New Orleans Saints Respond to Dirty Play Allegations
New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen is pushing back against assertions from the Philadelphia Eagles that his team engaged in dirty play during their recent clash. The Saints were narrowly defeated by the Eagles, with a final score of 15-12 in a game characterized by injuries and testy exchanges.
The allegations of unsportsmanlike behavior stem from several contentious incidents involving Saints defenders Payton Turner and Khristian Boyd. These players delivered a hit to Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith, causing his helmet to come off. Smith was unable to return to the game and has now been placed in concussion protocol, intensifying the scrutiny on the Saints' aggressive play.
Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson did not mince words, branding the Saints' actions as dirty play. "The dirtiest shit I ever saw in football, bro," Gardner-Johnson commented. Several other Eagles players echoed his sentiments, expressing frustration over what they perceived as overly aggressive and unsportsmanlike behavior.
Allen, however, staunchly defended his team's approach. “I'd say our guys play extremely hard and we're going to compete until the down is over. I don't think we play dirty. I don't think we ever have played dirty. It's not the way we coach it, not the way we teach it, but we do play hard,” Allen stressed. His comments underscore his belief that while the Saints play with intensity and physicality, they do not cross the line into dirty play.
The game also saw Saints right tackle Trevor Penning penalized for unnecessary roughness. Penning's aggressive block sent Eagles safety Darius Slay hurtling into the sideline benches, further adding to the contentiousness of the game. Allen acknowledged the penalty but emphasized the balance needed between aggression and discipline. “We can't have that. You've got to have some awareness of where you're at on the field. That could've been a really costly penalty. I love the aggressiveness, but at the same time, we can't hurt the team,” Allen remarked.
Despite these incidents and the resulting fallout, the Saints maintain their aggressive style as a defining characteristic of their play. “Look, nobody wants to see anybody get hurt, nobody’s trying to hurt anybody and unfortunately that’s part of the business that we’re in. No, we don't play dirty. We don't coach dirty, but we do play hard and we do play physical," Allen reiterated, further defending his team's actions in the game.
As the Saints stand at 2-1 for the season, the label of "Pretenders" slapped on them by Gardner-Johnson certainly adds a layer of narrative to their early performance. Whether this incident will galvanize the team or cast a longer shadow over their season remains to be seen. The Saints' commitment to aggressive, hard-hitting football is evident, but it will undoubtedly be under the microscope in the coming games as they seek to navigate the fine line between physicality and sportsmanship.