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Why Week 9 should be must-win for Saints HC Dennis Allen
Saints head coach Dennis Allen should be in a must-win situation in Week 9.
New Orleans (2-6), riding a six-game losing streak, has a perfect opportunity to get back into the win column this Sunday on the road against the Carolina Panthers (1-7).
If it doesn't, Allen might be better off skipping the flight back to New Orleans.
The Saints are far removed from their blistering 2-0 start when they outscored the Panthers and Cowboys by a combined score of 91-29.
Over their last six games, the Saints have been outscored 177-94, with four consecutive double-digit losses.
Injuries have hit New Orleans hard. In Week 3, it lost center Erik McCoy to a groin injury against the Eagles, and the offense fell apart immediately afterward.
Utility offensive weapon Taysom Hill missed four games, wide receiver Chris Olave missed one game due to a concussion and wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (knee) was lost for the season in Week 6.
Quarterback Derek Carr (oblique) missed the past three games but had a promising throwing session on Monday and could start against Carolina.
Derek Carr's throwing session on Monday consisted of about 50 throws and it went well, Dennis Allen said (via @WWLAMFM).
— Jeff Nowak (@Jeff_Nowak) October 29, 2024
DA: "We’ll see how he responds to that and see where he’s at on, you know, [Tuesday] and Wednesday and kind of go from there." #Saints…
Regardless of who the quarterback is, a loss to the lowly Panthers would be catastrophic for Allen.
He also coached the Raiders for 36 games from 2012-14 and has a career record of 26-52.
Allen did himself no favors during a recent interview on New Orleans' WWL radio when he called out the team's young players.
"I think we have some good young players. I don't think we have any great young players, or at least we're not in that position at least yet," Allen said. (h/t Nola.Football's Nick Underhill)
DA on elite young players on WWL radio: "I think we have some good young players. I don't know that we have any great young players, or at least we're not in that position at least yet. I think we still got some young guys that are developing that we hope can continue to get…
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) October 29, 2024
That's more of an indictment of player development under Allen, who also mentioned the need to improve on "fundamentals," as though training camp and the preseason didn't happen.
When discussing penalty issues, Allen said, "It's part of the fundamentals of blocking ... We got to get our hands inside. We got to do a better job of moving our feet."
DA on penalties on WWL radio: "It's part of the fundamentals of blocking. We've got to do a better job of that. We got to get our hands inside. We got to do a better job of moving our feet. There's fundamental things that we have to improve on."
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) October 29, 2024
Those aren't the problems good teams have eight weeks into the season.
Allen has run the Saints into the ground, but they can drop further with a potential loss to the Panthers.
If so, it will be difficult to imagine Allen having his job for much longer.
More must-reads:
- NFL should discipline Saints DL for dirty play against Chargers' Justin Herbert
- Saints bench rookie quarterback in showdown with Chargers
- The 'New Orleans Saints head coaches' quiz
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Justin Fields Called 'Biggest Loser' In Jets Training Camp
The New York Jets opted to cut Aaron Rodgers and sign Justin Fields to replace him during the offseason. This kind of commitment to Fields should bolster his confidence, but it could also place a lot of pressure on his shoulders. To this point, Fields has looked solid in training camp, aside from a scary toe injury that was quickly resolved in July. Justin Fried of the Jet Press recently reported that Fields' training camp may have reached a new low over the weekend as the young signal caller struggled. "Justin Fields put together his best practice of the summer to this point on Friday, completing his first 12 passes en route to an excellent all-around performance. The same can't be said about his showing on Saturday, however," Fried wrote. "Fields finished the day an abysmal 2-of-10 in the air, including a drop from rookie tight end Mason Taylor. "Some of his incompletions were catchable balls, but the Jets' passing game struggles on Saturday can largely be blamed on No. 7. Fields did flash his running ability with a 25-yard rushing score on the first play of red-zone drills, but the Jets would like to see more consistency in the air from the starting quarterback. Saturday's scrimmage was far from his best showing of the summer." Fields is a runner first at the NFL level, but his arm is nothing to scoff at. For most of training camp, his arm talent has been better than advertised, but during Saturday's scrimmage, it just wasn't there. A 2 for 10 performance is unacceptable for a $40 million quarterback who was signed to take over the team. The running game should open up the passing game for the Jets, which is going to need to be the case if Fields is going to struggle like this. However, it's just one day of camp. It's nothing to be too concerned about. Just because Fields lost this specific practice doesn't mean he's heading in the wrong direction as a whole.
Chargers, Cowboys Connected In Micah Parsons Trade Rumor
Micah Parsons officially requested a trade, and every single team in the league should have some interest in acquiring the superstar. A four-time Pro Bowler and two-time First-Team All-Pro, Parsons is one of the best players at one of the game’s premier positions and, now entering his age-26 season, should have several years of elite play left in his tank. Players like this usually earn record-setting contracts, and Jerry Jones does not seem willing to hand out that kind of money. With this in mind, Bleacher Report‘s Alex Kay proposed a trade where the Cowboys will trade Micah Parsons to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for two first-round picks, a second-round pick, a fifth-round pick, and running back Najee Harris. “Parsons, meanwhile, would help L.A.’s already impressive defense be even better, potentially for longer,” Kay writes. “While the Chargers still have a high-profile pass-rusher in Khalil Mack, he’s 34 and set to play on a one-year deal. With $32 million in cap space, the Chargers could afford to make Parsons their long-term defensive star.” Chargers, Cowboys Connected In Micah Parsons Trade Rumor Micah Parsons may have requested a trade, but as of this posting, the Cowboys do not seem interested in granting his wish. This is par for the course with Jerry Jones, as the owner has a long, detailed history of drawing out these types of negotiations. He did it with quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, and history could be repeating itself with Parsons. However, for the sake of argument, let’s assume the Cowboys eventually decide to trade Micah Parsons. If this happens, they should be happy with this type of return. The Khalil Mack trade is the closest comparison to Parsons, and the Raiders parted ways with him and a 2020 second-round pick for two first-round picks, a third-round pick, and a sixth-round pick. This is roughly an equivalent value to what Kay offers in his article, so it’s easy to see Dallas pulling the trigger on this Micah Parsons trade. However, it would probably need to happen before the start of the regular season, as Najee Harris is a part of the deal. While he’s just a throw-in, the running back is currently playing on a one-year deal, and his value depreciates by the week. Would the Chargers Do This? Micah Parsons is a phenomenal player, but would the Chargers give up this much in a trade for one player? While we’ll never know for sure, the Chargers are the type of team that could make this risk. Head coach Jim Harbaugh brought this team to the playoffs last year, quarterback Justin Herbert is one of the game’s top talents, and the roster is loaded with talent. This team may be one piece away from a Super Bowl, and Parsons could take them to the next level. The Chargers have a strong team, but they need an influx of talent to overtake the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West. A Micah Parsons trade could be the missing piece this team needs as they finally look to go on a deep playoff run for the first time since the Philip Rivers days.
Commanders still seeking new contract with disgruntled star despite trade request
Terry McLaurin has been the Washington Commanders' top wide receiver since he burst onto the scene as a third-round pick in 2019. With five 1,000-yard campaigns in the last five years, "Scary Terry" has proved his worth as a premier pass-catcher. McLaurin played an integral role in leading Washington's offense back to prominence, notching a second-team All-Pro nod in 2024. So while the Commanders have no doubts about McLaurin's talent, the fact that the former Ohio State Buckeye is pushing 30 with just one year remaining on his contract has given the franchise a reason to pause extension talks. McLaurin is set to make a base salary of $15 million in the final year of his current deal, but is believed to be seeking an extension worth north of $30 million annually. The two sides failed to come to an agreement earlier in the offseason, though, prompting the talented receiver to request a trade. At that point, it seemed as if McLaurin would be dealt to a new team. But the Commanders quickly realized they couldn't allow their longest-tenured skill player to leave for pennies on the dollar. Despite McLaurin's public trade request, Washington is still looking to mend the situation, according to ESPN's Dan Graziano. "The Commanders do not intend to trade him, according to the people I've spoken to there, and they say they continue to work toward a contract extension," the veteran sports journalist reported. After winning the first playoff matchup of his career against the Buccaneers in the wild card before upsetting the Detroit Lions in the divisional round last season, McLaurin has less of a reason than ever before to leave Washington. He battled through several of the franchise's toughest seasons and now has the opportunity to catch passes from one of the NFL's most intriguing young arms in Jayden Daniels for years to come if he wants. It's understandable why McLaurin desires a massive payday, especially after making less than $1 million annually throughout his base rookie contract. After years of sustained excellence, though, he won't have to worry about a salary increase. He'll easily garner $30 million a year, give or take a couple of million dollars. McLaurin may not receive a deal that places him alongside the likes of Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson, but neither he nor the Commanders should spend much time squabbling over a few million. With the team shaping up to be a bona fide playoff contender for the foreseeable future, Washington remains the best home for McLaurin.
Knee operation: Kirby Dach not yet back on his feet
Two years ago to the day, Canadiens fans were optimistic about Kirby Dach’s future in Montreal: the 6’4 forward had just collected 38 points in 58 games – in his first campaign in Quebec – and many wondered whether Dach had a better chance of establishing himself as a first NHL center than captain Nick Suzuki. The past 730 days have proven otherwise, but that’s not the point this morning. Since joining the Canadiens, Dach has earned a reputation as a fragile player. Virus, shoulder, upper body (concussion?), lower body, knee(ACL and MCL), knee again… Let’s just say that injuries haven’t spared Dach since he arrived in Montreal. In fact, injuries haven’t spared Dach since he started playing hockey. He has never played more than 70 games in a single season, and has only broken the 60-game barrier three times in nine junior or pro seasons. Last February, Dach underwent a second operation on his right knee in the space of 18 months. Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes may tell us that Kirby Dach is fine,but we still have our doubts. Especially whenyou consider that, with the Canadiens’ recent additions and departures, Kirby Dach is still the team’s second center on the organizational chart. content-ads]Last week, I wondered where Kirby was ? We’ve seen plenty of Habs players skating at the CN Complex this summer, but not Kirby Dach. And I had to work like a monk to catch a glimpse of him in a video filmed at Nick Suzuki’s wedding! Yesterday, I was told that Kirby Dach was spending the summer in Edmonton with Kaiden Guhle – Dach is from Saskatchewan and Guhle is from Alberta – and that Dach was still in rehab. I repeat: five months after his most recent knee operation and some 40 days before the start of practice camp, Kirby Dach is still not recovered and ready to play. Good informants spotted him in an Edmonton gym doing squats with loads that look like the ones I used to take when I went to Econofitness, not the ones an NHL player uses [content-ads]This explains it: when he came to Montreal for his captain’s wedding, Kirby Dach couldn’t – or wouldn’t – skate with his teammates in Brossard. It’s worth noting that Dach is also very quiet on social networks – his last post was in November 2024 – probably in an effort to be forgotten… to go unnoticed. Spending the summer in Alberta, rather than in Montreal (with his chums at Osheaga), makes sense, when you think about it…Let’s just say that the chances of Dach starting his season at the same time as everyone else in two months’ time are pretty slim, which is cause for concern for those hoping to see the Canadiens in the playoffs in 2026. Yes, the Kirby Dach problem would be solved if a guy like Mason MacTavish-good offensively, defensively, physically and in the face-off circle-came to Montreal, but let’s just say that the odds of that happening this summer are very low. And you can’t make plans with very improbable things![spacer title=’Prolongation’]Matthew Tkachuk, who was injured last winter while throwing down the gloves at the 4 Nations tournament, underwent surgery last month (hernia and adductor). According to the latest information from Elliotte Friedman, Tkachuk could return to action just before the Olympic Games. Let’s hope Kirby Dach doesn’t have to wait as long as Tkachuk.
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