pick in the draft.

Re: How Allen will impact the Saints' defense
 

Disagree. I think we've got tons of talent on defense, which is why I'm so blown away by just how bad they've been. I think, much as I do really like Rob Ryan as an individual, we need somebody to get in the faces of these kids and preach it to 'em with some consequences.

:bng: