Dennis Allen talks about the Saints disappointing loss to the Rams on Thursday Night Football.
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00:00 >> Obviously, wasn't good enough tonight.
00:03 I thought defensively, I thought they got after us pretty good.
00:11 We didn't get a lot of pressure on the quarterback.
00:12 And even at the times that we did, I thought, look, you gotta give those guys
00:19 a lot of credit because I thought they played outstanding on offense.
00:22 I kinda knew going into this game that it was gonna be a challenge and
00:26 a new Matthew Stafford was playing really good.
00:29 But I don't think we played the way we needed to play either.
00:35 I thought there was too many times where we talked a lot about eye candy
00:41 early in the week and I thought it affected us on some plays.
00:44 So we certainly have to be better.
00:47 I gotta do a better job with those guys.
00:49 Offensively, I felt like we moved the ball again and
00:53 I felt like there were some opportunities that we just didn't take advantage of.
00:57 Potential conversions, keep drives alive.
01:02 I just felt like there was too many missed opportunities.
01:07 Offensively, first drive, moving the ball well and
01:13 end up turning the ball wrong down when we had a pretty good drive going.
01:20 So, anyway, I'll open it up to questions.
01:22 >> Yeah, what led to the decision to go for it on fourth down?
01:26 >> Yeah, so, well, we went for it twice on fourth down, I think,
01:29 right in the first half.
01:31 And look, we came into this game wanting to be aggressive.
01:37 And knowing that the type of team that we were playing,
01:42 the offense that we were playing, we knew that field goals
01:48 weren't the way to go try to win this game.
01:50 And yet, we didn't wanna be reckless, but we felt like in both those situations,
01:55 we felt like we had plays that we liked.
01:56 And unfortunately, it didn't work out.
02:02 But there's a mindset going into it to be aggressive.
02:06 >> Dennis, what led to the decision to take Alonso to the end of the game?
02:11 >> I just felt like we needed to get Hugo in there and
02:14 give him an opportunity to go play.
02:15 >> Can you talk a little bit about the decision for
02:18 the onside kick toward the end of the game there?
02:21 >> Yeah, I think it was what, 353, something like that, to go in the game.
02:25 We were out of timeouts.
02:26 Honestly, we hadn't done a great job of stopping them up to that point.
02:33 So we felt like, I felt like the onside kick was the right play.
02:38 And we didn't get it.
02:42 And so we were gonna have to stop them either way.
02:48 So we went for the onside kick to try to get it and
02:52 see if we couldn't go down and tie the game.
02:57 >> Dennis, with taking Alonso out,
02:58 what did you see that he just wasn't doing well while you were there?
03:00 >> Well, look, I mean, I think they got him a couple times with his eyes.
03:07 And so I just felt like it was the right move for our team at that point.
03:12 >> It was like high discipline in tackling is something that we've heard a few times
03:16 in these conversations.
03:17 Why is it that that's something that continuously replays in team events?
03:20 >> Yeah, I mean, it takes a lot of discipline to do that.
03:25 And I think there's been times where it's been good and
03:28 some times where it hadn't been as good.
03:29 And I think that's always been the challenge defensively, even on the,
03:34 I mean, the best defenses I've been a part of, that's always a challenge.
03:39 >> Dennis, when Stapford has time,
03:43 how difficult is he to stop him from playing?
03:48 >> No, he's extremely difficult.
03:50 I mean, look, I think he's playing at an extremely high level.
03:54 Some of the throws that you see him make, I saw a lot on tape that he's making
04:02 pinpoint throws off his back foot, under pressure, all those kinds of things.
04:07 And look, he made a couple of really good throws today,
04:12 he put it in a great spot.
04:14 There was times where we had good coverage and they made plays, and
04:17 there was times where we weren't good enough coverage and they made plays.
04:20 So, but we'll go back and look at the tape, see where we could be better.
04:25 But look, they were better than us tonight.
04:30 >> Dennis, this was another loss where the team fought back late, but
04:33 it fell short.
04:33 Why do you feel like it takes almost to a where it's desperation mode to see
04:38 things kind of move in with the offense?
04:40 >> Yeah, I can't answer that question.
04:43 I don't know the answer to that.
04:46 I do know that our guys continue to fight.
04:51 It can be a little frustrating that you'd like to think you could do some of those
04:59 things a little bit earlier in the game.
05:01 And like I said, we moved the ball at times early in the game,
05:05 we just we missed some opportunities to keep some drives alive.
05:09 So, but look, we lost on the road to a good team.
05:15 And now we gotta go regroup and get ready for a 10 to fake.
05:21 >> Dennis, what's your message to the team now that you don't have any control
05:24 you're on the defensive end?
05:26 >> I think the biggest thing is we got two divisional games left to play.
05:32 And so our focus is gonna be on trying to win those two divisional games and
05:38 then we'll let everything play out from there.
05:41 >> With the onside kick, I know you said you have to stop them either way, but
05:44 obviously that put them close to field goal range.
05:47 Was it a tough decision?
05:49 >> Yeah, look, it was a conversation that we had.
05:51 And I felt like
05:56 trying to, taking our chances on trying to get the onside kick.
06:04 Probably gave us the best opportunity to win.
06:07 And we didn't get it.
06:11 >> Was it more that when you assess that,
06:14 like you're looking at the defense and how they play-
06:15 >> Yeah, we hadn't done a great job of stopping them up to that point.
06:21 So, and that's part of what the conversation was.
06:24 >> Was the intent with the onside kick to try to get a better bounce or
06:28 anything like that?
06:29 Was there anything about the execution of the onside kick that-
06:31 >> Well, look, I mean,
06:33 they're challenging to get in our league now based on the way they make you line up
06:38 and everything.
06:39 I think we were kind of hoping they would kind of over shift a little bit more.
06:45 And I think the ball kind of bounced off his chest a little bit.
06:50 We just weren't quite there to make the play.
06:53 >> Was run blocking an issue today, it just seems like.
06:55 >> Yeah, well, we didn't run the ball well.
06:57 And we need to run the ball better.
07:02 Cuz we can't just be drop back passing team or play action passing team.
07:08 We need to be able to run the football better.
07:10 >> What do you think you can do to make the run game more effective?
07:14 >> Well, look, we'll have to go back to work at it.
07:18 You know what I mean?
07:18 I mean, I wish there was magic formula, but
07:23 we'll have to go back to work at it and see where we can be better.
07:29 >> That's how you play David, David plays better.
07:34 >> Yeah, I think overall I thought he played well.
07:41 I think there's certainly some plays that he and
07:45 we would probably like to have back.
07:48 I don't know statistically how it finished up.
07:54 I mean, I thought there was some plays that he made.
07:57 And I thought there was probably a couple of plays in there that I felt like,
08:01 I wouldn't, you know, where we need to be.
08:05 So, yeah, I thought he played okay.
08:10 >> How did you think he handled the pressure today?
08:13 It seems like they were pretty aggressive early.
08:15 >> Yeah, I think he was fine.
08:23 I think he was fine.
08:26 I think, obviously, there's sometimes, again,
08:30 where maybe get through his progression a little bit quicker.
08:35 Maybe hang in there a little bit more.
08:39 I mean, there's a lot of things that go into it.
08:43 But I thought overall, I thought it was a solid game for him.
08:48 >> With getting Chris Olave back in the lineup,
08:51 seemed like there was still a conscious effort to continue to spread the ball
08:55 around, I think there's still eight receivers, there's still clock passes.
08:58 I think, is that a little bit more what you want from the passing games?
09:01 Where- >> Yeah, absolutely.
09:03 I mean, you wanna be able to spread the ball around.
09:06 And really, when you're at your best is
09:12 when you can call a pass play and get through your progressions and
09:18 get it to the right guy based on the coverage that we're seeing.
09:22 I mean, that's what efficient offenses is about.
09:27 And so being able to spread the ball around, I think, is good, yeah.
09:30 >> Was Chris limited in any way?
09:32 It seemed like there's moments there.
09:34 >> Yeah, look, yeah, I'd say he was certainly not 100%.
09:40 But I was proud of him for coming in and
09:44 battling the way that he did.
09:47 Made some plays, probably a couple of plays again that he'd like to have back.
09:52 And we need to have that.
09:54 But I thought overall, there's a lot of good things I saw from him.
09:59 >> Dennis, how much did momentum change giving up that late touchdown at
10:02 the end of the second quarter?
10:03 >> Well, it obviously was a big play in the game,
10:07 big momentum changer in the game.
10:10 At the end of the second quarter when I made the decision to go for it,
10:17 I wanted to be aggressive.
10:17 Obviously, they had three timeouts.
10:21 So put the ball away and give it to them, hopefully back up.
10:28 But they still got three timeouts in their pocket.
10:31 So again, we weren't playing this game to try not to get beat.
10:40 We were trying to play this game to win, so.
10:43 >> How did you feel the execution of the drive right before that?
10:46 It was the two minute drive that you all had the opportunity for.
10:51 There were still two timeouts, things like that.
10:53 I don't know, we couldn't tell from where we felt a little bit more flustered in
10:58 a way, did you feel that or was that just against the clock?
11:00 >> No, I think that was probably just more against the clock.
11:04 I didn't feel that at all.
11:04 >> Dennis, this is a pretty important game, honestly,
11:10 with huge playoff implication.
11:12 Is it, I guess, how do you feel about the fact that the team
11:18 started out slow in such an important game and
11:21 now it kind of goes from a 7% chance to win the playoff, to make the playoffs to a 20?
11:27 My shorter question is, is it disappointing that the team went out and
11:31 performed that way just knowing how much was on the line?
11:33 >> Yeah, we certainly would have liked to have started the game better,
11:37 played better, finished better.
11:45 But we didn't, so I'm not into the percentages, though.
11:50 I'm really not, I'm just focused on, look, we've let an opportunity go by.
11:54 And so now we gotta get ready for the things that we control,
11:59 which is getting ready to go play Tampa.
12:01 >> Is it difficult to regroup after a disappointing loss like that?
12:05 >> We'll regroup, we'll regroup.
12:07 We're still in this thing, all right, thanks.