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Sean Payton has earned his reputation as one of the NFL's most brilliant offensive minds during 10-plus years as head coach of the New Orleans Saints.

But during that same decade, Payton also has burned through four defensive coordinators. He is now on No. 5, Dennis Allen.

Most of them have been fired because the defense just plain stunk -- it set the NFL record for yards allowed in a season under Steve Spagnuolo in 2012 and set NFL records for TD passes allowed and opponents' passer rating last season before Rob Ryan was fired in November.



Other times there have been some personality clashes -- such as with Gregg Williams, who helped lead the Saints to a Super Bowl in 2009. And Ryan burned some bridges on his way out, complaining that Payton and Saints management tried to force a defensive scheme on him that he didn't agree with.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly how much blame falls on the shoulders of Payton himself, how much falls on the front office and how much falls on each individual defensive coordinator.

But if chemistry has anything to do with the equation, then Allen should have the best chance of success yet.


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dizzle88

It better be.

halloween 65

Payton stacked the deck for Allen, now we get to sit back and see what he does with it.

spkb25

I don't think you can really include spags. There was just too much going on that didn't truly allow for success for him, and I just don't think he should be included. Firing Gibbs was the right thing to do and it got us a SB. Firing RR was the right thing, actually this is the one I put on SP and the front office. He should have never been hired in the first place. GW was solid for us. You go back and look at the stats and he was solid for us. I think they clashed and I think Greg wanted out anyway. DA reminds me a lot of GW. I like him, and I think he will have success.

Your team stinks

jeanpierre

What's amazing to me still is the first season, the Saints went all the way to the NFC conference championship game against the Bears...

We had a thin roster, no depth; we had Gary Gibbs as defensive coordinator; it was a new team learning new schemes...

It really comes down to the coaches, their schemes, ability to command men and execute the plan...

We weren't that talented (and got exposed in the NFC Championship Game against the Bears) and yet there was a great deal of success...

Dennis Allen was the Asst Defensive Line Coach to Marion Hobby (who's the Clemson co-defensive coordinator and defensive end coach)...

John Morton, who's since returned as well, was our Passing Game coach and assistant to Curtis Johnson the receivers coach, is now Wide Receivers coach...

So Payton is getting back to what worked in all sorts of ways...

It's not that my way is the right way, I just make the right way my way...

Seer1

Technically, wasn't number two the charm...... for a season?

Seer1

I think he should. A good coach can adjust somewhat to what he has to work with. A team can't suck as badly as we did under him without actually working at it.

44Champs

As a former Head Coach, Spags should've done a better job. I never saw any fire from either him or the players. But as JP said, I dont even count that season without putting an asterisk next to it. Goodell still sucks.

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spkb25

IDK man he had prob and corey white

Seer1

Good point. Still a man oughta be held somewhat accountable.